Re: TurboRez news

[nathan@cco.caltech.edu (Nathan Mates)]

In article <19NOV199400042235@vax2.concordia.ca>,
Mitchell Spector <spector@vax2.concordia.ca> wrote:
    [Deletia]
> The _real_ issue at stake is which card will
>have the most (if any) 3rd party software support. As Rich suggested, I think
>the two companies should see to it that software written for one card, will
>most likely support the other (obviously in terms of colors and resolution,
>not special hardware animation technics).

   The SS is using a Z180 for its work; the TR something else (or
custom chipset), I believe. The odds of those two having the same set
of commands, access controls, etc. are pretty slim. Since the TR was
designed first, I don't think it had any real design thought to give
it a programmer's interface consistent with anything else.

   On the other hand, Jawaid has mentioned that the SS will have something
of a set of routines (mini-toolbox or otherwise) that will shield the
programmer from the actual hardware if they want. This is a great step
forward, as someone would only have to write something for the TR that
accepts those calls, and translates them into TR commands. Yes, a bit
of efficiency is lost this way, but if we're talking expandability,
consistency, and all, a driver structure is definitely the way to go.

Nathan Mates
-- 
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