Why is it that ...

From: Don Maslin <donm_at_crash.cts.com>
Date: Wed Nov 29 23:21:23 2000

On Wed, 29 Nov 2000, Tony Duell wrote:

> >
> > One of these days I'd really like to play with a UCSD PASCAL system, largely
> > to get a feel of how well it worked. From what I've heard getting any kind
>
> I suspect that by far the most common P-system-capable machine is the
> Apple ][ with a language card. Finding one of those is not going to be hard.
>
> There's also a thing called a Sage II. It's a 68000-based single-board
> computer + 2 disk drives + PSU in a small-ish metal case. I seem to
> remember the standard OS for that is the P-system (although the machine
> would also run CP/M-68K). I don't know how common the machine is, though.
>
> And of course there's the PERQ. It's not strictly a UCSD p-machine -- the
> instruction set is called 'Q-codes' and is an enhanced version of the
> P-code (with graphics operations, etc). It's a very similar instruction
> set, though. However the user interface to the OS is totally different
> (the P-system has a menu displayed across the top of the CRT and you
> type the first letter of a command to select it; the PERQ has a proper
> command line and/or pop-up menus with a mouse).

In addition to which are Altos 8000-n, Heath/Zenith-89, NEC APC, and
Osborne Ececutive.
                                                 - don
 
> > of Java running on a 68k based system is a problem (have we got anyone still
> > active with Amiga's around, they'd have a better idea). That tells me that
> > a 486 or lower won't really be able to cut it when it comes to JAVA.
>
> I'd like to see PERQ microcode to turn a PERQ into a Java machine. I
> think it's technically possible, but it's not going to be trivial to
> write it either. Not trivial at all, which is why I've not attempted it yet.
>
> -tony
>
>
Received on Wed Nov 29 2000 - 23:21:23 GMT