Mail Archives: djgpp/1998/02/10/05:47:02
Robb Beggs wrote:
[...]
>
> ARRGH! Tom, I did read the file. Drop it. I feel low enough that I have
> trouble understanding the docs, and its not due to the fact that I didn't
> read them. I am a linguistics major, not a computer science major like I
> would suppose some of the people here are. Even remotely technical language
> is lost on me. English isn't the problem, jargon is, and the docs are full
> of it. This is a venture into foreign territory for me.
OK, I see that is a problem. From the readme.1st:
To build C programs, you'll need djdev201.zip, gcc2721b.zip, and
bnu27b.zip. For C++, also get gpp2721b.zip and lgp271b.zip. To read
the online manuals, get txi390b.zip and run "info". If you don't have
a DPMI server installed, you'll need csdpmi3b.zip. (Windows, QDPMI,
386Max, NWDOS, OpenDOS, OS/2, Win/NT and Linux DOSEmu all provide DPMI
services, so you don't need CWSDPMI in those environments.) For more
details, download faq210b.zip (the full FAQ list) and read Chapter 4
there.
Maybe one should change the order. ALL djgpp compiled programs require
a DPMI host (Someone already pointed out what that is), so maybe the
readme should say that first. Otherwise you won't get "info" to run and
might get nowhere. So, maybe this is a bit clearer:
DJGPP produces 32 bit executables that run in protected mode under a 16
bit
real mode operating system like MS-DOS. This requires an auxiliary
program
to switch to protected mode and interface the operating system. If you
run your programs under Windows, QDPMI..., these services are already
provided.
Under plain DOS, you will need to download csdpmi4b.zip.
To build C programs, you'll need djdev201.zip, gcc2721b.zip, and
bnu27b.zip. For C++, also get gpp2721b.zip and lgp271b.zip. To read
the online manuals, get txi390b.zip and run "info". For more
details, download faq210b.zip (the full FAQ list) and read Chapter 4
there.
I think the problem here is to make clear that djgpp needs some help
to run, and the operating system may or may not already support this,
without going too deep into details, that might scare off newbies.
I am not sure, do you really need to know, in the beginning, what the
difference
between protected mode and real mode is? I think, it is enough to know
that
there _is_ a difference, that there are situations where you don't have
to
worry about it, and then there are some where you have to. And you need
a way to figure exactly this out.
[...]
> I'm using win 95 and tried running the program with all of your suggestions
> in the auto exec, but now it tells me about a load error: DPMI not loaded.
> From what I read DPMI is DOS protected mode ( a memory state?) so I /?
> emm386.exe, and the only options are on/ off/ auto and w-processor on/ off.
> How do I set this?
I think this was answered already.
>
> And as far as being silent forever, believe me, by now, I am so humbled by
> my ignorance, I'd love to be silent.
Sorry, but this a (hmm... "stupid" is way too hard, but you'll get the
idea ;-)
behavior. If you want ignorant support, telling you that there are no
bugs in
this and that program, but you use it the wrong way, stick to MS (1).
There are no stupid questions, only frequent ones. Generally, if there
is something
unclear, there is always a chance to make it clearer, if there is a bug,
one can
have it fixed. You do have the chance. Don't waste it.
(1) There was an interview with Bill Gates recently in a german news
magazine,
where he exactly stated this. Oh, and if you didn't know, new
versions don't
fix bugs, they always only add new features.
--
Ciao
Tom
*************************************************************
* Thomas Demmer *
* Lehrstuhl fuer Stroemungsmechanik *
* Ruhr-Uni-Bochum *
* Universitaetsstr. 150 *
* D-44780 Bochum *
* Tel: +49 234 700 6434 *
* Fax: +49 234 709 4162 *
* http://www.lstm.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/~demmer *
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