DOS should have a stable, pudly Java VM

[Thomas Pfaff]

I hope I toned down the subject title enough from the original.  :-)

DOS would be great tho' you'd have to add support for TCP/IP to make it
useful.  It'd be great to have a DOS-based java-ready device so that
virtually anyone could start pumping out embedded Java systems.  We could
attach Java.IO, Java.NET, Java.UTIL and others to it to standardize the
application codebases.  AWT could even be optionally available for use.  

Granted AWT would introduce a big can of worms not because of graphics
support but more in the department of memory management.  Without AWT (i.e.
full-fledged window-based java apps) I'd imagine a lot of apps could be
pretty small.  Garbage collection could be optional depending on the role of
the applications.

Anyone game for a 20-bit 80x86 VM implementation?
I think it should probably not have anything do with Kaffe, personally.

I've seen TCP/IP stacks used in pure DOS environments, both gate-level
implementations and software implementations as well.
So what's holding us back?

Thomas


At 12:36 PM 4/16/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Steve Zara wrote:
>> 
>> Bryan Mann wrote:
>> >
>> > Joaquin wrote in a previous message:
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Also, what about DOS?  Java is important for DOS users and this could
help
>> > > supplant Microsoft's wedge in the market.  Sun has announced a JavaPC
>> > > program, but they are going to charge a $100 per user.  I think this is
>> > > criminal especially in contrast to what Java represents.
>> > >
>
>What does Java represent?  Platform independence and good OO design
>mostly.  Java has nothing to do with freeware.  It never has.
>
>Freeware implementations will be a Good Thing and will unleash a
>tremendous amount of creative energy.  But Sun's interest in supporting
>Java is purely commercial.  They'll only go where the money is.
>
>BTW, the product Joaquin mentioned (JavaPC) is intended as a replacement
>for DOS.  It allows an old 486 to become a network computer (NC).  At
>least that's my understanding.  In that respect, $100 is cheap since it
>allows a company to upgrade an "obsolete" PC into a NC rather than
>buying a new NC for $700-$1500.  It's not intended for individuals.
>
>++Brian
>
>-- 
>Brian Burton                          Custom Software Development
>Burton Computer Corporation           Java, C++, Orbix, Tuxedo
>brian.burton at burton-computer.com      OO Consulting and Mentoring
>
>
>


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