[Coco] How much memory

[Frank Swygert]

I agree with Aaron. Fast memory that OS-9/Nitros-9 can use would be best. One little nit though -- BASIC can't address 512K, not without a lot of modification anyway. BASIC is still limited to 64K without bank shifting some of the RAM or using some other tricks. A RAM drive was a nice way to utilize the full 128/512K or RAM in a CC3 and speed things up at the same time. A program could then be written in a modular form and unload/load modules as needed quickly. That was one trick I used in "CoCo Family Recorder", a modular genealogy program. At least I seem to recall doing that... was a long time ago!

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Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2010 22:21:43 -0500
From: Aaron Wolfe<aawolfe at gmail.com>

On Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 9:48 PM, Becker, Gary<Gary.Becker at amd.com>  wrote:

> >  I was just wondering, how much memory could a CoCo3 realistically use. BASIC can only address 512K. NitrOS-9 can address a lot more, but it has a fixed amount of system resources and after they are used, any additional RAM is wasted. A RAM drive is a good way to utilize a bunch of additional RAM. Compiling C programs from a RAM drive is definately a lot faster than from a HDD. Which of these three options is better?
> >
> >  1 1.5 Meg of memory that is able to run at 25 MHz.
> >
Assuming we are talking about CoCo3FPGA, I vote for option 1.  As you
mentioned, with OS9 it is difficult to actually consume 512k with
processes to start with, due to limited space in the system page.
There is OS9 L3 and/or maybe some future projects that would open up
the system area enough to use more ram for processes.  If so, it would
be preferable to have this ram be fast as possible.

IMHO, a ram drive just isn't much use when the CPU is 25Mhz and the
primary storage is 460kbps..  everything is very, very quick without a
ram drive.   I would not give up any "fast ram" that may be useful for
processes in exchange for a ram drive.



> >  2 512K at 25 MHz and 8 or more Meg for a RAM Drive that can be accessed at 3.5 MHz or less.
> >
> >  3 Eight or more Meg of RAM that can be accessed at 3.5 MHz or less.
> >
> >  Please limit to these three options.
> >
> >  Gary
> >
> >
-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars"
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