[Coco] Re: NitrOS-9 newbie needs some help

[Charlie]

Nickolas, Hello! I love your Pac-Man Tribute. Please learn OS-9 and port it
;-p

Charlie

"Nickolas Marentes" <NickM at qm.qld.gov.au> wrote in
message
news:A10A57AD63160B4FB08B7126FA53607D6434B1 at qmmail01.qm.qld.gov.au...

> Hello everyone,

>

> I've been absent from the CoCo scene for awhile due to home renovation

> commitments. Recently, I have been trying to catch up with the CoCo world

> and have decided to once again have a crack at OS-9 on the CoCo3.

>

> Previous attempts:

>

> This will be my 3rd attempt to get into OS-9. The first being when OS-9

> Level 2 first came out for the CoCo3. Just like many of you, when Level 2

> became available, I immediately went and bought a copy from Tandy/Radio

> Shack. The thrill of running a powerful multi-tasking multiuser OS on my

> beloved CoCo3 was so great. I imagined all these wonderful apps appearing

> utilizing all this power. I began planning all the fantastic games I would

> create.

>

> Alas, it was all a dream. I spent several months trying to learn about

OS-9

> but found myself spending more time trying to get it to work reliably than

> actually doing something constructive with it. When things did work, it

was

> so slow.

>

> Needless to say, it really starting to get up my nose and when I finally

had

> enough, I packed it all up, stored it on the book shelf and went back to

> programming assembly language from the RS-DOS environment.

>

> Around 1993, I got my hands on a Burke and Burke hard drive system. I

> thought I would give OS-9 another go. I figured that most of my previous

> problems and dissapointments were due to running the system from floppy.

As

> before, I spent hours, days, weeks trying to get that darn hard drive

system

> working. As before, I gave up in frustration, put the hard drive and OS-9

> aside and went back to programming assembly language in RS-DOS (releasing

> Pac-man Tribute, Gate Crasher, Digiwiper).

>

> The Present:

>

> Now we have the talented Boisy releasing the latest version of NitrOS-9

for

> free. I've decided to try again with this new, much improved version of

> OS-9.

>

> I downloaded the files from the NitrOS-9 website, unpacked them to 2

double

> sided 40 track disks and proceeded to boot.

>

> Arrrrrrrrgh!!

>

> An hour later and I was still unable to boot it after re-downloading the

> files (I'm using the 6309 version...and yes, I have a 6309 installed!). I

> couldn't believe it was a fault with NitrOS-9 otherwise more people would

be

> complaining. It must be my CoCo3. But I have never had any problems with

my

> CoCo3! I've been developing stuff for some time with it and it has never

> given me the slightest problem...only with booting NitrOS-9.

>

> I opened by CoCo3 and noticed I was running the older 1986 GIME chip

> (because I was testing it for that elusive and rumoured 256 color mode). I

> replace it with the 1987 GIME. Bingo! NitrOS-9 booted!!

>

> First thing I wanted to do was make a backup copy of my NitrOS-9 disks so

in

> went a blank 5.28" disk and "format /d1". It began formatting when around

> track 10, it hung. I reset and tried repeatedly. Each time it failed at

> random times during the format. I decided to replace my Floppy Controller,

a

> tandy FD502 with a Tandy FD501 controller. This time it formatted. In fact

> it formatted and backup up several disks. I thought I had it licked so I

put

> my CoCo3 back together and just bit the bullet that I would have to use

the

> long length controller that looked like a swimming pool launch pad hanging

> out the right hand side of my computer.

>

> Arrrrrgh!

>

> I should have known better, it failed a format...and several formats after

> that. It certainly was more reliable that my FD502 but still not reliable

> enough. Heck! Even RS-DOS NEVER failed a format for me!

>

> So I went back to the FD502 and decided to play with the capacitor and

> resistor that one normally removes when installing the 512K upgrade. I

tried

> a few combinations but formatting a floppy would fail at lease 9 out of 10

> times.

>

> -------------------------------------------

>

> This leads me to the present. My next idea is to try and replace the RAMS

in

> my 512K upgrade (I have a 2 x 256Mb SIMM type upgrade) with another

> brand...if I can find some.

>

> Here are a few questions....

>

> 1) Why should NitrOS-9 be so fussy? I have NEVER had a problem with my

CoCo3

> (A PAL unit mind you, could this be the problem?).

>

> 2) Other than the formatting, NitrOS-9 otherwise behaved perfectly. Is

there

> a GUI available for it? I have downloaded the "Getting Started with

> NitrOS-9" and the "NitrOS-9 Level 2 Windowing System" manuals (which are

> very good!). It seems to me that much of the GUI elements are already

built

> in to the system. I know of MultiVue but I shudder at trying to run that

> again.

>

> 3) Are there additional manuals available? I read in the "Getting Started"

> manual about a "NitrOS-9 Commands Reference" and a "Technical Reference"

> manual.

>

> 4) Have there been any new (well, newer than 1992) applications written

for

> OS-9/NitrOS-9?

>

>

> Boisy and everyone else involved have done a marvalous job with NitrOS-9.

I

> guess I'm looking at it all from a newbie/outsider perspective. NitrOS-9

> could do with a bit of "glitz". This would come in the form of a GUI front

> end and updated applications. Sure, I'd like to develop for it but it's

> taken me over 15 years to get this far. I hate having to battle with the

OS.

> The OS should be a tool towards creating other applications. So far, OS-9

> has been like a bent screwdriver with me spending more time trying to get

> the bends out that actually fixing the job at hand.

>

> NitrOS-9 certainly has fixed many of the problems of the original CoCo3

> OS-9.

>

> I'me determined to get it right this time. I've spent a week on it so far.

> I'll give it another week...before giving up again.

>

> Nickolas Marentes

>

>

>

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