OSX coming to X86?!

mbpark · 09-02-2002, 02:16 PM

Tom,

They had finder working, and a few apps.

However, it was because of the fact that a lot of Apple software used ASM shortcuts all over the place for performance (most old Apples did not have fast processors, either), that they canned it.

Since most of the apps would have required massive porting efforts, it was decided to drop it.

Today, most apps except games are written mainly in C/C++, and the port time is much quicker. That, and Apple's centralized their app development around the most common compiler out there next to Microsoft Visual Studio, GCC. They've also used a lot of Open Source/GPL/BSD software that's already undergone the X86 to PPC conversion, such as Apache, mySQL, Postgres, and the GNU tools. Hence Darwin, which is OS X without the GUI, and already fully operational on X86. All that's needed is the Aqua conversion, and they've got an environment where the port time can be measured in days, not months/years like with Star Trek.

The only thing that killed Star Trek was the fact that most of the Apple apps were using ASM. Therefore, the developers would have freaked and left the platform. Now, it's a different story, since they're using a common available codebase and development suite.

Mitch

09-02-2002, 02:16 PM	#7
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Tom, back then it was ASM code Tom, They had finder working, and a few apps. However, it was because of the fact that a lot of Apple software used ASM shortcuts all over the place for performance (most old Apples did not have fast processors, either), that they canned it. Since most of the apps would have required massive porting efforts, it was decided to drop it. Today, most apps except games are written mainly in C/C++, and the port time is much quicker. That, and Apple's centralized their app development around the most common compiler out there next to Microsoft Visual Studio, GCC. They've also used a lot of Open Source/GPL/BSD software that's already undergone the X86 to PPC conversion, such as Apache, mySQL, Postgres, and the GNU tools. Hence Darwin, which is OS X without the GUI, and already fully operational on X86. All that's needed is the Aqua conversion, and they've got an environment where the port time can be measured in days, not months/years like with Star Trek. The only thing that killed Star Trek was the fact that most of the Apple apps were using ASM. Therefore, the developers would have freaked and left the platform. Now, it's a different story, since they're using a common available codebase and development suite. Mitch

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)