Date   : Sun, 13 Jan 1985 12:36:49-EST
From   : Lee.Sailer@CMU-CS-C.ARPA
Subject: Turbo

So far, except for Kahn's assurance that it is really simple, it seems that
nobody is willing to admit that they know how it works.  Here is a new, simpler
question:

       1.  Is anybody out there trying to figure out how Turbo "does it"?

       2.  Is anybody debating what it could do better, so that version x
           will be even spiffier?

Here are a few of my own (somehat trivial) wishes.
  - A stand-alone version of the editor/run-time system.  TRUE FACT.  I use
    Turbo as my editor when writing in C.  ("Why?" is a lng story.)

 - A utility that will strip out totally unused parts of .COM files.  
   if, for example, Turbo loads all the trig functions into every .COM
   file, could a utility dtect that they were never used, and squeeze them
   out?

 - Turbo's random number generator is not so hot.  In paticular, it cannot
   be started from a particular seed.  Patches?

 - Could Turbo be patched to add a "true" complex type, and thereby save us
   all from those letters in BYTE that say "Real men use FORTRAN!"

Of Course!  First, someone (not me, sorry, I don't even know assembler) will
have to figure out how Turbo is possible, period.

thanks for listening