home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.pcgeos,news.answers,comp.answers
- Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!dtaylor
- From: dtaylor@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Douglas A Taylor)
- Subject: PC/GEOS FAQ List part 2/3 -- Developers' Q & A
- Message-ID: <1993Apr15.164503.10223@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
- Followup-To: comp.os.msdos.pcgeos
- Summary: PC/GEOS is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) developed by
- GeoWorks. It runs on top of MS (or DR) DOS and provides
- a multitasking, multithreaded environment for any DOS
- machine with at least 512k of RAM and a hard disk.
- Sender: news@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
- Nntp-Posting-Host: bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu
- Reply-To: doug-taylor+@osu.edu
- Organization: The Ohio State University
- Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1993 16:45:03 GMT
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
- Lines: 227
- Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu comp.os.msdos.pcgeos:3360 news.answers:7603 comp.answers:487
-
- Archive-name: pcgeos-faq/part2
- Last-modified: modified April 5, 1993
-
- The letter below is being sent by GeoWorks to various software
- developers regarding PC/GEOS software development and the upcoming
- SDK. Following the letter is a series of questions that a developer
- might have, along with GeoWorks' responses. Thanks to John Mitchell
- for providing these, and to Shag for giving me the updated version
- (according to Shag, the updates are mostly changing Beta to Beta
- Partners).
-
- --- start of letter ---
-
- > Dear Sofware Developer,
-
- # Thank you for your inquiry about the GeoWorks Software Development
- # Kit (SDK). You will find several items enclosed in this mailing.
-
- # The first is our Indpendend Software Vendor (ISV) Questionnaire.
- # Please take time to return this survey form so that we can add you
- # to our ISV Database. We will use this database to keep developers
- # informed about the progress of our SDK and to keep them current on
- # GEOS technical information and company news. We will also select
- # our SDK Beta Partners from this database.
-
- # You will also find an order form to purchase the GEOS System Software
- # Overview or early copies of our SDK Technical Documentation. The
- # overview is designed for anyone that wants general information about
- # the structure and components of GEOS and for developers who wish to
- # evaluate GEOS as a platform for product development. The price for
- # the System Software Overview is $15.
-
- > We are currently offering the first draft of the PC/GEOS Software
- > Development Kit Technical Documentation. This documentation is
- > for anyone interested in PC/GEOS technical information or product
- > development. The documentation covers PC/GEOS concepts, object
- > oriented programming, system services and libraries, and
- > development tools. Sample C source code is also included.
-
- # The price of the multiple volume documentation set (approximately
- # 3200 pages) is $195. The documentation alone will not enable you
- > to begin programming for PC/GEOS. However, obtaining documentation
- > now will allow you to evaluate PC/GEOS as a platform for future
- > product development and to get a head start on PC/GEOS development.
-
- # Please fill out the order form and indicate whether you would like
- # to purchase the documentation. You will receive your material two
- # to four weeks after we process your order. Should you have any
- # questions, please call our customer support number: (510) 644-9362
- # between 9AM and 5PM Pacific time.
-
- > Development tools for PC/GEOS are scheduled for BETA testing this
- # summer and will be available to participants in our Beta Partner
- # program for an additional fee. Beta Partner testers will also
- # receive access to GeoWorks Developer Support for assistance during
- # development. Please note that purchase of the documentation does not
- # guarantee that you will be chose an as Beta Partner. We have
- # received many more requests to participate in our Beta Partner program
- > than we can accommodate, but we will give each candidate careful
- > consideration.
-
- # Thank you again for your interest,
-
- # GeoWorks Developer Support
-
- --- end of letter ---
-
- PC/GEOS Developers Questions & Answers
- --------------------------------------
-
- # GEOS Developers Q & A
-
- >Q: How can I start writing applications for PC/GEOS?
-
- >A: The first step to writing PC/GEOS applications is becoming part of
- > our PC/GEOS Independent Software Vendor (ISV) program. To enter
- > into our ISV program, you must complete an ISV questionnaire and
- > return it to GeoWorks. A questionnaire is probably included along
- > with this document. If a questionnaire is not included and you
- > haven't already sent one to us, please contact GeoWorks. Once we
- > receive your completed questionnaire, we'll enter your name into
- > our developer database and keep you informed about all developer
- > related information.
-
- > The current PC/GEOS development tools run on Unix workstations.
- > These Unix based tools are not supported and are not available to
- > the general developer community. Because of requests from
- > developers, we're porting these tools to run under DOS, rather
- > than releasing a Unix software development kit (SDK). The
- # DOS-based SDK will be available to BETA testers in our Beta Partners
- # program in mid 1993. At that point, our Beta Partners developers
- > can begin writing PC/GEOS programs. The SDK will be widely
- # available later in 1993, once testing is complete.
-
- > We're currently offering preliminary SDK documentation. By
- > reading the documentation now, you can evaluate PC/GEOS as a
- > development platform and get up to speed on PC/GEOS programming.
