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clean dos extender executable format (Developers)

posted by kerravon, Ligao, Free World North, 08.01.2023, 19:36

> Hello DosWorld,
>
> > aout, by design, have 1 data seg and 1 code seg.
> > Here is no any type of relocation for segments, so aout is applicable
> for
> > tiny or small memory models only.
> > imho, this is not enough for 16-bit DOS.
>
> My understanding is that kerravon's actual a.out will be a 32-bit protected
> mode program. (So any 16-bit code will only be used to start up a 32-bit
> environment for the a.out to run in.)

These are separate issues I think.

A proposal to use a.out for 32-bit, regardless of
how the 16-bit stub is produced.

And a proposal to use a.out for 16-bit. Actually I
was surprised Robert chose a.out for 16-bit, and I
wasn't aware that was actually a thing, or possible.

I believe he chose it because OMF wasn't well
documented.

Seems a bit odd to me, as this was an existing
solution, but maybe the shift to 16-bit a.out is
a good thing, and could be part of the rationalization
of DOS (given Microsoft are no longer involved, it
may as well be us that set any standards).

 

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