AmigaOS 4 Unofficial Developers FAQ

Alexey Veselovsky написал(а) к All в Aug 02 22:33:26 по местному времени:

Вот, может кому интересно...

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AmigaOS 4 Unofficial Developers FAQ

eXec magazine

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Q:
What compilers and other development tools will be adapted to generate and test

AmigaOS 4 programs?

A:
Currently, we use gcc 2.95.2. All compilers available in the standard
distribution
are usable, as long as they don't require a runtime environment.
Clearly, this rules out Java at the moment. Langauges include:
C
C++
Chill
Fortran 77
Objective C
Assembler

Java might follow. The GNU Java compiler is interesting as it can actually
compile Java to native code. It still requires a runtime environemnt,
though... Bintuils 2.11 are used. For the release, we'll also plan to have
gdb support.

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Q:
Нow and to what degree there will be provided a compatibility with existing
software for AmigaOS 3.x?

A:
Through binary and source code compatibiliy, as far as possible...

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Q:
What API changes should be expected between AmigaOS 3.x and AmigaOS 4.0?
In other words: how much code will have to be modified to compile and run
on AmigaOS 4 an application/library/device written for AmigaOS 3.x?

A:
We provide header files to ensure source code compatibility, but library
opening changed slightly, so it's likely that some source code needs to
be adapted. Overall, it's expected to be 95 % compatible.

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Q:
Is the Altivec support planned? If so then can we expect an appropriate
compiler (gcc?) and libraries to be delivered?

A:
Planned: yes. When: no idea.

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Q:
Memory protection and virtual memory. Will they be provided? On what level?

A:
It's planned. Basically, memory protection will later on include protection
of code segments, protection of memory not allocated or non-existing.
It's not quite sure yet if full protection, i.e. protection of individual
tasks's memory areas, is at all feasible, due to the MEMF_PUBLIC abuse
and misconceptions. We will give guidelines for OS4 programmers so that
future version of the system will be able to take advantage of protected
memory.

Virtual memory is also planned. An application will be required to indicate
that
it wants to use virtual memory. There's an additional memory flag MEMF_VITRUAL
that will alocated memory that can be made virtual.

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Q:
Do you plan to support a SMP?

A:
Not yet. It's considered in the design, but not yet fully possible.

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Q:
Will you plan to introduce transparent layers into layers.library? What about
blitting using an alpha-channel?

A:
We considered that, but it requires a complete reimplementation of the layers
system. This will come in a later OS update. OS 4 will ship with an
arithmetically optimised reimplementation of layers.

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Q:
Нow OpenGL API will be implemented in AmigaOS API? Currently we have to use
GLUT libraries from StormMESA which isn't comfortable.
Will it be possible to access windows, screens and pull-down menus without
using GLUT library?

A:
There will be a native mode interface, which means that you will have to use
(or better be able to use) normal intuition in conjunction with OpenGL.

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Q:
Нow a m68k emulator is built-in and how it handles m68k programs?

A:
An API will be provided to run sections of 68k code.
Running 68k programs from disk will automatically run them emulated.

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Q:
Will dos.library's maximum file length limit be removed?

A:
No. This is not possible due to internal data structures.

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Q:
Will all 16-bit limits in system structures (especially GUI related) be
removed?

A:
No. System structure will remain unchanged for backward compatibility.

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Q:
Will AmigaOS 4 allow a concurrent work for multiple users?
Нow their access rights will be managed and controlled?
Will it be more Unix-like or more Microsoft NT-like?

A:
No.

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Q:
Will AmigaOS4 have any Java engine (JRE) built-in? What about AWT then?

A:
Java will later be provided through AmigaDE integration.
We're looking into the GNU Java compiler as well.
No firm commitment yet, though.

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Q:
Will AmigaOS4 be compatible with POSIX? Will it be finally possible to write
and use a fork() function?

A:
We try to have a POSIX compliancy layer, but I'm afraid that fork will never
be possible with the Amiga. The Amiga system is based on a single address
space all way through, and no amount of development can take that away.
Future versions of the OS might remove this by providing a new system that
runs an Amiga "Box", but currently, this is not possible.

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Q:
Currently there's some support for UID/GID attributes.
Will it be expanded to support SUID/SGID also?

A:
No.

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Questions answered by Thomas Frieden from Нyperion
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Links
Official AmigaOS Portal
Нyperion Entertainment
Amiga, AmigaOS are registered trademarks of Amiga Inc.
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Vlad Vinogradov написал(а) к Alexey Veselovsky в Aug 02 23:12:40 по местному времени:

In a message of 05 Aug 02 Alexey Veselovsky wrote to All:

AV> Вот, может кому интересно...

AV> *********************************************************************
AV> AmigaOS 4 Unofficial Developers FAQ

ага. конфетка.

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