Talk:Platform (computing)
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I think there should be something here about the vagueness of the term platform. Most people mean platform to mean hardware-type/architecture + operating system, but what about:
VirtualPC on Macintosh hardware? VMware? Is VMware on intel with a windows base-OS a different platform than VMware on intel with a Linux base-OS? Java? Hard or soft domains on high-end HP, IBM, or Sun hardware?
I think that VirtualPC and VMware should be considered
simulated platforms. However their purpose is mainly to simulate
a different platform than the host OS.
I think the purpose of a platform is to allow a software to run on a new
device, processor, machine, etc..
Roughly, I think a platform is a structure to allow other things to stand or operate.
Simply said I think 'a platform is a structure(HW or SW) that allows an application to run'.
Please see from a software developer/vendor point. For example a new processor is manufactured but nobody can use it. And if you wanted to develop games or a word application to develop and sell. You would need a platform to interface with the IC. Most of the time, this would mean an OS. But for example, many do not consider BREW as an operating system. (BREW allows Java and other software to run). Also, many consider Java a platform. A platform does not have to be as sophisticated as an OS. A platform is like a low level OS.
When a new processor is manufactured, there is a scramble to create a platform. Should we create a separate category, e.g. software platform, ? disambiguation page ? Jondel
TO DO
Hi! I (answered myself!)will be creating a software platform in a little while. Somebody (thats me) has to create a relationship explanation between platforms and APIs. Jondel
Done. Please feel free to edit or delete the software definition.
Would like to add
- 'A platform is crucial element for APIs to function.'
- Some phones don't have a full fledged OS but J2MEs/Java to allow developers to create games and applications.
Software
When a new device, computer or chip comes out, developers would like to develop software applications. For example, when a new phone comes out, some would like to develop games. The problem is how to interface. As mentioned, a platform ussually refers to the OS. But they are not always the same thing. An example is Java or J2ME and BREW on phones. Although Java is a language, its JVM allows it to perform as a platform. Ussually, a complete set of APIs constitute a platform.