Device Operating System #2 & #3

[Jeffrey Wood <woodzy@delphi.com>]

          Device Operating System  30 September 1995�
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          Segment #2: EXTENDED CENTRAL INPUT/OUTPUT�
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          This area controls your basic cross platform i/o functions�
          prevelant to each individual system.  Such as the keyboard,�
          the console (or editor), the disk drive, and extended�
          features such as SCSI/ESDI, laser/ink jet (Post Script)�
          printers, parallel devices, Analog/Digital convertors, etc. �
          Most standard device drivers will already be included in�
          this section.  However, your non-standard devices must be�
          relocatable or "stackable" in memory.  This allows the DOS�
          to be device "smart."  Conflicting device handlers would�
          almost be non-existant.  The device handlers need not be�
          loaded upon system initialization, but instead can be loaded�
          into memory as necessary.�
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          Segment #3: EXTENDED SERIAL INPUT/OUTPUT�
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          This area primarily controls your cassette, older printers,�
          the joystick (controller) ports, the SIO port, and most�
          serial devices.�
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          The cassette portion of this segment contains a�
          mini-Cassette Operating System or COS.  It controls the�
          cassette motor, audio, volume, baud rate, and most other�
          functions.  Although cassettes have been almost non-existant�
          for almost at least a decade or more, with this "COS", new�
          uses could be found.  For example, a BETA or VHS unit could�
          be used as a data device or used to capture/send real time�
          video or as part of a multi-media development system.  It�
          can also be used to control Bernouli or 8mm tape drives,�
          main-frame type reel to reel, etc.�
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          The printer portion basically controls the printer drivers�
          to allow  each system to access a printer as it normally�
          would, but with a few minor enhancements.  For example, as�
          with most Commodore systems, which allowed you to dump�
          program listings to printer (control characters and all),�
          same can be done with the ATASCII or even the TRSCII�
          character sets which were impossible before without the use�
          of a seperate printer driver program.  This area is NOT the�
          same as the printer area in the XCIO section.  It is�
          primarily used to allow non-compatable systems access to�
          non-standard printers.  For example, the color computer�
          could now use a VIC1525 printer which is a CBM/PET dedicated�
          unit.�
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          The Atari eight BIT SIO port will be used as a standard�
          throughput serial port because of its unique design,�
          features, and applications for use.  For example, devices�
          can be "daisy chained" off of one port which leaves this�
          open to many possibilities.  Such as not having to figure�
          out which port to plug which device into, less clutter,�
          devices can be set up and away from the main work area, etc.�
          The CBM/PET line of computers also allowed daisy chaining of�
          most serial devices.  Which means only a gender changer�
          would be needed to allow a mix and match of almost all Atari�
          & Commodore serial devices on the chain.  This also applys�
          to most of your CoCo & Apple serial devices.�
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          The joystick (controller) ports have several new features�
          added.  Such as complete serial port programmability.  The�
          ports can now be used to connect most custom (non-standard)�
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          serial devices or even build a mini-LAN.  Most of the�
          features of a programmable serial port will be included:�
          Stop BITs, Parity, Baud Rate, Translation, etc.  A protocol�
          could be developed, such as the RS232 standard, to give the�
          ports even more cross platform flexibility (especially if�
          two or more systems with different configurations are�
          connected this way).  The standard could be called RSJOY or�
          RS569.�
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          Cheyenne Area Orphaned Systems or Ch.A.O.S.�
          Jeffrey Wood�
          813 Covered Wagon Drive�
          Cheyenne, Wyoming  82007-1671�
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