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elvis70on Writing a C compiler in 500 lines of Python

Microsoft Pascal was a two-pass compiler. It was slower to compile than Turbo Pascal and that pissed off Bill Gates when he realized than Turbo was the most successful.

elvis70on WinLinux 2000

Archive of the original website of the distribution: [0]

This takes advantage of the UMSDOS filesystem driver [1]:

  > All the Linux files will be installed in a normal FAT directory (usually c:\LINUX). This directory is then mounted by UMSDOS as the root linux directory. All the extra file attributes (long names, permissions) are stored in a separate file (--linux-.---) in the respective directory."

I remember using ZipSlack [2], a version of Slackware using UMSDOS that could fit on a Zip disk. It could also be booted from the Zip.

There was also DragonLinux [3] which used a loopback file system requiring only a single file containing the image of the native Linux file system.

[0] https://web.archive.org/web/19991128183359/http://winlinux.n...

[1] https://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/UMSDOS

[2] http://www.slackware.com/zipslack/

[3] https://web.archive.org/web/20010223172303/http://www.dragon...

elvis70on Missing DR-DOS Power Management Source Code Found in Patent

Related to this recent submission: "Idle DR-DOS" - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35931368 (29 comments)

elvis70on IBM PC 8088 replaced with a Motorola 68000

Bill Gates confirmed this in an interview published in PC Magazine in 1997 [1]: ..."Once we convinced IBM to go 16-bit (and we looked at 68000 which unfortunately wasn't debugged at the time so decided to go 8086)"...

[1] https://web.archive.org/web/20010823113747/https://www.pcmag...

elvis70on Run Linux Programs on DOS

It uses the Virtual 8086 Mode of the 386. The Intel 80386 Reference Programmer's Manual explains that well [1], I think.

So, in this case, the first mega of RAM, containing MS-DOS and the BIOS is virtualized in a VM86 box while the CPU is running in protected mode, permitting the host OS to cohabit with a protected-mode OS.

It is in fact, a VM86 monitor. Another example of such a program is EMM386 or similar like Jemm386 whose source code is available [2].

[1] https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.828/2018/readings/i386/c15.htm

[2] https://github.com/Baron-von-Riedesel/Jemm

edit: the link [1] was wrong

elvis70on Run Linux Programs on DOS

It will only work from real mode because it is, in fact, a VM86 mode monitor. So no EMM386, Windows in 32-bit mode or OS/2.

elvis70on Run Linux Programs on DOS

Previous thread (102 comments): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28572681

It seems to be using the VM86 mode of the 386 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_8086_mode). So it won't work if you are using EMM386 by example.

elvis70on Re-live buying a computer in 1995 [video]

1994 or 1995? This video (with 13 extra seconds at the end) is also available on the same channel with another title (The Early Days of Computer Shopping: A 1994 Betacam SP Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eACEHVceYl0

I wonder if there is any detail that would support the fact that this video was filmed in 95 and in not 94.

elvis70on Largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island (2007)

Oceania is not Australia. After the Wikipedia article: "Oceania is a geographical region which includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia".

elvis70on A man who walked around the world

There is also Mike Horn [1]. He has written several books about his expeditions.

Lattitude Zero: "In 1999, Mike set off on an 18-month voyage to circle the equator on foot and by sailing.

Conquering the Impossible: "In 2002-04, Mike went around the world on the Arctic Circle solo in an expedition dubbed "Arktos". It was a solitary voyage of two years and three months without motorised transport (boat, kayak, ski kite and on foot) on a 20,000 kilometres (12,000 mi) odyssey."

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Horn

elvis70on Wolfenstein 3D with a CGA Renderer

From memory, it could run on a 286. Here is this version running on a NEC V20 at 9.55 MHz, an Intel 8088 clone, but was closer to the 80188 : https://twitter.com/Jameshhoward/status/1612900164745981953

elvis70on Rebooting with JMP Instruction (2003)

Put 1234 in 40:72 (E 40:72 34 12 in DEBUG) before the JMP FFFF:0000 to do a warm reboot, this will bypass the self-test portion.

elvis70on ZX Spectrum BASIC programming (1983)

The pages from 171 to 188 are missing: Chapters 25 (The system variables) and 26 (Using machine code) and Appendix A (The character set, with a disassembly table). All the fun stuff. I have still the third edition of the manual.

elvis70on Borland Turbo Assembler Version 5 User's Guide (1996) [pdf]

Similar story but I bought the original box of TP7 in 1993. The manuals structured in an exemplary way with so many technical details and even with part of the Turbo Vision source code. It made me a better programmer for sure. I even sent them a registration card. I still have the confirmation letter from my product registration giving me access to the support hotline and BBS.

elvis70on Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?

I hope you are exaggerating

elvis70on Building a simple shell in C – Part 3

A good book I used to learn how to write a shell is "Using C with Curses, Lex and Yacc" by Axel-Tobias Schreiner in 1990.

elvis70on What it’s like to dissect a cadaver

It seems that the link was placed in the second-chance pool by a moderator: https://news.ycombinator.com/pool

What's the second-chance pool: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26998308

elvis70on Retrowin32, a Win32 emulator

Winelib could fit your needs, I think: : https://wiki.winehq.org/Winelib_User%27s_Guide

elvis70on ThinkPad’s 30th Anniversary: An Insider’s Perspective

I just resurrected my old T410 from 2010 which had a "FAN ERROR" at boot. I just unscrewed and screwed back a screw that was attaching the fan, I guess, and it went back as on the first day. My T60 from 2007 never had a problem and is still kicking.

elvis70on CP/M is really open-source now

WAIT 6502,1 would output MICROSOFT! https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Microsoft#Easter_Egg_.28Micros...

elvis70on Doom hacker gets Doom running in Doom

Mise en abyme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mise_en_abyme

elvis70on Couch to 64k, a.k.a. Building a Z80 Breadboard Computer (2020)

This is the first part of a series: http://bread80.com/category/couch-to-64k/

elvis70on BMW F Series Gear Selector, Part One: Failures

Yes, it was a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/death-star-trek-actor...

elvis70on What did Earth look like X million years ago?

If you are using a computersaurus with a 4:3 screen like me, you will have to zoom in to get the list of fossils.

elvis70on Sound Blaster (DOS)

Yes, and I never managed to configure this so that the Sound Blaster works with my handheld Genius scanner.

elvis70on Sound Blaster (DOS)

You can still play with Dr. Sbaitso onine: https://oneweakness.com/dr-sbaitso-online. Don't say too many insults, otherwise you risk an error of parity.

elvis70on Unix command line conventions over time

The parameter names don't seem to match those of dd.

If you type man dd, the function of the tool will be described as "copy and convert". I can't find the video but there is an interview in which Kernighan, I think, explains that the tool should have been named cc but it was not possible because it was already taken by the c compiler.

elvis70on Phone Tones in Musical Notation

For reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euhipRI6bJ0

elvis70on ZX Spectrum at 40: a look back

The 6K VRAM + <1K attribute memory allowed for fast scrolling for games like Rastan and R-Type and fast animation for simulation games.

elvis70on Recreated sources for the book “UNIX Text Processing,” published in 1987

Previous discussion about this book (2012): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4902595