Re: X server for GNO/ME

[johnlb@Primenet.Com (John Bowling)]

In article <49ih2u$add@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu>,
David R. <snakey@exp3.wam.umd.edu> wrote:
>Programer (progrmer@tiac.net) wrote:
>
>: (this message crossposted on comp.sys.apple2.gno)
>
>: On 29 Nov 1995, Mirko Dinarich wrote:
>
>: > Is possible to port the X server on a GNO/ME environment with a SecondSight
>: > card ? Are there a serious HW and/or SW limits to achieve such a project ?
>
>: there is a type of psuedo xserver thing for GNO/ME, it would be a major 
>: headache to port a X Server......it would be a very interesting and 
>: educational project if you wanted to learn how X worked!
>
>      Well, the resolution is certainly there with the SS, but the fact that
>a GS can have only 8 megs of ram and no virtual memory, as well as the 
>fact that the GS has no memory protection are serious problems.  I seem
>to remember someone saying at one time that it would be possible to 
>add a small piece of hardware to the GS that'd add in the capability for
>virtual memory.  If there's ever another board produced for the GS, I think
>we should make sure those few circuits get stuck on, as well as anything
>that might make memory protection possible.  
>
>David Ross

The memory protection would be quite easy designed into a when a 
memory board.  It might be possible to add a IIe style memory board that is
paged with 64K protected banks allocatable to specific users or processees.
It would be slow though at a 1MHz bus rate.

Has anyone checked into what problems there would be with GS/OS if the upper
8 meg were to be made available via hardware mods?  Could it address them
without major changes?

John




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John Bowling             |Apple II GS can whip the pants off it's little
johnlb@primenet.com      |brother (Mac) any time!
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