[iyonix-support] Re: ABC Compiler

Martin Wuerthner wrote:

> With hindsight, it would have been a good idea if RO5 had introduced
> such a check - back then, it would have been an ideal moment to do so
> because all executables had to be changed anyway to make them 32-bit
> compatible.

Actually, many executables did not, particularly a lot of transient 
utilities. In fact there was a long discussion and ultimately a quite 
explicit decision to *not* require the header. There was already more 
than enough incompatibility without introducing another source of problems.

If the RISC OS market had been alive, vibrant and bouncy ;-) then the 
decision might have been different, but because there were a fair few 
26/32-bit neutral bits of code already out in the field that worked but 
were no longer maintained. With the market apparently in no state to be 
likely to either restart maintenance, the decision was made to have as 
small an impact as possible.

Crashes due to running 26-bit code accidentally are surely rare; but 
you're right to point them out. 32-bit RISC OS was originally conceived 
for use in closed systems, with Phoebe long dead, though the engineers 
involved did try to bear in mind desktop users - good thing too, as it 
turned out, or the Iyonix couldn't have happened.

-- 
TTFN, Andrew Hodgkinson
Find some electronic music at:   All sorts of other bits and pieces at:
http://www.ampcast.com/pond                         http://pond.org.uk/
---
To alter your preferences or leave the group, 
visit http://www.freelists.org/list/iyonix-support
Other info via http://www.freelists.org/webpage/iyonix-support

Other related posts: