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Re: [MiNT] XaAES sources for FreeMiNT 1.16.3



Jo Even Skarstein wrote:
Paul Wratt skreiv:

That is my point (i think). Any virtual screen should be independent
of physical hardware, and yes apps could be told about screen
attribute changes. As long as it is not a fullscreen non-desktop app,
then the virtual screen should not interfere with what is actually on
the screen, especially if it is running under AES

This is a different concept than virtual workstations in VDI. In VDI, a virtual workstation is nothing but a set of stored parameters (colour, line style, fillpattern etc) attached to a handle we call a "virtual workstation". So when using a virtual workstation, you're only using those settings when drawing. The drawing is performed directly on the physical workstation (screen, printer, plotter...).

The concept you're suggesting can be compared to offscreen bitmaps in VDI. You could do all drawing to offscreen bitmaps in whatever size and resolution you like, and then blit it to the physical workstation when needed.

I am not sure of the use of multiple physical screens, except that
more than one full screen non-desktop app could be running at the same
time, and that would make sense, not interfering with each others

This is one use. Movie players, slideshows, art programs, text consoles etc. are other uses. The Amiga had a brilliant implementation of this 25 years ago.
I was going to mention this but didn't for fear that someone might decide we don't need amiga like features. But when I saw this feature in the early 90's I was enamored with it. I think it's really cool and there's nothing that really matches it in any of today's OS's except maybe linux who can have multiple x sessions and framebuffer consoles.

Thanks,
Mark