System: OS vs Hardware

[Neville Dempsey]

re: http://progopedia.com/admin/progopedia/system/

I might have it wrong here, but when it sez system, does it mean
Operating System or Hardware Platform.

There are two scenerios OS & HW here:

For example:

OS) Unix SystemV will run on many different hardware platforms - if
an interpreter is not written in assembler, then it will probably
port. If compiler runs on a VM or generates and intermediate byte
code, or uses something like rtl (Register transfer language), then is
can jump to different CPUs. But it may still not jump Operating
Systems.

HW) Some implementations were written in assembler, (or otherwise)
restricted to a particular CPU, or run time environment. For example:
MFT (operating system), OS/VS1, MVT, MVS, MVS/XA, MVS/ESA and OS/390.
Or even the more common range of operating systems... Window 3.1,
Windows FWG, Windows 95, Windows 98 ... Windows 7

This second scenario raises issues of upward compatibility of CPU's
and Operating Systems...

I cannot see a simple solution here.... Should I list the OS and
the target HW in the name of Systems I create?

N

[Sergey Dimchenko]

I think in some cases platform will be software (Java Virtual Machine,
for example), in some - hardware (ZX-Spectrum computer), in some -
combinations of both hardware and software.

[Neville Dempsey]

Your point about where a java app can run is well taken.

Can I suggest "runs on" selection (or "compatible with" selection)
for System? (Similar to the Influenced by for each Computer
Languages)

For example:
[javavm] =on=> [windows vista] =on=> {CoreDuo, Core2Duo}
[javavm] =on=> [windows vista] =on=> [vmware] =on=> {RHEL5, Centos5.3}
=on=> {CoreDuo, Core2Duo}

Or even UCSD-Pascal =on=>
CPM =on=>
MYZ80 emulator =on=>
{DRDOS, MSDOS, PCDOS} =on=>
wine emulator =on=>
{RHEL2, Centos5.3} =on=> Pentium-spec => {CoreDuo,
Core2Duo}

This demonstrates the multi layers & emulators that are sometime
required to run a compiler on available hardware.

Just a thought.

N

[Neville Dempsey]

> Can I suggest "runs on" selection (or "compatible with" selection)
> for System?

Or about about =requires=> ?

N

[Neville Dempsey]

> Or about about =requires=> ?

With =provides=> for emulators/compatibles/upgrades ?

N