From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,216b18d81cce4f75 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-06-12 03:02:40 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!newsfeed.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!news1.ebone.net!news.ebone.net!diablo.netcom.net.uk!netcom.net.uk!nntp.news.xara.net!xara.net!gxn.net!server6.netnews.ja.net!server4.netnews.ja.net!news5-gui.server.ntli.net!ntli.net!news6-win.server.ntlworld.com.POSTED!not-for-mail From: "chris.danx" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada References: <3B183CB8.3EE396E7@engineer.com><_M3S6.8957$HL5.1284411@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com><8DKS6.27593$%_1.4657414@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com><0daV6.9332$6d5.1953313@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com> Subject: Re: Ada Microkernel? X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 10:58:13 +0100 NNTP-Posting-Host: 213.104.123.76 X-Complaints-To: abuse@ntlworld.com X-Trace: news6-win.server.ntlworld.com 992339833 213.104.123.76 (Tue, 12 Jun 2001 10:57:13 BST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 10:57:13 BST Organization: ntlworld News Service Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:8599 Date: 2001-06-12T10:58:13+01:00 List-Id: "Robert A Duff" wrote in message news:wcck82i1u1v.fsf@world.std.com... > "chris.danx" writes: > > > The first is am i correct in assuming that GNAT for NT/9x generates output in > > the PE Windows format? If not which format does it use? > > I don't know. Jerry van Dijk was able to confirm this and i got my hands on a 16bit Turbo C from the Borland Museum so i can get the work started soon. > >...I need to know this so > > i can test the compiler out by creating a bootloader for running the modified > > GNAT generated programs. > > If your goal is to write an OS, why start at the lowest level? Why not > write an OS that runs *under* some existing OS (Linux or NT, for > example), and worry about boot loading and such low-level junk later? > > Shouldn't you be worrying more about making the OS portable at this > point, rather than worrying about Intel-PC-specific issues? The long term goal is to write an OS, the short term goal is to make modifications to the GNAT compiler so it can run on a bare x386+ compatibles in pmode. Inorder to test it i may need to write a loader to load pe files and run them. Another possibility is to get the compiler to compile to exe and chop of the first 512 bytes. I'm not entirely sure about this (if it still works that is). So far i've got to modify exceptions and look at OO. If anyone has any other suggestions feel free to drop me an email or post here. > > Second, (again) did i get the correct distribution (it is detailed in the reply > > text above)? This is VERY IMPORTANT. > > I don't know, but last time I downloaded GNAT sources (a long time ago), > there was only one source distribution (but many binaries specific to > various targets). The source included everything you need to build for > any supported target (assuming you already have a GNAT binary for that > target, for the same or one-previous version). Thanks, i'll investigate the sources more. > > Third, how much interest is there in this? > > Umm. Well. I hate to be a naysayer, but I'll bet not much. Sorry. Ahh well, it will be available in the future for ppl who need it once the modifications are made. Then Ada may become more popular in the OS for i386+ writers community, with support for OO -- if that's what tickles a developer. Thanks all, Chris Campbell