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Re: A92: New TI-92 OS! (Update & Anouncement)





This sounds cool I am new to a lot of this I am working on learning Turbo
C++, I would like to see it when you are finished.  If you would like any
bata testers I would be willing to help.

Josh:)
sivecjos@student.lansing.cc.mi.us 

On Fri, 6 Mar 1998, Bryan Christopher Turner wrote:

> 
> 
>    I've had a lot of fun so far on this project for my Operating Systems
> Project class.  I'm writing a multitasking operating system for the TI-92.
>  It's fully compatable with the TI-OS and Fargo (it uses fargo as a program
> interface actually).  Now that the semester is half over I wanted to let
> everyone know what the project is about.
> 
>    An operating system called Xinu was written by professor Douglas Comer for
> his students and documented in a book called "Operating System Design : The
> XINU approach".  I have ported this system to the TI-92 platform and am in the
> process of optimizing the data structures and writing interface modules
> callable from Fargo assembly.
> 
>    Xinu '92 will support dynamically allocated blocks of static memory (they
> don't move at TI-92's will) which allow programs and libraries to make absolute
> references and complex data structures, while still allowing the TI-92 memory
> system to work unhindered.  The kernel will support preemptive multitasking
> with priority, mutual-exclusion through semaphores, process sleeping, message
> passing (and possibly ports), and a library mechanism to add further
> functionality.
> 
>    Sound too good to be true?  It's already working! (hey, it better be, it's
> due at the end of the semester!!)  The kernel functionality is finished and
> tested, and I've been adding library support and the fargo interface most
> recently.  User Level processes are proving to be a bit of a challenge though.
> 
>    The whole project fits in about 8K of code/data space, and requires Fargo to
> be installed as a front-end.  The project is written in C, using my C4Fargo
> kit, with some assembly support.  (for anyone who does not know, the C4Fargo
> kit runs in the Metrowerks CodeWarrior Pro 2 environment for Mac or PC)
> 
>    I will be releasing fully commented source code at the end of the semester
> and a demo program to show off the multitasking power of YOUR TI-92 calculator.
>  Watch as floating palettes and bouncing sprites dazzle your eyes while the
> calculator plots a 3D graph in the background (it's really neat).  There will
> also be several design documents (from the class) available, and the reference
> book which this system is based on.
> 
>    Hope this sparks some interesting conversation, or ideas, etc..  I won't
> have time to support the OS after completion, but I'll answer any questions
> about it in my usual detailed fasion.
> 
> --Bryan
> bcturner@eos.ncsu.edu
> 
> 


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