Re: What would you want in GS/OS 7.0?

["Jeff Blakeney" <jeff.blakeney@a2central.com.remove-kf2-this>]

 To: dog_cow
dog_cow wrote:
> If Apple or someone were to release a GS/OS 7.0, which would be a total
> rewrite of 6, but still maintained compatibility, what would you have it
> include?
>
> Personally I'd like a redesigned, updated interface, better handling of
> 5.25" drives, and perhaps faster load time from disk (if that were
> possible). A sort of "MultiFinder" like add-on would be nice too, and
> perhaps some kind of Chooser desk accessory, to improve printer and network
> selection.

The weird thing is, most of the suggestions I've seen so far have all 
been handled by add-ons already.  GS/OS was well designed from the 
beginning which is why I still love it.

I'm not sure what a "redesigned, updated interface" would mean but if 
you want to change the look of your system, I believe it is currently 
possibly but I've never used themes or skins on my Windows machine, I'm 
not sure I'd use them on my IIgs.

Someone mentioned adding a lighter version of Marinetti.  I don't think 
that is possible seeing as the current Marinetti consists of a PIF that 
is 42 KB, a CDEV that is 17 KB and a link layer that can range from 8 KB 
to 20 KB (I didn't check the size of the LANceGS or Uthernet link 
layers, though) and all the other link layers can be deleted if you 
don't need them.  Those sizes are how much disk space they take and 
totals only 67 KB to 89 KB.  You're not going to get much smaller than that.

Things like HFS and MS-DOS support, screen savers, clocks, clicking to 
open and then select a menu item rather than dragging and FSTs for 
reading other 5.25" formats are all things that are either currently 
available for or could be written for System 6.0.1.  Not to say these 
things could be improved with a new version of the system software, just 
that a new OS isn't really needed for those sorts of things.

What I would like to see that would require a new OS would be:

- Completely separate the FST system from the OS and documenting the FST
  system so that writing other FSTs would be easier.
- Rewrite all the tool sets so that they are safe to use in a preemptive
  multitasking environment.
- Add preemptive multitasking capability.
- Perhaps a different way of programming could be created too so instead
  of every program having their own event loop, have a single OS
  controlled event loop that your program simply tells what events it is
  interested in and what code to call when those events occur.  It is an
  interesting idea my brother and I came up with but we haven't worked
  on details.

What I woiuld like to see that would probably benefit from being in a 
new OS but wouldn't necessarily need a new OS:

- Rewrite the display system so that it will be easier to update to
  different video hardware.  Something like FaceLift that never was
  finished.
- Network file sharing support.

That's just off the top of my head.  I can probably come up with more 
when I have time to think about it a little more.  :)