🚀 go-pugleaf

Tom Wheeley (tomw@tsys.demon.co.uk) wrote:
> I have seen many nice features / additions to KA9Q being turned down due to
> the lack of conventional memory.  AFAICS, the best way to avoid this would
> be to go 32 bit?  Is this possible for KA9Q.  The only drawback I can see is
> that it won't of course run on 286s.  In which case, could the product be
> split, with the Standard KA9Q as v2.16d, and Enhanced KA9Q which is the
> new version(s).  This would allow, for example, the addition of the archie
> client mentioned here (v. nice :), as well as perhaps a text mode WWW
> browser a la Lynx... (well, maybe I ask too much).

Possible, yes. To make it proctical however it needs to be freely
distributable. None of the available 32bit compilers I am aware of
allow free distribution of the run time executables, without payment
of some for of royalty or licence.

The compilers that are usable to distribute executables without cost
do not support access to the necessary real mode dos hardware interupts
from the 32 bit environment.

Overlays are another way forward, but this is also none trivial, given
that ka9q is a multitasker.

-- 
Malcolm S. Muir
Sunderland
England