- > If you did not receive an SDK documentation order form, please
- > contact GeoWorks.
-
-
- >Q: How do I become an SDK BETA tester?
-
- #A: If you're interested in becoming a Beta Partnertester of the SDK,
- > you should indicate this on your your ISV questionnaire. We've
- > received many more requests to BETA test the SDK than we can
- # accommodate. In selecting our Beta Partner test group, we're
- > looking at a number of factors, such as your previous programming
- > experience, programming languages used, whether you've BETA tested
- > a development kit before, and products you've developed. The job of
- > testing development tools is much more difficult than testing
- # regular software products. We need a very qualified group of Beta
- # Partners who can deal with imperfect tools and who will give us the
- > feedback we need to make ours the best SDK possible.
-
-
- >Q: What will be provided with the SDK and what else will I need to use it?
-
- >A: We currently plan to provide the following as part of the SDK:
-
- > * Technical documentation on concepts, tools, routines,
- > libraries, and objects that make up the PC/GEOS operating
- > system.
-
- > * An Object Assembly assembler, linker, debugger, C preprocessor
- > and some utility programs for creating PC/GEOS programs.
-
- > * Source code examples and complete sample programs in C and
- > assembly language
-
- > * Header files for assembly language and C development.
-
- > * 2 complete versions of the system software including
- > kernel, libraries, drivers, etc. One is the standard
- > software and one is a debugging version for use during
- > development.
-
- > We anticipate that you will need to provide the following:
-
- > * 2 PCs. One must be a 386 or better with approximately
- > 40M available disk space and 6 to 8 Megs of RAM. This machine
- > is for running the development tools. The other machine can
- > be any PC that runs PC/GEOS, from an XT to a 486.
-
- > * For C development, you will need a compiler that is compatible
- > with either Borland or Microsoft compiler object files. We plan
- > compatibility with Borland version 2.0 or later and Microsoft
- > version 6.0 or later.
-
-
- >Q: What languages are supported? Can I program in C++?
-
- >A: Initially the SDK will allow programming in either C or Object
- > Assembly language. We've extended both C and Intel 80x86 Assembly
- > language with PC/GEOS specific syntax for defining objects,
- > classes, message handlers, etc. The first version of the SDK will
- > not support C++. This is because PC/GEOS is a completely object
- > oriented operating system while C++ is language based object
- > orientation (used to do object oriented programming on non OOP
- > systems). You can still use a C++ compiler as long as it allows
- > standard C language development as well as C++.
-
-
- >Q: Do I have to write a program specifically for PC/GEOS to take
- > advantage of its features?
-
- >A: Yes. To create a program that runs in the PC/GEOS environment,
- > your application must be written specifically for the PC/GEOS
- > operating system API (Application Program Interface). Standard
- > DOS, Windows or other types of applications will not run under
- > PC/GEOS.
-
-
- >Q: Can I port my Windows application to run under PC/GEOS?
-
- >A: It's possible to port any application to a new environment and
- > therefore you could port your Windows application to PC/GEOS.
- > However, PC/GEOS is a radically different operating system and
- > provides much more for developers than Windows does. PC/GEOS
- > applications should be written to take advantage of the
- > sophisticated libraries and system services offered in PC/GEOS and
- > should shed their Windows programs' baggage. If you try to port a
- > slow, 3 Meg Windows application to PC/GEOS, you'll probably wind
- > up with a slow, large PC/GEOS application. By making the most out
- > of what PC/GEOS offers to application developers, you'll have a
- > product that's small, fast, and elegantly designed.
-
-
- >Q: What is the difference between Pen GEOS and regular PC/GEOS?
-
- >A: Pen GEOS is the PC/GEOS operating system with extensions for pen
- > based computers. Additional libraries and drivers are included to
- > support pen input devices, handwriting recognition and capturing
- > and storing pen input as digital ink. The same SDK and operating
- > system is used whether or not you are doing a pen based
- > application.
-
-
- >Q: What type of developer support will be provided?
-
- #A: Developer support is one reason we must limit the size of our Beta
- # Partner test group. During our BETA test, we will use our technical
- > documentation, engineering, and online support staff to answer
- > questions and assess the support needs of our developers. This
- > will ensure that when the SDK is more widely available, we will
- > have an established developer support program designed to meet the
- > needs of our ISVs.
-
-
- >Q: How can I get more information?
-
- >A: If you have additional questions or need more information, please
- # write or FAX GeoWorks Developer Support at:
-
- # GeoWorks
- # Attn: Developer Support
- # 2150 Shattuck Ave.
- # Berkeley, CA 94704.
-
- # Phone: (510) 644-0883
- # Fax: (510) 644-0928.
-
- -----
- --
- Doug Taylor | Nothing real can be threatened.
- The Ohio State University | Nothing unreal exists.
- doug-taylor+@osu.edu | - A Course in Miracles
-