Re: tlug: Linux on a PC98

[Tim Meggs <tim@example.com>]

--------------------------------------------------------
tlug note from Tim Meggs <tim@example.com>
--------------------------------------------------------
From: Dennis McMurchy <denismcm@example.com>
Subject: Re: tlug: Linux on a PC98 
Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 12:45:37 +0900 (JST)

>   When I said "superior hardware" I was comparing the original 1982
> 8086 NEC PC-9801 640x400 with the IBM 8088 640x200 machines that came
> out a little later.  It was superior hardware in design and most
> probably in durability and time-to-failure.  

I would agree with that comment.   Nice clear text/fonts too! :)

> Probably still makes durable, if wildly over-priced and conservative
> hardware.

Don't agree there.   In order to be price-competetive I've seen some really
crappy and flimsy 98 series stuff in the last few years.

>   By the way, the difficulties to overcome in porting Lignux to an NEC
> 9801 would include the fact the video-RAM, all the ROM and probably
> just about anything else live at completely different addresses from
> the PC-compatibles.  This is not just a floppy format problem.   

True not only are the addresses different, but things like the text char
attributes are even stored in a different VRAM bank.   Not to mention the
different keyboard mapping, different chips used in the serial comms 
subsystem.......

[May first project when I came to Japan was to port a Japanese 98 application
(DOS, C/assembler) to English on the IBM PC.   It had the works, custom fonts, 
communications, you name it! :)]

tim :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
a word from the sponsor will appear below
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The TLUG mailing list is proudly sponsored by TWICS - Japan's First
Public-Access Internet System.  Now offering 20,000 yen/year flat
rate Internet access with no time charges.  Full line of corporate
Internet and intranet products are available.   info@example.com
Tel: 03-3351-5977   Fax: 03-3353-6096