Re: [MiNT] New MiNT distribution is n.. ..pro

[Johan Klockars <rand@cd.chalmers.se>]

> > > my Pentium1-200 is faster than my TT on raw CPU speed than my TT using
> > > TOS2WIN, so emulation is definitely feasible.
> > 
> > 
> > hmmm either your TT is a 8Mhz, or your p200 is actually a 800Mhz.
> > Or maybe a special super duper version or tos2win?

It's been a while since I tried TOS2Win, so I don't recall how fast its
CPU emulation was (it certainly has a speedy GDI VDI, though).

My AB040 (which is a couple of times faster than a TT) has much the same
performance as my K6-3/400 (which is a couple of times faster than a P200)
under Gemulator. That suggests that it's at least possible for TOS2Win/P200
to outpace a TT.

> If you implement the core OS (MiNT in this case) and the GUI (GEM)
> in native code, and only emulate userspace programs, most applications

When running on another architecture, I wouldn't even worry about most of
the OS. It should be quite enough to rewrite a few device drivers and/or
file systems. That way users would be able to upgrade the kernel themselves.

> will in fact only emulate the non-system parts, and the rest will
> run as fast native code.

But 'raw CPU speed' was specifically mentioned in this case.

I'm hoping to convince the Gemulator author to make some kind of interface
available so that a special fVDI device driver can be used to access
the real PC screen. He seemed somewhat interested when I last talked to
him, but he wanted an easier to setup version of fVDI to try out first.
Since v0.95 (which was finally released two days ago) is indeed very easy
to deal with (not that the earlier ones were difficult), I intend to contact
him again shortly.

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