The GUI
What is it?
This is just a software managing windows on
the screen. Something like the classic WIN.....
But somes differences are existing:
- First, we have the sources
of.
- Next, it is small,
very small. Like other softwares we have
developed, this one is again a "super thin"!!!
It is actually not complete but running.
And the actual size is far under 40 Kbytes.
- Next, it is portable.
Not "portable on .... restricted"
but fully, completely portable to any
microprocessor and any display system.
- Next, one version shall run under DOS on PCs.
Under DOS but also without DOS!, under BIOS.
And when running our browser, it can than start in tenths of seconds.
No user for a multimedia terminal?.... the terminal can stop and restart
when somebody is touching it.
- Next, it can run in text mode. WHY? Because many
LCDs exist without the ability to be driven in graphic mode. And PCs
can use this mode to display "text only" pages. It is much
faster than graphic mode to diplay it. And it is also possible to
use a graphic-text mode, writing the text using a fixed font like
the one used by the display.
- Next, it can ofcourse run in protected mode, enabling
access to all RAMs the PC has. Protected mode with ofr without DOS.
- Next, you can probably buy the source of
A little more technical:
It is ofcourse an objectoriented program. Written
in C and C++.
But written also to use few memory. The program itself but also for
datas. And this for example when changing a window, the window is redrawn.
More technical?: when moving a window, some other GUI well know transfer
a block of memory from a saved place. But it involve you have saved
the image of the window somewhere.
And this need to save into RAM or disk all screen images. In fact
the swap file. But before it was into RAM!
Our GUI does not the same. He redraw the window completely. This need
computing power but no RAM! Ofcourse, a little more complicate than
explained, but the main is just "as simple as this".
And if you have a powerfull component as display manager and sufficient
memory ..... you can ofcourse save the screen and restore it when
needed.
The actual display is for an SVGA chip, any.
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