On Dec 03, 1996 at 10:05, Bob Lawrence of 3:711/934.12 wrote:

 BL> I didn't know that. The machine code has to be the same, so to me it
 BL> seemed feasible.

For multiple operating systems on the same hardware platform, the
"machine code" (more or less) *is* the same - what changes is
calling patterns (how parameters are passed between functions), file
formats (of the executables and libraries), and of course the links to the
libraries themselves.

It is in fact possible to compile code for a completely different platform
(say, build a Sun SPARC application on an Intel 486) as long as you use
software that supports this (like GCC under UNIX does), and have the
necessary libraries in place.

 BL> I'm trying to *learn* something.

Whatever happened to reinventing an even better wheel, without the mental
inhibitions and limitations of the original inventor(s)?  ;-)

Cheers..

    - dave
    d.begley{at}ieee.org

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