F-Prot

[Roger Wilco]

A platform isn't defined by what you boot to. Most users will call a platform
after the installed OS(s).

Are we to define things by what "most users" call them - looks like an
appeal to numbers. You can build upon a hardware platform by adding
software of a type that the platform supports - to build upon a software
platform, the software has to be running - otherwise it is just data in
storage. I was wrong in assuming the OP meant the XP environment.

If I have a deenergized computer with WinXP on one partition, Win98 on
another, OS/2 on a removeable harddrive, Linux on a CD in the drive
tray, and a DOS 6.22 on a boot floppy in drive 'A' then what would you
call the "platform" without knowing what program control data was in the
CMOS? What is it about a storage device that makes an OS considered
"installed" on a computer?

Wrong again. NTFS4DOS is a free full access NTFS driver for DOS, from Datapool.
You are confusing it with NTFSDOS from Winternals. It's the latter that has a
pro version, required for full access (read-write).

Right, I was confused on that issue.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Idiotic sophistry.

Does it make you feel all high and mighty to belittle other's comments?

It depends on what you understand as an "XP platform".

A platform 'running' XP.

A PC with only XP
installed will be considered by most users as an XP platform, even when switched
off.

Anything that makes a computer malfunction will be considered a virus by
most users - so what, are we defining things by what most users think? A
deenergized computer has hardware and that can be considered a hardware
platform for the type of software that platform supports. Anything
beyond that requires an active software environment, that is the
hardware coupled with the active software (OS) becomes a platform for
software that "they" support.

Hence, not the running OS is what makes it a "platform", the installed
system does.

I stand by my statement.

Very well, I'll just file it away with the other unique definitions you
have for things.

 

[Zvi Netiv]

Are we to define things by what "most users" call them - looks like an
appeal to numbers.

Please spare us the "definition" crap! "Platform" has several uses/meanings in
computing and it's perfectly correct to appeal to the majority of readers.
That's how language evolves!

Regards

 

[Roger Wilco]

Please spare us the "definition" crap!

Wasn't it you that wrote:

"A platform isn't defined by what you boot to."

Take your own advice then, and spare us.

"Platform" has several uses/meanings in
computing and it's perfectly correct to appeal to the majority of readers.
That's how language evolves!

More of your "scientific method" I suppose. If that is the case, then my
interpretation was as valid as anyones and you needn't have bothered
'jumping in' with what you believe 'most users' think. A platform is
called a platform because of the manner that it 'props up' what is built
upon it. Software does nothing to support anything further unless it is
active.

 

[Maynard]

Does it make you feel all high and mighty to belittle other's comments?


A platform 'running' XP.


Anything that makes a computer malfunction will be considered a virus by
most users - so what, are we defining things by what most users think? A
deenergized computer has hardware and that can be considered a hardware
platform for the type of software that platform supports. Anything
beyond that requires an active software environment, that is the
hardware coupled with the active software (OS) becomes a platform for
software that "they" support.


Very well, I'll just file it away with the other unique definitions you
have for things.

Hardware platforms: x86-risc

 

[Roger Wilco]

Hardware platforms: x86-risc

Right, and the instruction set helps to determine what type of software
will run. In an operating system independent stored program machine the
software will be the BIOS program (written for that platform). The URL
below, previously posted by Zvi "spare us the definition crap" Netiv,
contained a good (you guessed it) 'definition' and some additional
explanations on usage. The term can be extended to include software -
but even there they refer to the software platform as an environment
(i.e. running) rather than something stored on disk and inactive when
the machine is booted to another software environment.

http://www.answers.com/topic/platform