Dual Boot Palm OS5 & PPC 2003 Possible?

[imported_prismatic]

I've been thinking since hardware is so similar between platforms, especially with the advent of the Tungsten C , Intel PXA255 400 mhz XScale processor, 64 mb ram, hires screen.

Will we be able to load the PPC operating system on our Palm machines or vice versa. I know someone was working on a palm emulator for the PPC awhile back although I lost track of where that project was at or where it was heading.

I'm a previous PPC owner and would like if nothing else be able to run some of the game software available for the PPC occasionally.

Some type of dual boot system that would let you boot up multiple os's would be cool like on the PC, imagine loading another OS from an expansion card.

If nothing else imagine the number of PPC converts we would have if it becomes possible.

I know that you can flash the Ipaq with the Linux OS and have a fully function Ipaq Linux PDA, anyone else been giving this any thought?

[palmfetish]

Thought of it briefly but whats the use?
The games can either be reworked or run through another emulator (Gameboy?).

The OS? Who would want to run an OS as bloated as PPC on a Palm? First of all, you'll need that big ROM image sitting in RAM as it would only slow things down further by running from card. Then, considering the fact that the XScale runs PalmOS much faster than it does PPC on native hardware, think of how much slower it would emulate. It may run Pocket Word but not any big, taxing games. It my be possible to OC the processor to 600MHz or so but even then, we may only be able to emulate that sucker at around 200 max.

PPC is a very resource-hungry OS. Successfully/fully emulating it (read: HiRes, DSP, IR, BT, 802.11 use) may have an advantage or two. But think of the power drain that we'll have to deal w/. If on native PPC hardware there's no decent battery life, think of how much drain the two combined OS - PPC inside of POS- would create.

Finally, how many crashes are you willing to put up w/?

[JmE]

I have been anxiously awaiting a future of PDAs when a base hardware specification is used (much like many desktops today) and the user is able to choose/purchase whichever OS they want.

Palm's use of XScale gives me hope that we are moving a little closer to that result. I saw it happen in the PC world (the IBM PC and subsequent clones) and it affected the computer world in a more positive way than some could imagine. In the PDA world, it could only be positve for users and the industry.

My $0.02 worth.

[JmE]

Originally posted by palmfetish
If on native PPC hardware there's no decent battery life, <cut>

Finally, how many crashes are you willing to put up w/?

These two statements are just not true.

The battery life on my Dell Axim is fabulous. It is the same if not better than my m515.

My Axim crashes about the same number of times as my m515. Fatal Errors requiring a soft reset occur on my m515 just as many times as I have to soft reset my Axim. If I don't run a bunch of new or unstable programs on either of them, I don't get crashes on either.

[palmfetish]

Originally posted by JmE
These two statements are just not true.

The battery life on my Dell Axim is fabulous. It is the same if not better than my m515.

My Axim crashes about the same number of times as my m515. Fatal Errors requiring a soft reset occur on my m515 just as many times as I have to soft reset my Axim. If I don't run a bunch of new or unstable programs on either of them, I don't get crashes on either.

Im keeping in mind that we're all being highly subjective here ('decent,' 'fabulous,' 'better').
Maybe a case can be made for both either way since they're two entirely different environments w/ their own set of unique demands/requirements per given piece of hardware.

I just believe that looking at PalmOS and PPC, whatever the dergree of subjectivity, it goes w/o saying that the latter is more resource-intensive and crash prone.

[JmE]

Originally posted by palmfetish
<cut> it goes w/o saying that the latter is more resource-intensive <cut>

With that, we totally agree.

-JmE-

[imported_prismatic]

Originally posted by palmfetish
If on native PPC hardware there's no decent battery life, think of how much drain the two combined OS - PPC inside of POS- would create.

Finally, how many crashes are you willing to put up w/?

My concept was to be able to run *either* operating system natively on your PDA as in a desktop dual boot system, not to emulate one operating system from within the other.

[palmfetish]

Originally posted by prismatic
My concept was to be able to run *either* operating system natively on your PDA as in a desktop dual boot system, not to emulate one operating system from within the other.

Ah, yes! Dual boot!
Won't that b THE day??? Of course, I'd prolly give up PPC for linux... hell, I think I'll just have em all!. MULTIBOOT!

Ok, wishful thinking aside, I would just want ONE well-thought-out device that does just about everything- combine the major features of the other OS' - protective memory, true multitasking, ported apps capable of reading/creating native files, kick-a$$ multimedia, better mobility, etc.
(Sorry... I did say wishful thinking aside.)

[JmE]

I would simply like to choose which of OS to use on my handheld. Then if one no longer serves my purposes, then I can switch to the other.

Well put, wishful thinking... at least for a while.

-JmE-

[biglig]

Well, I can't see either PalmSource or Microsoft making money out of trying to do this, so your best bet for having alternative OSs available is probably with the Linux people, who will often do things despite their lack of profitability.