OS Wars

[cosc19z5@bayou.uh.edu]

> >Isn't this a task for another mailing list?  If memory serves me
> >correctly, this list was split awhile ago into a VM and O/S list.
> >
> 
>     I do think we should have two groups for such a thing.  But I do like
> the idea of having a VM at the core of all this...I'd hate to write some
> lisp code and have it stuck under just Linux or FreeBSD or Windows because
> of available development tools.

This is where my memory gets fuzzy.  Was the VM project designed
to produce an independent VM, or one to which the other half of
the LispOS project could plug in to?  The same sort of thinking
may have led to the conclusion that splitting would not
be a bad idea anyhow.

[Snip]

> >
> >I like the idea of starting with a shell first since that would
> >be more apparent to the user and the true power of Lisp can
> >shine.  Getting something out that we can be proud of and show
> >off to others early on is (IMO) a good idea, for morale and
> >possibly new recruits.
> >
> 
> 
>     Well, if we want to do this under Linux it's easy to get Allegro from
> Franz.  They have a pretty open policy regarding the use of their system
> (basically, you can't sell the apps in a commercial environment).  Or any of
> the CL systems available....it really doesn't matter.  Lets start working on
> a shell then damnit!  :)  If someone does create a VM, we can move it then.

I've got ACL on Win95.  I'm not sure what kind of licensing 
restrictions are in place for that particular version, and without
starting another O/S war, I don't want Linux on my machine.  I think
I'll read the license terms more closely, and also see what sort
of O/S API functions exist in that version.  

One thing about ACL that I'm not overly fond of (at least on
the Win95 version) is the way it considers a blank line entered
in response to (read) to be an EOF.  The behavior was annoying
enough to get me to use Harlequin's FreeLisp instead, but I
may have to bite the bullet and deal with it (it may not be a big
deal anyway when the smoke clears).


> 
>     Features of the shell?  Aside from scripting and the like...  Console
> based at the start...
> 

Well, I posted my ideas of what such a shell would encompass
under a topic like "CL OS Ideas".  I may still have the
mail archived or the original text hanging around somewhere if
you are interested.  I had some pretty detailed ideas in there
that I'd use as a template for that particular project.

The gist of it was "Lisp first, last and always".

> 
>                 Damo
> 

Regards,
Ahmed