On Sat, 2 Dec 2000 19:19:49 -0500 (EST), Sam Ewalt wrote: > On Sat, 2 Dec 2000, Glenn McCorkle wrote: >> Watt-32 might get used in some future version of Arachne. >> For now we must stay with the 16bit WATTCP or we would be saying >> "goodbye" to those who are still using machines older than a 386. > It's hard for me to believe that there are very many left in that > category, what with 486's being next to free right now. People are now > just giving them away or even throwing them out in the trash. I still enjoy using my old i286-based Zenith. Arachne's documentation strongly suggests >= i386, and I'd say that's correct. Machines that don't use protected mode like i386-up really need regularly updated internet software of their own. Anyone who'd write this would have to be a "true amateur", meaning it'd be done just for the love of it (root word="amato" or "love"). I'm a very strong supporter of keeping these older machines viable and fun to use. In fact, I'm one of the quickest to rant when a 386 is required. It's time for Arachne to move on, though. I'm sure development could be speeded if the constraint of remaining compatible with historic PCs were removed. I'll personally miss Arachne on my old stuff (including my XT), but getting better performance sooner from the rest is worth the tradeoff. I don't know whether I'm interested enough to take on development for 8 and 16 bit machines. Maybe if a few, patient friends came along with me (OK, mebbe a LOT =D ). A few ideas would be to use Minix before their new X development ties it up, continue to use DOS, or (gasp) create a new OS. Language would probably not be "C", but I think assembly or forth, or (since this is mostly for fun, anyway) maybe one of the "esoterics" such as blank (unefunge), befunge, false, or Brainf___. Like I said, don't know if I'd do it myself, but if you might enjoy such, mail me off-list. I'll let each know about how much interest there is and whether it's enough to set up sites, a list, etc. In the meantime, it's time for Arachne to move on. Bob Starts April 1, 2001 -- Arachne V1.67, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/
