Graphics-Based Operating Systems: The New Alternative to Traditional Operating Systems and Top-Down Programming
Abstract
My work at I/NET Inc. this past term dealt with introducing the OS/2
Presentation Manager environment to a company that had previous experience in
MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows on IBM PCs. The OS/2 Presentation Manager
is the new operating system introduced jointly by IBM and Microsoft in 1987 as
the official replacement for the aging MS-DOS (the operating system that has
powered IBM PCs and compatibles since 1981). The operating system kernel has
borrowed many features from UNIX and has enhanced many other features to
make them more modern. The Presentation Manager is the graphical user
interface that sits on top of the kernel and provides the functionality of the user
interface. The Presentation Manager is a grown-up version of Microsoft
Windows that includes a powerful graphics library based on existing IBM
mainframe packages. This environment is designed around the IBM Systems
Application Architecture (SAA) that IBM is making standard on its entire line of
computers. Also, Open Software Foundation (OSF) has adopted the look and
feel of the Presentation Manager as its standard for UNIX graphical workstations. Before I started working for I/NET, I had little experience programming in a
graphical environment. My experience was limited to several books on the
subject. This paper is meant to help others understand some of the obstacles that
a graphics-based operating system can place in front of someone who only has
knowledge of programming in top-down programming languages in traditional
environments. The discussion explains the basics of a graphics-based operating
system and also points out the major differences between programming in
environments most all programmers are accustomed to and programming in one
of these future-style environments.
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