[Coco] CoCo Ethernet for $25-$30...

[Allen Huffman]

On Apr 8, 2013, at 11:42 PM, Bill Pierce <ooogalapasooo at aol.com> wrote:

> I think you're missing Aaron's point. First of all, using the "wiznet: ro "RPi" to do the work (IMHO) are the same thing....

Nope, I see it 100% and think DriveWire is probably one of the best things ever for the CoCo, hands done. And I have no problem with there being one or one hundred ways to do something on a CoCo. The more, the better :)

But, a $22 adapter that could get my CoCo online is a much more affordable and portable option. And that's where the magic is. I bought DriveWire and the cable when it was first sold at a CoCoFEST! but in all these years I never hooked it up. I eventually did get a USB RS232 adapter (for programming BASIC Stamps) and such, but I never had my CoCo close enough to my primary computer desk to make it practical.

So for me, Drivewire was never really an option. I bought a Plug compute for $100 a few years ago thinking I would make it in to a DW server since I could use it anywhere, but it was a bit more complex than I was prepared to deal with at the time. The Raspberry Pi I had for almost a year before finally getting a memory card for it (and power supply is on the way, now that I have read horror stories about powering them on USB hubs), so I will get that going next using the info Aaron provided me. Can't wait!

> What you're missing is that Aaron's not telling you to hook up a PC and run DW4, he's telling you that DW4 is portable enough that it will run on most anything including most project board solutions that will support a Java enviroment, and if not, he can most likely adapt it. if it can run Java, it can run DW4.

Yes, I understand. I was there from day 1, and it's because of Aaron I bought the GuruPlug actually.

> Just to give an example, the new NitrOS9 software I'm about to release will (through DW4) connect to the internet, check for updates, prompt for download if updates are available, download the updates, install them, and restart itself. All on the Coco. All the PC is, is my internet connection, just a big modem plugged in. DW4 is the interpreter in the modem. This will work on ANY device that will host DW4 and a internet connection. And this is just the tip of that iceberg.

We'd be hard pressed to find anyone here that doesn't think that's amazingly awesome. And I am excited about having it run on a $35 Pi.

Wondrous times for a dead computer!

-
Allen Huffman - PO Box 22031 - Clive IA 50325 - 515-999-0227 (vmail/TXT only)
Sent from my MacBook.

22nd Annual "Last" Chicago CoCoFEST! April 27-28, 2013. Lombard, IL. http://www.glensideccc.com - And check out the CoCo-X project: http://kck.st/16fAwkf