[Oberon] Re (2): Re (2): Starting V4.

[peter at easthope.ca]

From:	=?utf-8?Q?J=C3=B6rg?= <joerg.straube at iaeth.ch>
Date:	Fri, 5 Feb 2021 10:10:31 +0100
> Unfortunately, PO2013 does not foresee an „automation“ hook in 
> the code.

Understood.  PO has carefully chosen capabilities and limitations.  
N.W. takes his computers seriously!  

In recent months I've been learning a little about V4.  After years 
using ETH Oberon, comparison with V4 is almost inescapable.

> Date:	Fri, 5 Feb 2021 10:42:05 +0100
> I had a look at the code of System.Mod in Linux V4 1.7.02. There, I 
> find an automation/configuration hook in OpenViewers: It tries to load 
> the module „Configuration“. It is expected that the module body 
> does all things you want to automate/configure additionally during 
> startup.
> 
> If the module Configuration is not found, the text file System.Tool is 
> opened instead.

Good, thanks.  Now I can stop wondering about more complexity in that 
direction. Eventually might improve 
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Oberon/V4#System_Configuration .

For sake of interest, more indulgence in comparison.  =8~)  ...
 
InitCommands is only one section in Oberon.Text.  By adjusting and 
recompiling a few modules, InitCommands can be omitted.

NetSystem is another section that most users will engage.  I 
understand that network configuration can be compiled in.  The 
tradeoff is three steps to change configuration (edit, compile, test) 
versus  two steps (edit, test) with Oberon.Text.  I accept that you 
might prefer compilation.  Also that Pieter Muller might prefer 
Oberon.Text.  As with InitCommands, network configuration could be 
compiled with the NetSystem section of Oberon.Text omitted or ignored.

I'm no authority on this tradeoff but have an impression that compiled 
configuration is good for an embedded system.  Design and build an 
embedded system and never change it.  There is no intention for a user 
to monkey with a configuration file and cause unexpected difficulties.

In a workstation or a high performance data acquisitor/processor as 
Wojtek visualizes, frequent adjustments of configuration might be 
necessary.  Then text (or Text) based configuration is convenient.

In any case, clear documentation tends to be worthwhile.

Regards,                             ... P. L.





-- 
Tel: +1 604 670 0140            Bcc: peter at easthope. ca