Re: Hacking on Integer Basic, and ProDOS

[Paul Schlyter <pausch.NO@SPAM.saaf.se>]

In article <1113670417.514567.104860@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>, 
mspangler@gemsi.com says...

>Given that both Applesoft and Integer were built for the cassette
>environment, they could both have benefited from an overhaul that
>assumed DOS as standard. A lot less furious swapping of the input
>/output hooks would have been needed.

Apple DOS consists of three parts:

1. RWTS (Read-Write Track/Sector), i.e. the "software disk controller"

2. File Manager (which wasn't openly documented untip "Beneath Apple 
DOS" was published

3. The Command Interpreter, which really is an add-on to Applesoft as 
well as Integer Basic, providing them with DOS commands.

What you suggest is actually integrating the DOS command interpreter
with Applesoft as well as Integer Basic.  That would make each one of
them a few KBytes larger (the second 4K memory bank in the Language
Card could be used for that).  And it also means that the Command
Interpreter could be removed from DOS, since the overhauled Applesoft
and Integer Basic would call the DOS File Manager directly for its
disk services.  That would make DOS a few KBytes smaller, giving
Basic programs a few Kbytes more memory.  Perhaps a version which
worked without the Language Card should also be made - if so, the
add-ons to the ROM Basic had to be put below 48K, i.e. Basic programs
would in that case get no extra memory.


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Paul Schlyter,  Grev Turegatan 40,  SE-114 38 Stockholm,  SWEDEN
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