On Mon, 12 Nov 2001, Ohshima, Yoshiki wrote:

> > 1. The ability to take advantage of C libraries that are already out
> > there.  This could be done with extra work with SqueakNOS, but using them
> > with either Linux or WinCE is pretty trivial.
>
>   Wow, what kind of libraries you have in your mind?  Some
> particular ones whose source code is not available?

Nothing without source.  I have no particular library in mind, but having
the ability to interface with them is a must.  Linking in the entire lib
is not a very good solution, as I suspect SqueakNOS would require.

>   Why do you need to replace the low-level work?  Note that
> you can configure the Squeak image so that once you launch
> Squeak on WinCE/iPAQ, you cannot escape from it anymore,
> unless you reset the unit.  It can be done with current
> (stock) VM.  No one knows the presense of underlying OS in
> this case.  (Power button still works, but when you turn off
> and turn on the unit, Squeak is still there.)

With SqueakNOS, that work hasn't been done on the iPAQ. I am not talking
about replacing it, but having to do it it in the first place.

>   This is very qualitative statement and I know it is not a
> great idea to correlate the memory size and the type of
> applications, but from my experience, StrongArm 206Mhz
> without secondary cache is not fast enough for applications
> that require 15MB or 20MB of Squeak heap space.  It depends
> on what you want, but as Kevin (Fisher did), the current
> image can be strtipped down to around 7MB and you will have
> pretty much space.  (Yeah, but it depends...)

It'd still be 10 MB saved.  When you're talking about a device that has 16
MB of RAM, that is signifigant.

> > 4. I have no Windows machines.  I'd like to have a setup that I can
> > communicate with from home.  While I have a spare 486 in the house on
> > which I could install Windows 95, that would be quite
> > sub-optimal.
>
>   You don't need any Windows machines, if you have an
> expansion jacket and CF memory card.  (Ok, this costs more
> money but still cheaper than a "Windows machine".)

But to develop for the WinCE, I'd need Windows and the PocketPC SDK.  What
if I want to add a plug-in DLL or recompile the VM with some special
changes?

Regards,
Aaron

  Aaron Reichow  ::  UMD ACM Pres  ::  http://www.d.umn.edu/~reic0024/
  "the end of the human race will be that it will eventually
      die of civilization. "                          :: r. w. emerson