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A thick man's OS question


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Topic: A thick man's OS question

phellica
Member

Registered: May 2000
Location: East Grinstead, West sussex England
Posts: 2

At risk of sounding completely dense, here goes:

You say you cannot upgrade the OS because of no Flash imput. Well, can't handspring invent a springboard module that is solely for Flash input (an adapter if you will)? Would the module have to be always plugged in if u want to use the new OS? If so, there is really no point I suppose.

Anyone care to elaborate?

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"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without visoin is a nightmare"

05-15-2000 07:26 PM

potter
Member

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: SW Virginia
Posts: 290

quote:
Well, can't handspring invent a springboard module that is solely for Flash input (an adapter if you will)? Would the module have to be always plugged in if u want to use the new OS?

Yes, hypothetically, Handspring could produce a springboard that had ROM or Flash ROM that would have a new OS. However, once removed, the upgrade would be lost.

Also, hypothetically, Handspring could offer a factory installed upgrade for the Visor. If one takes apart the Visor, buried very deep is a printed circuit board, which only has on it: The ROM, the RAM, and the Sound system. Internally this is the only difference between the Visor and the Visor Deluxe. Handspring could replace this card with one which had one or more of the following:<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>A new OS.
<LI>More RAM.
<LI>Flash ROM.
<LI>Improved sound system (e.g. what the TRGpro has).
</UL>Do I think they will offer such? No. Do I think some third party hardware shop could offer such? Yes. Well, everything but the new OS.

[This message has been edited by potter (edited 05-15-2000).]

05-15-2000 07:54 PM

adfleisher
Member

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 70

From the handspring website on 5/17
"The Handspring Visor supports upgrades to the operating system (OS) via Springboard modules and software patches."

Looks to me like they can in some way flash the ROM from the springboard in a way that the serial connection on the bottom can't hit.

BigDrew

05-18-2000 01:22 AM

MarkEagle
VisorCentral Staff

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:
Originally posted by adfleisher:
Looks to me like they can in some way flash the ROM from the springboard in a way that the serial connection on the bottom can't hit.

Well... not exactly. The onboard ROM in the Visor is NOT flash upgradeable; just a standard ROM chip that can't be re-written. What's there is there and cannot be changed (flashed).

Software "patches" are possible (they would work similar to the way "hacks" do) since the OS can be "hooked" by code and essentially do something other than that which was originally intended.

As for the Springboard route, I think this just means that OS "patches" can be included on a module. They could not permanently replace the code in ROM. At best, they would copy themselves to the main RAM. In the end they are nothing more than software fixes.

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MarkEagle - Ice is nice!

05-18-2000 01:39 AM

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