[Virtualacorn-list] Enhancing the RISC OS experience

[ralph_valmai at ntlworld.com]

I would like to enlarge the discussion in the thread `Floating point 
arithmetic' to include any other enhancements to RISC OS that might be 
achieved by using the host processer or host resouces. This isn't an 
area of programming that I know a great deal about so some (even all) 
of what I suggest could well be impossible, but there might be some 
useful things and also things that I have missed. It is worth noting 
that hostfs is an example of an enhancement to RISC OS produced using 
the host machine more directly.

1) Would it be possible to use the host to render images that RISC OS 
cannot do? RAW images might be an example. Are there any other host 
resources that might be used in this way?

2) Would it be possible to write some modules using the host 
instruction set and simply have the emulator pass parameters to the 
module and receive the results? The modules given this treatment would 
have to be such that a significant time saving would result.

3) What other uses of the host are there that might enhance the 
overall performance of the VA in a significant fashion?

It is possible that some of those who have left RISC OS might be 
tempted back if VA became known as the RISC OS you knew and loved but 
with enhancements that RISC OS on the old 'native' machines never had 
and never could have had. Greatly improved disc i/o via hostfs is a 
significant selling point at the moment. The more enhancements of this 
kind that can be implemented, the more attractive VA could become and 
the longer RISC OS could be available and useful.

Ralph

-- 

Ralph & Valmai Stevens
In leafy Epping