DOS ain't dead

MODE command (Developers)

posted by kerravon, Ligao, Free World North, 15.10.2021, 07:42

> > > one parameter. This may mean MODE may need to keep track of whether
> the
> > > port is already initialized or not,
> >
> > I think this is correct.
>
> How would MODE do that, though, if it's not a TSR? There's nowhere in
> memory it can store the data, and another program could directly change the
> parameters in hardware without MODE ever knowing about it. The only way it
> could work properly is to not depend on the BIOS.

MODE can do an OS call and the OS can keep
track of the situation. I assumed that is
how it was done in MSDOS too, but maybe not.

> SOME hardware can support 230400 but not all. For the ones that support
> 230400 you set the Divisor to 0.

Cool, thanks.

> > I thought that people in the industry used symbols/sec
> > rather than "baud" now, and that the English language
> > has changed such that the very definition of "baud"
> > is "bps"?
>
> No, the definition of baud has not changed. In certain contexts baud and
> bps can be the same, but they are not synonymous.
>
> > English is *defined* by common usage.
>
> No, words are not defined by common usage. Words can be used correctly or
> incorrectly, and usage can be contextual, but that doesn't change the
> definition.

Sorry, but that is exactly how English is defined.
Most other languages have a body that decides
official definitions of words, but there is no such
body for English. The dictionary-writers just look
at how words are being used by the public and add
any new words, or new definitions of words, or
changed definitions of words, to the dictionary.
It's not the other way around.

If someone is selling a 2400 baud modem, you
shouldn't assume they are talking about the
number of symbols per second and that it's
actually a 9600 bps modem or whatever. It means
it's a 2400 bps modem. Always. Every time. That's
the meaning of the word. Whoever gave the word
"baud" to the public is responsible for the word
being commandeered and no longer belonging to the
technical people in its original meaning.

BFN. Paul.

Complete thread:

• MODE command - kerravon, 14.10.2021, 12:34 (Developers)
  • MODE command - bretjohn, 14.10.2021, 17:36
    • MODE command - kerravon, 15.10.2021, 00:29
      • MODE command - bretjohn, 15.10.2021, 07:29
        • MODE command - kerravon, 15.10.2021, 07:42
          • MODE command - bretjohn, 16.10.2021, 00:50
            • MODE command - kerravon, 16.10.2021, 02:07
              • MODE command - RayeR, 18.10.2021, 21:44
  • MODE command - DosWorld, 22.10.2021, 03:35
    • MODE command - kerravon, 23.10.2021, 01:50
      • MODE command - DosWorld, 01.11.2021, 19:05
        • MODE command - kerravon, 01.11.2021, 20:02
          • MODE command - tom, 02.11.2021, 18:53
            • MODE command - kerravon, 02.11.2021, 21:22