README 1.1 KB

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  1. # $Source$
  2. # $State$
  3. # $Revision$
  4. The pc86 platform
  5. =================
  6. pc86 is an i86-based BSP that produces bootable floppy disk images that can
  7. be run on most PCs. It is intended to be quick and dirty rather than actually
  8. useful, although it may come in handy for hardware test purposes, boot
  9. loaders, and the like.
  10. The code runs in TINY mode, where CS, DS and SS all share the same segment.
  11. This means that there's not very much memory available. It would be very easy
  12. to change it to run in SMALL mode, where CS occupies one segment and DS and SS
  13. another, which would give 64kB for nearly all programs; I just haven't done it.
  14. This port only implements a very limited set of syscalls --- and most of those
  15. are stubs required to make the demo apps link. File descriptors 0, 1 and 2
  16. represent the console. All reads block. There's enough TTY emulation to allow
  17. \n conversion and local echo (but it can't be turned off).
  18. Example command line
  19. ====================
  20. ack -mpc86 -O -o pc86.img examples/paranoia.c
  21. The file pc86.img can then be copied onto a floppy and booted, or run via qemu
  22. or somesuch emulator.
  23. David Given
  24. dg@cowlark.com