[Coco] CoCoNet beta release

[Christian Lesage]

Bob Devries wrote:
> DLOAD is a part of the original EXTENDED COLOR BASIC ROM, and is not 
> part of OS-9/NitrOS-9.
>
> Having said that, I'm sure it's possible to create a new and better 
> version od the DLOAD built-in command. 

You're right, the DLOAD command is available on any CoCo 1 and 2 with 
ECB, and there are patches to completely restore it on the CoCo 3. But 
if you're after a "better" DLOAD, why don't you use DriveWire or 
CoCoNet? Those systems will provide you with virtual disk drives hosted 
on a PC over a 115 or 230 kbps serial connection. If you have such a 
system, why, then, would you need DLOAD, which only allows you to load 
(not save) programs from a host at 4800 bps max. (9600 bps on a CoCo 3)?

My interest in the DLOAD command stems from the fact that it could be 
used to bootstrap DriveWire (and perhaps CoCoNet, but it seems unlikely 
at this point). All you would need to get started is a serial cable... 
and a PC, of course. To serve this purpose, DLOAD doesn't need to be 
improved, it just needs to work. For historic reasons, DLOAD was killed 
on the CoCo 3, but if you cast a magic spell (2 POKEs and 2 EXECs) upon 
the little beast, she will recover the ability to speak with a DLOAD 
server. That's all. If you think about it, this is hardly any more work 
than entering the date and time every time you boot that old IBM PC 
5150, or your username and password on other systems.

Besides, I believe a lot of people could build their own serial cable. I 
was able to do that when I was 14, so...

> There have been articles in Colour Computer related magazines about 
> the protocol, including source code for the programme required on the 
> host computer/file server.

There are a couple of DLOAD servers floating around the net. Some years 
ago, I took the one programmed in Turbo-C and translated it into an 
obscure BASIC-like language called Dialect. There's another one 
programmed in PowerBasic.