[Coco] C VS Basic Coco

Tue Feb 13 22:36:42 EST 2018

On Tuesday 13 February 2018 22:31:07 phil pt wrote:

> Gene
>
> What I was trying to say if its from my understand that the Bitbanger
> in Drivewrite use a eof to check for carrier and that is maybe. The
> Old bbs software use the orginal Rs232 address to receive, send data
> and check for carrier. If a Rs232 pack can be developed using only the
> standard memory address to receive, send and check for carrier in the
> Rs232 pack then I write the server part that will act like a modem and
> accept all the ATDT command and update by sending it to the Rs232
> pack. We skip using drivewire.
>
> By looking at the call codes in the bbs software they are different
> from what is in Os9 Level 2 and Nitro Os9 Level2. I will have to
> already make changes to over 2 to 8 dozen lines in the code.I really
> like to try and get this project done without having to re-write the
> entire bbs code that exist.
>
All I can say at this late date is good luck, I've forgotten 75% of what 
I once knew about all that.

> On Tue, Feb 13, 2018 at 10:00 PM, Gene Heskett <gheskett at shentel.net> 
wrote:
> > On Tuesday 13 February 2018 21:16:22 phil pt wrote:
> > > That is good. Why do you help with the project and write the Rs232
> > > pack for VCC as plugin cartridge? I could use your help with it.
> >
> > On a coco2, running level 1 os9, now nitros9, at /that/ time the
> > aciapak driver was all that was needed as the forgotten chip
> > actually made use of the bitbanger port. They were effectively in
> > parallel.  So there was no need to actually build a new RS232 pack,
> > you just used its driver, with a change of port address. No big
> > deal. I have no clue if the current version of nitros9 level one can
> > do that, as a lot of stuff that was in the aciapak.dr, is not in
> > Sacia.dr, and  likely not in sc6551.asm either.
> >
> > Checking my own last hg pull of nitros9, it looks like the level1
> > serial driver is now named sc6551.asm. But I don't have a clue if it
> > can work with the forgotten chip, or with an RS-232 deluxe pack.
> >
> > But one thing is confusing me (I have many older versions of os9
> > here) is that if I go back in time to where aciapac.dr existed, I
> > find its src.asm file is only 11,568 bytes in 2002, fast forward to
> > nitros9-3.3.0, in 2016 and sc6551.asm is now 44,713 bytes. But it
> > only assembles to 1315 bytes.  So it ought to be doing way more, but
> > I'll be damned if I can make the 7 wire hardware flow control work.
> > Looking at the assembled size, somethings definitely all aglay.
> >
> > > On Tue, Feb 13, 2018 at 9:09 PM, Gene Heskett
> > > <gheskett at shentel.net>
> >
> > wrote:
> > > > On Tuesday 13 February 2018 19:59:08 phil pt wrote:
> > > > > Let me re-word what I said. There has been a lot of changes
> > > > > that has been done to the basic compilers sine the 80's. In
> > > > > the 90's writing code using Cbasic3 increased the execution
> > > > > speed of the program, Visual basic.Net has come a long way
> > > > > since the 1st version was release, Real Basic runs very fast
> > > > > so it also depends on how to write the code.  Developing code
> > > > > using the basic compilers is only as some people think. For
> > > > > example using one function routine to handle different process
> > > > > saves memory and cpu time. Believe me I have been programming
> > > > > since the Coco1 and I had the changes to use many different
> > > > > basic compilers. since 1985.
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, Feb 13, 2018 at 7:16 PM, James Jones
> > > > > <jejones3141 at gmail.com>
> > > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > > > > I agree, use what gets the job done and is best for you. I
> > > > > > also agree that a large class of BASIC language systems are
> > > > > > not suited for writing programs of any size or complexity.
> > > > > > (I recently got a copy of the 1985 book *Back to BASIC: the
> > > > > > History, Corruption, and Future of the Language* by Kemeny
> > > > > > and Kurtz, the creators of BASIC. It is well worth reading
> > > > > > in this regard, especially Chapter 4.)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > BASIC09, though not perfect, is not in that large class.
> > > >
> > > > Story time folks, skip if its not of interest.
> > > >
> > > > I have written 2 programs that were in continuous use at the tv
> > > > station I wrote it for, for nearly 15 years each time. The first
> > > > one I wrote, was for an RCA 1802 based Cosmac Super Elf, in '78.
> > > > I made the video for it, and used a large amount of self
> > > > modifying code. That taught me to keep track of the stack, and
