[Coco] PopStar Pilot blog offline

[Louis Ciotti]

 On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 10:41 AM, Al Hartman <alhartman6 at optonline.net> wrote:
> I'm sorry, but it isn't rude to ask for what I want. Which is a simple
> 4-slot MPI clone.
>
> It will be faster to develop, easier to debug, requires no drivers, and will
> be the least expensive option.
>
> When you start adding RS-232, sound chips, floppy and hard disk controllers,
> and the kitchen sink -- it increases the complexity, development time, and
> most importantly... price.
>
> If the CocoSDC cost $200.00, how many less would it have sold?
>
> Go look at Peter Bertlett's MISE project. A wonderful project for the TRS-80
> Model I that has lots of stuff in it. It's like a CocoSDC with a real time
> clock, Ethernet, VGA, Joystick port, and more...
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~bartlett.p/MISE/
>
> It sells for $350.00 - I think it sold on the order of 20 units altogether,
> as opposed to over 100 CocoSDCs.
>
> I would like one, but can't afford one. I couldn't justify it under any
> circumstance.
>
> If you think it's rude to ask for a simple, inexpensive MPI clone, I don't
> know what to say.
>
> Nick is just upset that his desire to have a mezzanine connector on the
> CocoSDC was vetoed. And, is taking it personally that his desire to make the
> tail wag the dog with an MPI isn't being jumped on as the next best thing to
> sliced bread.
>
> I've suggested tons of times over the past 10 years features for a cloned
> Coco. Every time, nothing comes of it. Do I take it personally? No.
>

> Developing hardware and software is no place for ego and easily hurt
> feelings. If others can feel free to make suggestions, so can I. That's not
> rude.
>
> Imagine how it feels to want an MPI, have every eBay auction for one go over
> $100.00, and then have hopes for a kit in your price range, and then have
> people talking about turning it into some thing you will never be able to
> afford.
>
> Think about that before you attack me for being rude.
>
> -[ Al ]-
>

While I understand that you want a cheap clone, but unless you are
willing to develop it yourself on your own dime, you cannot really
complain if the developers are adding items that will put it out of
your price range.  If the developers want to have it be an MPI, floppy
drive controller, RS-232 interface, and it puts it out of your price
range then you just have to save your money a bit longer I guess.
Saying that anything but a low cost MPI clone is unacceptable is just
plain childish, and yes rude to the actual developers doing the work.

With that I am out of this topic...  I do hope that an MPI clone gets
developed and I will probably look at buying a kit at whatever cost it
is because I would like one, and if it can have more features the
better is what I say.

So where do I sign up for interest in whatever gets developed?