MUSIC Specs 0.0 [djo4-ish] [djg20]

[David Garfield]

On Thu, 29 Apr 93 22:46:21 CDT, "Dan Odom" wrote:
> EVERYONE should be a developer.  Let's make the basic tools a part of
> our standard distribution.
> --
> Dan Odom

Nice idea, but reality indicates otherwise.  In fact, something like
in excess of 90% of users are NOT developers, especially since the PC.
There should be a distribution that does not include the compiler or
development tools, at least if they aren't required for system
maintenance (and they should not be).

I would like to propose the following goals for system size and
requirements:
    - Run on any 386 family CPU (including 12MHz 386SX or 386SL)
    - REQUIRE not more than 896k of memory (1 Meg - 128 unrecoverable
            shadow bios [if we can't figure out how to get it back in
            some cases])
    - Require not more than one of:
        = ANY video adapter and a keyboard (for text use)
        = A VGA or better and a keyboard (for graphics use)
        = Any bi-directional stream interface (for remote use)
    - Require not more than 5 Meg of disk storage for the operating
            system and normal runtime, not counting development system
            and fancy graphics classes and data (fonts, etc).
    - Require not more that 20 Meg for the NORMAL development system
    - Require not more that 20 Meg for the Full Normal graphics
            classes and data.

I will not say we should require excellent performance on a 12MHz
386SX with 896k, but it should, I think, be able to run.

David
-- 
David Garfield/2250 Clarendon Blvd/Arlington, VA 22201   (703)522-9416
Email: david%davgar@uunet.uu.net or garfield@snoopy.sra.com