> > > > anytime I modified the behaviour of a subroutine, the last thing
> > > > I did in that subroutine was to restore the original value. Once
> > > > I learned that, it never crashed again that I was made aware of.
> > > > Because video machine ballistics could change, when I left I
> > > > made sure there was instructions on how to modify the code in
> > > > the event newer machines were bought. I checked in 94 when I was
> > > > 250 miles north in Oregon, an vacation and visiting an Aunt I
> > > > knew I better go see before she passed. The CE was then Norman
> > > > Hoatson, who was the CE when I was the ACE in the late '70's. He
> > > > assured he was dusting it regularly, and that it was still in
> > > > daily use.
> > > >
> > > > That program was written by looking up the assembler nemonic,
> > > > and entering the hexidecimal value using a hex monitor. No
> > > > assembler except me.
> > > >
> > > > Then, at the station in WV where I finally retired from after 18
> > > > years, one of our earlier purchases was a Grass Valley Group
> > > > 300-3A/B production switcher, which came from the J.C.Penny's
> > > > NYC production studio when they closed it down. But it had spent
> > > > quite a bit of time in NYC's polluted air, and required lots of
> > > > maintenance keeping ahead of chips with black oxidized legs. 
> > > > But that one did not come with the e-disk kit which allowed the
> > > > tech folks to save the programs they had composed, and reload
> > > > them the next time they were on duty running a show.
> > > >
> > > > But it did come with a manual that fully described the protocol.
> > > > I looked at that and said to myself, I can do that with a coco2!
> > > > So I scrounged up a coco2, installed "The forgotten Chip" and
> > > > wrote that puppy in basic09. It wasn't till several years later
> > > > we had a chance at the same switcher from KTLA. It was in
> > > > somewhat better shape, and it came with an e-disk, which I did
> > > > install, for about 3 days.  The yelling and screaming from the
> > > > troops in the trenches could not be ignored and they all said to
> > > > put mine back in, so I did. The coco's 5" screen gave them
> > > > English filenames instead of 2 digit numbers on a dial wheel,
> > > > and it turned out that mine was at least 4x faster at a restore
> > > > due to the baud rate diffs. And it was used until so many of the
> > > > custom circuits had died in the 300-3A/B that it had to be
> > > > replaced a year or so after I retired. So they gave me back the
> > > > machine I had sold to the tv station for $245 all those years
> > > > ago. I still have that machine and its disks and drives in the
> > > > basement, its another of those old friends I just can't part
> > > > with.  Because the com protocol used let me reach in and tickle
> > > > this and that parts of the circuit, a logic problem could often
> > > > be identified down to the gate in such and such a chip, which
> > > > made keeping it ticking along a lot easier. I don't think theres
> > > > much the coco's can't do as long as you are willing to do it at
> > > > the coco's pace.
> > > >
> > > > So that also spans around 15 years. Thats an EON in a tv
> > > > stations physical plant, so I think I am justified in being
> > > > proud of both efforts at the time.
> > > >
> > > > Now, I'm just a retired old fart, whose legs are slowly going
> > > > away from diabetes, playing around with cnc'd machinery.
> > > > Machinery that was not cnc'd when it was drug in the door. That
> > > > and careing for my wife, who broke a hip a year ago, and whose
> > > > been going steadily downhill from COPD since I met her in about
> > > > 87. We married in '89. Now she is towing an oxygen hose, and
> > > > incapable of doing the exercises needed to put her back on her
> > > > feet. Between all that, it sure keeps me out of the bars. :-)
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Cheers, Gene Heskett
> > > > --
> > > > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> > > >  soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > > > -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> > > > Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Coco mailing list
> > > > Coco at maltedmedia.com
> > > > https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco
> >
> > --
> > Cheers, Gene Heskett
> > --
> > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> >  soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> > Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>
> >
> > --
> > Coco mailing list
> > Coco at maltedmedia.com
> > https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco


-- 
Cheers, Gene Heskett
--
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>