[Coco] drivewire serial port progress

[Aaron Wolfe]

On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 8:13 AM, Mark Marlette <mmarlette at frontiernet.net> wrote:
> Aaron,
>
> I have not seen the blue screen in the DW server either.
>
> We run this 24/7 for testing on every CoCo product we ship out.
>

I think the system errors Roger is seeing are probably related to the
host operating system and/or the USB serial adapter drivers.  I've had
a number of issues making the USB/serial adapter I have work properly
under Windows.  No blue screens, but the serial port sometimes
disappears or becomes unusable, usually when I disconnect/reconnect a
serial device to the adapter.

Using this same adapter under Linux on the same computer it is rock
solid, so I suspect the Windows drivers aren't quite right in my case.

-Aaron


> Regards,
>
> Mark
> Cloud-9
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aaron Wolfe" <aawolfe at gmail.com>
> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 6:52:53 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
> Subject: Re: [Coco] drivewire serial port progress
>
> On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 2:18 PM, Roger Taylor <operator at coco3.com> wrote:
>> At 10:49 AM 11/30/2009, you wrote:
>>>
>>> I agree it's ambiguous, but I think he was trying to say you can do
>>> whatever you want on your own machine ("you own programs") but you
>>> can't use his code in something that you distribute to others ("for
>>> public release").
>>>
>>> Legally, I don't know if his license would hold any water anyway, but
>>> I like to follow the spirit of these things rather than the letter.
>>>
>>> The code is not very complex, and Mr. Olsen's implementation is very
>>> basic.  The virtual modem I'm just now finishing up for DriveWire is
>>> much nicer (supports more commands, more efficient, etc).  Porting
>>> this to the Windows version will be easier than adapting Internet
>>> Modem anyway :)
>>
>> I don't know... the program is already there to build on or restructure
>> without rewriting it from scratch.  And I've looked at the code and have
>> decided that it is not "very basic".  The code that processes the commands
>> is rather simple but the networking stuff took skill and knowledge and I
>> doubt anybody can just whip that up overnight.  If you can do that and make
>
> It took more than one night, but both a virtual modem and some nice
> multithreaded networking code is complete in my modified drivewire
> server.  There isn't much that translates cleanly between C and .Net,
> but if my code is of any use to you, you're welcome to it.
>
> I'm going to do.. something.. on the Windows side of DriveWire.  The
> current server is written in Delphi, something I don't have access to
> or experience with.  I haven't had the reliability issues you mention,
> but I would like to improve some things and add the new features I
> shoehorned into the Linux version.  Not sure exactly where I'll end up
> with that yet :)
>
>> your server handle the CoCoNet virtual disk commands, maybe there can be an
>> alternative since CoCoNet is a scheme and not really a product, and I'm
>> going to release the source code once I pretty it up some.  I tend to code
>> messy when I'm trying to beat a deadline, but then nobody writes nastier
>> code than Sock Master, so I think I'm good here no matter what.  ;)  The
>> thing is, Sock's code is usually Very clever and has every reason to look
>> how it looks on paper.  Heh.
>>
>> The other thing about releasing source code is that my long-time buddies
>> like Robert Gault will go right away within minutes criticizing my coding
>> style or choices, short cuts, so I'm trying to reduce that "effect" the best
>> I can before throwing the code out there.  Actually, I get more "why did you
>> do that when you could have done this" type of comments from the general
>> public than actual criticism, so I'm used to it and it doesn't keep me from
>> moving forward with a working program in the end.
>>
>> My choice for using VB.NET ended up being automatic eventually since I
>> reused the Internet Modem source code which is in VB.NET.  It runs fast and
>> I see no reason why there should be criticism there, but I'll get it for
>> sure.  In the end, there's a powerful cartridge-based system here that can
>> revive many bare and otherwise dead CoCo's.
>>
>> Like I said, I'll talk to the author of Internet Modem myself and work out
>> my own arrangements, but I do appreciate your concern.  Raising a debate
>> only stirs up hot water when we don't need it.
>>
>
> Didn't mean to cause trouble.  As a (sometimes) professional
> programmer, and frequent contributor to several open source projects,
> I take licenses pretty seriously.  I love open code and create lots of
> it (for better or worse) but I'm careful to keep things "pure" on that
> side.  I can't see why the author would have any issue, but it's good
> to make sure.
>
>
>> --
>> ~ Roger Taylor
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Coco mailing list
>> Coco at maltedmedia.com
>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>>
>
> --
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>
> --
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
>