I did a quick scan on what you are proposing. My main concern is to make sure that any PE program compiled to use the new WMAN and colors will still run with the older WMAN. I'm assuming that the older WMAN ignored part of the 16-bit color word and will continue to do this.
As for colors in general, I don't use them other to view JPG's ( and don't really look at them too much on the Q40). I'd like to see more people on this "project". I like that Thierry did to write CD drivers of SMSQ/E. Using this approach, additional capabilities can be brought to SMSQ/E without having to get into the original source code. I would encourage you to work on documenting areas of SMSQ/E that are sparsely documented. I've been going through the QPTR manual to figure out PE data structures, and I've found inconsistencies between QPTR and the C68 examples (both written by TT). Some attributes are mentioned but are not detailed (a one word description of an attribute does not help too much). The QPTR concept section is done alphabetically and not from general to specific (Imagine learning division before subtraction because it's alphabetically before subtraction). I think better documentation might allow more people to do other driver development. I would encourage others to help in writing documentation (like Norman's "PE Idiot's Guide). I'm doing some documentation that I should have a beta release soon for. It's nice to see that you are working to move SMSQ/E forward and I highly encourage it (esp. since you volunteered yourself). I think it would be worth approaching Tony Tebby to see what it might take to open up SMSQ/E development, either as Open Source, or a loose confederation of developers that sign an NDA about SMSQ/E. There are many approaches one could try to get SMSQ/E to be so dependent on one individual. There might be a few others that are willing to toss a bit into a passed hat. To quote a 60's TV show," Good luck, Jim. This message will self destruct in ...." Tim Swenson
