Re: A86: Please read this!!! New shell!!! I need help!


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Re: A86: Please read this!!! New shell!!! I need help!



Joseph Gaffney wrote:

> A) I have some ideas which I will post a little later, as I am busy.
> These
> ideas have lengthy details, so they are well thought out.  (I just
> have to
> finish my rather extensive homework and research first)
>
> B) Would you please send me all the details on your ideas?
>
> |------------------------------------------------------------|
> |         Joseph M. Gaffney - gaffney@thethinker.com         |
> |------------------------------------------------------------|
> |           "Tiocfaidh Ár Lá" / "Our Day Will Come"          |
> |  "If Ignorance Is Bliss Then Knock The Smile Off My Face"  |
> |------------------------------------------------------------|
> |                   The Creative Outlet                      |
> |       http://www.thethinker.com/members/gaffney/           |
> |------------------------------------------------------------|

   Mostly i need programmers. If  you can program, thats great. attached
is a incomplete spec on Aria.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Conceptual features
=============================================================================

Features from Aurora
--------------------
-Icons
-Background pic
-Fast cursor, 8 direction
-Access to TI-OS
-Off feature
-Password protection built-in

Features from Usgard
--------------------
-Dynamic library support
-Start button with programs listed inside
-APD timer
-Startup programs

Features from Supernova
-----------------------
-Plugins

New features
------------
-85 ASM, and hopefully 83 and 82 ASM support
-Multitasking with tray*
-Drive files*
-Enhanced mouse keys, 2nd=left click, alpha=right click
-Enhanced library support*
-TI-OS command line*
-Ability to take over TI-OS as main shell*
-Aria-specific programs are enhanced*
-Accelerated BASIC*
-Built-in icon editor
-Startup and shutdown programs
-Linkport software built-in
-Icon names upto 6 letters long
-Possible grayscale background pic

* Detailed description below

Detailed descriptions
=============================================================================

Multitasking with tray
----------------------
This is a highly skeptical idea, but it could give Aria the edge to blow
all the other 86 shells away. Multitasking could be achieved by using
TSRs and pausing the program, or even running interrupt commands to run
it slower in the background. When in Aria, a tray in the lower right
hand corner 8 pixels high shows the icons of the programs running.
Clicking on a icon in the tray resumes that program. This will be given
high priority.

Drive files
-----------
A drive file is not actually a "drive" attached to the 86, but a 86s
with several types of data on it. For those familiar with the Zshell
program Memmess, you should know that data types can be changed. This is
how grayscale pics can be put into one file. The 2 or 4 pics are changed
into strings and concatenated into one file. In theory, any data type
can be changed into a 86s and concatenated to it. So a "drive" is
actually a 86s file which holds several other files, not necessarily
86s. Directories within the drive files and its directories could help
sort out other files like games. The items on the desktop are items in
the 86's initial memory, but when a file is dragged into a drive icon in
the My Calculator window, the file is moved into the 86s drive string.
This is very handy for organinzing, and there may even be the
possibility of an auto-install feature, so that when Aria detects a
auto-install program, it would automatically run a install wizard to
prompt for drive file. Drive files could have size limitations too. This
will be given high priority.

Enhanced library support
------------------------
When libraries are installed, instead of being left in the initial 86
memory, they are grafted onto Aria.86p, so that the 86 memory is not
messy with libraries.

TI-OS command line
------------------
Ability to open a TI-OS command line in Aria, similar to a windowed DOS
prompt in Windows95. This is given low priority.

Ability to take over TI-OS as main shell
----------------------------------------
This is only possible after the TI-OS command line and Linkport software
is done. It will make it so that when you press on, Aria boots up, and
when you exit, the calc turns off. The ability to reverse this is
included, so that if the user decides to delete Aria or use a different
shell, he can exit Aria.

Aria-specific programs are enhanced
-----------------------------------
Programs made specifically for Aria act like programs specifically made
for Windows95. They can run in Aria, with windows. They are faster. They
almost always have auto-install. They make better use of the libraries.




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