Re: [Fsfe-uk] Re: Schools etc. [was:RE: accu-general: Where to setup web site]

[Ralph Corderoy]

Hi Ian,

> > In a lot of cases, technologies (and drugs) for small markets
> > usually yield big advantages. Look at ARM and RISC OS. ARM
> > processors were originally built for RISC OS machines in a
> > relatively small market.  ARM is now one of the biggest chip
> > designers around. RISC OS is used in set top boxes as well as
> > anything else which requires NC like facilities.
> 
> Hm, ARM reasonable argument but I doubt the subsidise loss making
> licenses. RISC OS? Not at all convinced its any sort of player
> anymore.

It isn't.  The `RISC OS is used in set top boxes as well as anything
else which requires NC like facilities' statement, whilst true, doesn't
*really* say much;  somebody, somewhere, using RO in a product doesn't
mean it's a success in a free market, i.e. a customer doesn't choose a
STB, but the package that happens to supply the STB.

RO isn't ideal for NCs anymore, and just about manages for STBs, but has
fundamental flaws regarding memory management, e.g. much code and data
stored in RMA which is readable/writable by any user process, it's
networking isn't great, source code not available, etc.

One reason for using it is if it's in-house IPR in the first place, e.g.
Pace.  Another in the past was its small foot-print.  Neither of those
hold as the foot-print size matters less and free OS can fit the bill.

Cheers,


Ralph.