[Coco] Re: CoCo needs?

Tue Mar 8 15:12:43 EST 2005

Jim,

I wasn't upset. Just different people have different priorities. No
problem at all. If I'm upset you will know it.... :)

I'm having a blast with the CoCo. I wish I had even more time to spend
on it.

Life is too short to be upset......

Thanks,

Mark

Quoting Jim Cox <jimcox at miba51.com>:

> Mark:
>
> I don't think I phrased my suggestion correctly and you
> took it the wrong way.  It wasn't meant to be a personal
> attack.
>
> -Jim
>
>
> On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 03:56:57 -0600
>   Mark Marlette <mark at cloud9tech.com> wrote:
> > At 11:07 PM 3/7/2005, you wrote:
> >
> > Jim,
> >
> > I work 8-10hrs a day at my day time job, with a 1 1/2hr
> >minimum commute round trip each day. I still spend ~4
> >hours a day with the CoCo. I don't sleep much. :) CoCo is
> >a wonderful platform to learn. Each person has their own
> >priorities.
> >
> > LS-120 is a 3.5" device. Even the PC is dropping 5.25"
> >support. I would keep the 5.25" the same and add newer
> >technology to move forward.
> >
> > I know what you are saying it would be nice to have it
> >all and reasonable. Reasonable is a relative term. You
> >mentioned $75, for billg that was three times over his
> >budget and that was to his doorstep including shipping.
> >If money is what limits your hobbies, you only have so
> >much to spend. Then you must live within your means. I
> >suggested to him that maybe he should consider a cassette
> >interface. I have those new in the box for $15. Heck it
> >worked well for years, still does. Nope, I'm quitting. I
> >say that the people that have offered up a drive
> >controller and cable for him, great. I also feel that he
> >needs to return something to the community for the
> >charity system to work. Maybe I'm stuck in the big
> >picture/long term mode....
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Mark
> > Cloud-9
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>Mark:
> >>
> >>Thanks for the info. on the LS-120, I sort of remember
> >>you saying something about it a while back, but I have
> >>only been glossing over messages due to my work schedule.
> >>
> >>Correct me if I am wrong, but the LS 120 is only
> >>compatable with 3.5" drives and not the older 360K 5.25"
> >>drives.  If I am missing something here, could you please
> >>clarify?
> >>
> >> From what I understand about the DriveWire (have not
> >>read the docs all
> >> the way through yet -> work!) it requires that the CoCo
> >>have a drive
> >> controller in the cartrage slot.  Since controllers are
> >>hard to get, this
> >> makes the use of the Drive Wire impractical for those
> >>with out
> >> controllers.  What is it exactly that the Drive Wire
> >>requires from the
> >> controller, and is it possible this could be replaced by
> >>something else
> >> that could cost less?
> >>
> >>Couldn't the controller be replaced by a cartrage with
> >>just the boot PROM so the CoCo could access the server
> >>(PC) Since HDOS is compatable with most of the non
> >>OS-9/NitrOS stuff out there, that should be the primary
> >>PROM on the cartrage.
> >>
> >>I'm trying to think of low cost solutions to allow people
> >>to use the DriveWire so as to use it's 3.5" and 5.25"
> >>drives as well as HDD with the CoCo.  To be honest, if we
> >>lose too many people because stuff like the controllers
> >>are becoming rare, this community as a whole shoots it's
> >>self in the foot.
> >>
> >>A cheap DriveWire/Cartrage solution for around $75.00
> >>might not be profitable in the short run, but when you
> >>consider more and more people may be using them and they
> >>in turn may create software to use other products, then
> >>in the long run, it may be very profitable.
> >>
> >>You're looking for developers, this is one way to bring
> >>more into the fold.  I wish I had the technical skills
> >>needed to help out more, but I barely have time to power
> >>my CoCo up once in a while, let alone learn something
> >>outside of work.
> >>
> >>Just my $0.25 :)
> >>
> >>-Jim
> >>
> >>On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 20:33:14 -0600
> >>  Mark Marlette <mark at cloud9tech.com> wrote:
> >>>At 01:21 PM 3/7/2005, you wrote:
> >>>Torsten and Jim,
> >>>GREAT ideas, keep them coming.
> >>>I know I have said this before.. WE ALL READY HAVE IT!
> >>>Yes, it is in the SuperIDE, it is called a LS-120 drive.
> >>>They are cheap on Ebay. I buy mine in Mpls for $19 and
> >>>that includes one disk! The drive is an ATAPI device.
> >>>Now the problem. It needs software written for it.
> >>>Boisy's driver works. As I posted last week, we need
> >>>utilities for file transfers.
> >>>Not one person stepped up. Boisy or I could do this and I
> >>>just might after the SB. We both are VERY busy on CoCo
> >>>projects.
> >>>Just did inventory for tax purposes...Running over $10k
> >>>in CoCo inventory and parts....Company grew again last
> >>>year.
> >>>
> >>>In the past we use to say we didn't have the
> >>>hardware....Now with HDB-DOS, NitrOS-9 and our hardware,
> >>>we need utilities and/or nice apps to be written. The
> >>>tools are great today.
> >>>Regards,
> >>>Mark
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> > This is just my $0.02 but Bill G's email prompted me
> >>>>to
> >>>> > write this.  What CoCo users need most right now is an
> >>>> > affordable disk controller that will work with current
> >>>> > 3.5" drives.
> >>>>
> >>>>I agree. Should be compatible to Tandy's "standard" Disk
> >>>>Extended BASIC,
> >>>>maybe with an option for other DOS. Should be buffered
> >>>>and "Halt-Free"
> >>>>on demand. I'd like to see this integrated in the Super
> >>>>IDE
> >>>>controller...
> >>>>
> >>>>Torsten
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>--
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> >>>>http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
> >>>
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> >>
> >>
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