Re: ProDOS...

[louiss@gate.net (Louis Schulman)]

In <1ehssze.jy4jskefvttoN%dempson@actrix.gen.nz>, dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) writes:
>Roy and/or Janet Miller <millers@inetnebr.com> wrote:
>
>> Phoenyx wrote:
>> >
>> > My comment about the P8 compatibility is still valid, just as David's is.
>> > Any new or upgraded OS would loose 80 to 90 percent compatibility with
>> > system applications due to the way the ProDos/Apple II system is designed.
>> 
>> But would a full implementation of SOS do that?
>
>SOS would be no better than any other non-ProDOS operating system.
>
In fact, while SOS and the Apple /// may theoretically be more capable than
an Apple //e and ProDos, in practice the opposite is true.

This is primarily because the genius of the Apple II design was not
implemented in the Apple ///.  In the II, each slot card typically carries
its own driver in ROM, which automatically attaches to ProDOS.  Thus, you
have true plug and play, no configuration problems, and any hardware you can
think of can be added without problem.

The opposite is true in the ///.  All hardware works through drivers that
have to be configured and loaded into RAM at boot time.  Even though an
Apple /// may have more base memory than a II, it is quite common to run out
of memory to load drivers.  Also, the drivers take up a lot of space on the
boot disk, and it is common to run out of room there as well.

ProDOS is superior to SOS, because it uses Woz's original ingenious
design for the II.  This design is still better than anything before or since,
imho.

Louis