From: daler@Armstrong.EDU (Dale Reagan)
Subject: Thoughts on porting software/tips...
Followup-To:  comp.os.coherent
Summary: looking for a way to collect helpful info on porting to Coherent
Organization: Dale Reagan, Consultant, Savannah, GA
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 14:14:04 GMT

 
This is not a flame for anyone who has previously 'ported' software to
Coherent...  I am hoping that it will be taken constructively and that some
useful things may come from it.  Send all flames to /dev/null...  :)
I am posting this because I have seen interest in the topic during the
past few weeks...
 
I sent this message to MWC several weeks ago and did not get a response
(for whatever reason, probably no person had time due to the 4.0 release...)
 
*******************************************************************
 
Many of the so called 'ports' of USENET software have been lacking in 
consistency/quality.  They have really (mostly) been 'hacked up' to work under 
Coherent and not 'ported' (i.e. many features do not work as they should or 
work poorly(i.e. the CNEWS port) I [previously] suggested that you (since you 
guys are supposed to really know your product) supply your user base with a 
short introductory guide to porting USENET type software to Coherent.  I never 
got a response on this so I can only speculate that it was tossed the last 
time... Yes, I have had some success with small ports to Coherent, but I think 
that it had to do with the simplicity of the programs.  It would be great if a 
Coherent user could take something posted to comp.sources.unix and just 'make 
it'... 
 
Things that would be helpful:
 
        - what are the limitations of the compiler (I did not know about
          the 64K limit when I purchased Coherent and tried to port some
          things...)?
 
        - what is the closest system to Coherent (Sys V, Sun...) that I
          should try when 'making' new software?   
 
        - If the question above is not answerable, how about providing
          a 'port module' containing the most commonly needed changes
          for porting to Coherent?
 
        - what are 'the things' that are most commonly changed when porting
          software to Coherent?
 
        - what suggestions do you offer to persons porting software or
          developing software under Coherent? 
 
        - I really want to try running X but since 4.0 is text based I
          will have to wait for or try to port on my own...  What 
          suggestions (if any) do you have for such a project?  :-)
 
These things (and many more) may already be in your new (4.0) manual
but I think that you user base would greatly appreciate having them
available online/via email or other forms...
 
AND since you made it this far, I must take a moment and say that your
tech support has been
one of the BEST I have encountered in 10 years of computing (7 years of
UNIX experience) and I hope that you can KEEP IT UP!  I have not always
gotten the answer I was looking for or wanted, but your tech support has
been exceptional. 
 
End of original message...
************************************************************************
If you have tips, then please post them (and mail a copy to me) and I will
compile them and release a Coherent software porting FAQ or info file or 
tip file according to the type of information sent.
 
When using email, send to:
 
        coh_tips@dreagan.UUCP
                OR
        dreagan!coh_tips@pirates.armstrong.edu
 
When POSTING to the net or when using email it would be helpful if you 
included the word 'tip' in the subject line.  
 
i.e. Subject: USR modems under Coherent (tip) 
 
I look forward to some positive feedback and tons of good mail!
 
:)
Dale, Coherent user since 3.0 (1990)
 
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dale E. Reagan	      |         daler@armstrong.edu        |  (912) 236-1686
Consulting Programmer |      or dreagan!dale@armstrong.edu |  (912) 238-8279
Savannah, GA 31404    |       or dreagan@novavax.nova.edu  |
Newsgroups: comp.os.coherent