[Coco] Software offer and Drive Pak solution

[Roger Taylor]

CoCoNuts,

I'm putting this link up top in case you don't make it to the end of 
this e-mail.  :)

http://www.coco3.com/community/upcoming-phoenix-ide

Without spending too much time explaining the obvious, that I'm 
working hard to fullfill overdue Drive Pak orders, I wanted to put 
out an offer that will end up being the solution (and probably the 
only solution) to wrapping up past due orders and possibly producing 
more Drive Paks starting in January.

I undercharged on about 2/3rds of the pak orders, and the maker of 
the uDrive module used in the pak ran out of stock temporarily 
earlier this year but I had to keep taking orders to eat.  The rate 
I'm shipping them now is 1-2 a week which is not acceptible for 
catching up on the number of orders I'm in the hole.

The solution I'm offering is a preorder of a software title that is 
close to being released.  This is something else that has major focus 
here and I've been working extremely hard and long hours trying to 
speed up release mainly because it is the solution to the issues with 
physical products.

Those who have used and followed my efforts with the original 
Portal-9 IDE (CoCo and MC-10) and later the Rainbow IDE for most 
vintage systems will absolutely fall head over heels with the new 
Phoenix IDE.  This is a completely redesigned IDE using another 
language and the .NET framework.  This was necessary to allow the IDE 
to be expandable and upgraded much quicker.

One feature of the Phoenix IDE is that it contains the same color 
syntax editor that is used by Microsoft's Visual Studio.  At least 
this is what the editor maker claims.  From working with this editor 
for quite a while now, I believe this is true.  Another very nice 
feature of the IDE is the ribbon control for the main menu strip like 
many of the nicer Windows titles now use.  An example would be the 
newest versions of MS Word, and even the free WordPad program uses it 
now.  It's a very nice interface.

The Phoenix IDE will also be aimed at all vintage code writers and 
because it supports the M.E.S.S. emulator and allows you to launch 
other emulators, you can still develop for almost any vintage system, 
only much easier than ever before.  CoCo tools will be included in 
the GUI for a suite that will be impossible to beat for CoCo developers.

Adding builders to the IDE is now as easy as clicking a button to 
bring up a dialog that shows a list of builder nicknames and their 
properties in a grid.  You can click NEW, then type in the nickname 
and use the file dialog to point to the .exe, and you can change the 
syntax for the builder which would typically be like: "{in}" {auto} 
{switches} -o"{out}".  The IDE fills in the syntax automatically 
based on what you're doing.  Setting up a new assembler or compiler 
will be a snap.  From each of your projects and project files, you 
can choose the builder to use by using a dropdown list showing the nicknames.

Currently I've got the source code editor, text file editor, image 
converter, hex editor, and HTML viewer.  This means each file in your 
project can be one of those types of files which show up visually as 
a picture, or web page, source code file, etc.  You decide what the 
file gets turned into by selecting your builders.

Building CoCo ROM Paks and .dsk images will be super easy and you'll 
be able to see your running program or system in an embedded emulator 
window similar to how it works in the Rainbow IDE.

Phoenix is much more flexible and has plenty of growing room for 
language and tool add-ins and other features you expect from a 
powerful IDE.  what sets Phoenix off is that it is CoCo smart and 
designed for CoCo developers before any other vintag system.

The syntax editor component and the ribbon control component are 
items I need to pay for before I can use them in my software for 
public consumption.  When I buy these licenses, the IDE will then 
sell for about $70 for starters but for preorders I'll settle for $35 
which comes with the clause "you might have to wait 3 weeks for your 
IDE download".

When it's ready to roll the price will be set and the Drive Pak 
problem will be solved.

So, my offer is to sell you a preorder for the Phoenix IDE at less 
than half the price and you will be helping you or someone else 
receive their 2GB Drive Pak and I can sleep at night.

Phoenix IDE Preorder sales -> PayPal $29 to payment at coco3.com
I will immediately engage in e-mail conversation to let you know your 
order has been entered into QuickBooks and dated.

Here's a snapshot of me building and launching a CoCo ROM Pak program 
which you see running in the emulator window.

http://www.coco3.com/community/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/46589_156530984360092_100000095752969_499240_4765827_n.jpg

THANKS!
-- 
~ Roger Taylor