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Subject:[Fwd: Re: "Platform"] From:Matt Ion <mion -at- DIRECT -dot- CA> Date:Thu, 18 May 1995 12:49:17 EDT
On Thu, 18 May 1995 13:45:20 -0400 you wrote:
>"A platform is a somewhat vague term that can be used in slightly
>different ways. Most broadly, it s simply just a snooty way to
>say computer, or to refer to a particular type of computer (the
>Macintosh is one platform, the PC is another platform.) The term
>is a little more useful when it refers to a combination of a
>particular type of computer running a particular type of operating
>system software. For instance, an IBM PC running only DOS as the
>operating system is one platform; the same computer running DOS
>with Windows is another platform; and the same computer running
>OS/2 or Unix is yet another platform.
Sorry for the extensive quoting... just didn't know where to break it up.
This description of "platform" is the first thing that comes to my mind...
whereas CPU, operating system, environment and so on each refer to specific
parts of a whole, "platform" *is* the whole.
Someone mentioned before a seeming disparity in meanings when one refers to
the "Mac platform" as opposed to "DOS/Windows platform", where one is a
computer, the other an environment. Given the limited number of operating
system and environment choices for the Macintosh, though, "Mac" pretty much
encompasses CPU, OS *and* environment by default.
Of course, the introduction of the PowerPC, PowerMac and MacOS will serve
nicely to confuse the issue even more... <sigh> ya just can't win.
>If you hear a particular product described as cross platform,
>it means that the product will work on several platforms, or that
>it s something that s applicable to more than one platform.
I kind of take "cross-platform" to refer specifically to NATIVE applications,
or applications that will run in a native mode on multiple platforms. A DOS
editor is not "cross-platform" simply because it will run in a DOS window
under Windows and OS/2. A bound application such as OS/2's XDFCOPY that will
run in either a DOS VDM or an OS/2 session is a bit closer to the mark.
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Opinions expressed / ROCK-IT SCIENCE Mobile Audio and Security
do not necessarily /| ...the 1040 MIDI & Music BBS Technical Services
reflect those of any [ SOUNDMAN Internet mion -at- direct -dot- ca Fido 1:153/7106
marginally sane human \| WWW http://www.musicwest.com/1040bbs/
being anywhere. \ FAX: (604)253-8312 DATA: (604)732-4446
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