Re: RAM5 GS/OS Driver Version 1.5

[webmaster@cardshow.com (Michael Guitton)]

In article <dempson-0908960020240001@dempson.actrix.gen.nz>,
dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) wrote:

>In article <webmaster-0508961802200001@pm2-058.sct.fr>,
>webmaster@cardshow.com (Michael Guitton) wrote:
>
>>You allocate 4 RAMdisks because there is no way to dynamically change the
>>device list(**) under GS/OS, right? 
>>
>>(**) I don't know GS/OS very well. Could not get my hands on a copy of
>>GS/OS Ref. ;-) All I have is the GS/OS driver reference (read a few pages
>>only).
>
>A driver can create new devices via a GS/OS system service call.  This is
>used by Apple's SCSI drivers if you insert a disk with more partitions,
>for example.
>
Is this GS/OS system service call described in GS/OS Driver Ref. ?

>It isn't used by all drivers.  For example, the ATalk driver (used by the
>AppleShare FST) pre-allocates 14 devices for file server partitions, and
>won't create any more.  This is probably due to limitations of the PFI
>(ProDOS-8 File Interface), which shares information with the AppleShare
>FST.
>
It seems the RAMFast driver uses a similar scheme. If I boot the IIgs
without any disk inserted in the floptical drive, the RAMFast driver will
pre-allocates 2 devices.

It seems however that nobody uses the RAM5 GS/OS driver Joseph W.
Leathlean wrote in 1990. Its main advantage over Swatdisk is to be
available under ProDOS 8.

I recently discovered on the Macintosh the ShrinkWrap utility (by Chad
Magendanz). If such a product was available under GS/OS (a combination of 
GS+ Replicator/Balloon and Nathan Mates' Swatdisk [!?] :), I would buy it
(or pay the $hareware fee)!

-- 
Michael
webmaster@cardshow.com