[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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