17 Jan
2023
17 Jan
'23
4:21 a.m.
On Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 7:09 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
> ChatGPT can translate x86 assembly to 7080 autocoder? That would be
> something...
On Mon, 16 Jan 2023, Sellam Abraham via cctalk wrote:
Me: Translate the disassembly of the boot sector code
for PC DOS 1.0 into
7080 autocoder.
ChatGPT: "It is not possible to simply translate the disassembly of the
boot sector code for PC DOS 1.0 into 7080 autocoder as the two are
different assembly languages for different processors. The boot sector code
for PC DOS 1.0 was written specifically for the x86 processor, while the
7080 autocoder is for the 7080 processor. Additionally, the boot sector
code for PC DOS 1.0 is likely specific to the IBM PC, and would not run on
a machine using a 7080 processor.
"To run PC DOS 1.0 on a machine with a 7080 processor, you would need to
rewrite the entire operating system from scratch in assembly language for
the 7080 processor."
It didn't fall for your trick question.
I'm impressed.
But, also a little disappointed.
"It is not possible to simply translate . . . as the two are
different assembly languages for different processors."
Isn't that what "TRANSLATE" asked for?
"Additionally, the boot sector code for PC DOS 1.0 is likely specific to
the IBM PC, and would not run on a machine using a 7080 processor."
The boot sector code is specific to the IBM PC, and would not run on a
machine that was not the same hardware; processor is a lesser part of that
problem, and "TRANSLATED" would tend to imply running on the target
processor.
The boot sector code has a few very specific tasks to do. That is more an
issue of being specific to the disk hardware and boot procedure of the PC,
rather than the processor on which it is run.
If you were to build a PC like computer using the 7080 processor (WOW!)
and working with PC-DOS disks, then the structure of the boot sector could
be similar, even if the individual commands aren't.
Yes, every subroutine in the operating system (BIOS and IBMBIO.COM (IO.SYS
for MS-DOS), BDOS (IBMDOS.COM, (MSDOS.SYS for MS-DOS)), COMMAND.COM, and
all of the supplied programs) would need to be re-written for 7080, but
the overall structure could be mimiced.
Porting a program, even an OS, to a different processor is not quite the
same as re-writing from scratch.
What if you asked it to translate FORMAT.COM for 7080?