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SiliconAddict
Dec 30, 2003, 11:50 AM
My knowledge of Macs is limited to the fact that its a type of Apple. :p I know for the most part that Macs internal components are similar, identical in some cases, to PC's but....

Is this: Writing an end to the bio of BIOS (http://news.com.com/2100-7337_3-5131787.html?tag=nefd_lede)

similar to what Macs already have? Macs don't really have a BIOS the same way PCs do right?


bousozoku
Dec 30, 2003, 12:17 PM
In a sense, they're going where Apple has already been.

The BIOS was borrowed from CP/M before Microsoft had DOS and that idea was working in 1976. It's slightly older than they're admitting.

Apple switched to OpenFirmware with the models which had USB on the motherboard. It allowed updates for the first time. They also started to carry files within the System Folder to hold the firmware needed by Mac OS--it's labeled Mac OS ROM on mine. The only drawback was that it would take longer to load from disk than from ROM.
Doraemon
Dec 30, 2003, 12:33 PM
Macs don't have a BIOS. Macs use a ROM where all drivers and stuff is stored and also some high MacOS routines. Each Mac model used to have an individual ROM.
Ever since the introduction of iMac 1998, Apple uses an unified hardware architecture. All Macs have the same ROM now, called NewWorld ROM (http://www.theapplemuseum.com/index.php?id=tam&page=facts).
patrick0brien
Dec 30, 2003, 02:03 PM
Originally posted by SiliconAddict
My knowledge of Macs is limited to the fact that its a type of Apple. :p I know for the most part that Macs internal components are similar, identical in some cases, to PC's but....

Is this: Writing an end to the bio of BIOS (http://news.com.com/2100-7337_3-5131787.html?tag=nefd_lede)

similar to what Macs already have? Macs don't really have a BIOS the same way PCs do right?

-SiliconAddict

In a word: yes
MisterMe
Dec 30, 2003, 02:35 PM
Originally posted by Doraemon
Macs don't have a BIOS. Macs use a ROM where all drivers and stuff is stored and also some high MacOS routines. Each Mac model used to have an individual ROM.
Ever since the introduction of iMac 1998, Apple uses an unified hardware architecture. All Macs have the same ROM now, called NewWorld ROM (http://www.theapplemuseum.com/index.php?id=tam&page=facts). Actually, a BIOS is a ROM. The old Macintosh ToolBox ROM was much more sophisticated than the IBM ROM BIOS. The differences in sophistication between the two played a major role in the history of personal computers. It is a story that is virtually unknown to those who didn't live through the era.