Date   : Sun, 12 Dec 1982 02:41:00-EST
From   : Jerry E Pournelle <POURNE@Mit-Mc>
Subject: 8080 to 8086 translation

I had not known of the restriction son the CP/M-86 BIOS, and
thought in fact we were discussing the dual processor CP/M-80
BIOS.  However, I understand what is happening.  They GOT the
BIOS from  SORCIM.  Digital Research for better or worse WILL
NOT deal with individuals regarding CPM-86.  I understand that
their attitude was in large part responsible for IBM going to
MSDOS; that may be wrong, but th sstory comes from one who ought
to know.
       Godbout doesn't do software; they buy it from others
(and to my certain knowledge no outfit is locked in with them,
either; I saw Godbout hire someone from outside to do some of
their software at COMDEX).  They needed something that runs;
SRCIM was willing to supply it; SORCIM naturally wrote it with
their own assembler in mind.
       In my judgment, Digital has got a bit too big to care
much for the users.  They have taken the examples out of
documents; they yhave taken the Pascal MT+86 documents, and the
Speed Programming Package documents; and made them from not too
good to absolutely horrid and unreadable; and they seem to be
working at that sort of thing.  They can, after all, make far
more by selling to OEM's (which is where the money is).
       On the other hand, a sufficiently bright hacker could
com eup with a well documented easy to use operating system that
was upward compatible with MSDOS and CP/M (by means of
translators perhaps) and offer some frienddliness to users, and
some willingness to prepare sane documents understandalbe to
users, and t ake over DR's place before Kildall knows what is
happening; the SUPPLIERS and OEM's are not happy with having to
supply documents (or buy them from Rodney Zaks)...

       So: some see problems, some see chalenges, and some see
opportunities...  Anyone thinking of doing an operating system
for thed 8088 and 8086 machiens?  I know lots of customers, and
maybe the documents could be written better by a chimpanzee I
know...

    Date: 11 Dec 82 15:15:02 EST  (Sat)
    From: Ben Goldfarb <goldfarb.ucf-cs at Udel-Relay>
    To:   Jerry E Pournelle <POURNE>, goldfarb.ucf-cs at Udel-Relay
    cc:   info-cpm at BRL, Li at Rutgers
    Re:   8080 to 8086 translation

    Jerry,
    As far as I know, Compupro has pasted together a CP/M-80 BIOS that
    will work with DRI assemblers which is probably the one you are referring
    to.  However, they haven't done so yet for CP/M-86 (to my knowledge).
    Following is a quote from Compupro's Techcal manual for CP/M-86:

                 REASSEMBLING THE CP/M 86 SYSTEM

       "To reassemble the CP/M 86 system (which consists of the loader
    and the CPM.SYS file, you will need the following:

       1.  Obviously you will need a working system.
       2.  A copy of ACT-86 from Sorcim.(*)
       3.  A working version of CP/M 80 with utilities.

               .
               .
               .


    ------------------------------------------

    (*) ACT-86 can be obtained for $175 from          (address withheld
                                                   due to commercial
                                                     restrictions of
                                                      ARPA-land)

       or probably from your local computer dealer."
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, that is some CHUTZPAH, in my humble opinion.

                                       Ben