> The problem is: I want to write a pop3 client program. I do have the
> required skill for write such a program with dos, windoze and unix but
> I'm new to geos.
> The questions:
> 1) can I access a dos level packet driver?
> 2) can I access a dos level tcp/ip stack?
The first question is really: what kind of platform do you want to run your
client on? The answer is obviously a completely different one depending on
whether you're using a Nokia 9000 (running Geos 3.0) or another device...
Assuming you're talking about a pre-3.0 version: running a DOS-based stack or
packet driver is not an officially supported thing, but depending on some
details, like whether it is hooking any hardware interrupts or not, this may
actually work. If you want to access a DOS-based TSR (like a packet driver), you
will have to provide your own Geos interface layer (ultimately, just a routine
which calls the appropriate software interrupt).
Anyway, you should be aware that this will make the code of the TSR run as a
Geos thread, which means that it can be interrupted at any time and may also
find some of its interrupt vectors hooked by the Geos kernel. Also,
synchronization of DOS access may be an issue...
OTOH, I have successfully run a DOS TSR-based stack under Geos many times. :-)
[If you're interested, drop me a mail...]
If the stack is non-TSR (i.e. a linkable LIB or set of OBJ files), basically the
same rules apply, but you will have to bring it into a form where it can be
linked to a Geos application or library directly. If you have the C source code
for the entire stack, porting it to Geos would be non-trivial, but probably
managable in a reasonable timeframe...
ciao marcus