Utility I'd Like to See

airship · September 08, 2007, 01:38 AM

I'd like to see a utility that would let you do EVERYTHING to memory (or disk) on one screen, like this:

You'd choose a bank or disk track to work in, and a 256-byte range to display. The moving bar would show you where you are in the memory or disk map.

The 80-column display would let you show a 40-column screen code, PETSCII, or bitmap image, with user selection of character sets or bitmap modes. There'd be a window that showed a ML monitor display of the same area, as well as a BASIC interpreter window. You'd also have a sprite display that you could scan through the block.

ML monitor and BASIC would display just the 256-byte range, but the screens would display 1K around the selected block. (Selectable forward, backward, or middle.) Including buffered data from the disk, if that's what you're looking at.

Function buttons in the middle would change depending on which window was active.

All displays would also be fully interactive editors, with UNDO, of course.

How's THAT for an ambitious utility? Now get to work!

Blacklord · September 08, 2007, 08:00 AM

One of the things I'd like to see in place is a "bounty" system for software (similar to what's been done for AmiZilla but for C128 projects.

Basically, someone nominates something the want written, someone else offers to write it & nominates a cost to complete the project & the community donates to trust account (PayPal) which releases the bounty once the product is finished & released.

Obviously this can cover hardware projects as well whereby someone has an idea for hardware that the community may want, but doesn't have the initial startup costs to build it.

cheers,

Lance

airship · September 19, 2007, 02:25 AM

I like it! I have LOTS of ideas. Unfortunately, I have no money!

Maybe I could post ideas and OTHER people could pony up the cash to get them implemented.

RobertB · September 19, 2007, 04:27 PM

Quote from: adminOne of the things I'd like to see in place is a "bounty" system for software (similar to what's been done for AmiZilla but for C128 projects.

Basically, someone nominates something the want written, someone else offers to write it & nominates a cost to complete the project & the community donates to trust account (PayPal) which releases the bounty once the product is finished & released.

Well, it didn't seem to work for the Commodore Scene projects.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

Blacklord · September 19, 2007, 06:45 PM

Quote from: RobertB
Quote from: adminOne of the things I'd like to see in place is a "bounty" system for software (similar to what's been done for AmiZilla but for C128 projects.

Basically, someone nominates something the want written, someone else offers to write it & nominates a cost to complete the project & the community donates to trust account (PayPal) which releases the bounty once the product is finished & released.
Well, it didn't seem to work for the Commodore Scene projects.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

What projects were they ?

Lance

RobertB · September 20, 2007, 02:20 AM

Quote from: adminWhat projects were they ?

They were the Commodore Scene C=VGA adapter for the C128 and the CS Doom for the C64.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

airship · September 20, 2007, 03:36 AM

I don't think there's much money available for development (either hardware or software) for 20-year-old 8-bit machines.

You either do it for love or you don't do it at all.

If warm, soft love won't inspire you, neither will cold, hard cash.

Golan Klinger · September 20, 2007, 05:24 AM

Quote from: RobertBThey were the Commodore Scene C=VGA adapter for the C128 and the CS Doom for the C64.

The latter is attributable to the fact that Wildstar got involved. Oy.

airship · September 20, 2007, 05:31 AM

And didn't the C=VGA project die when the developer found out he could do it much more easily just by using an off-the-shelf CGA to VGA adapter?

Of course, that route totally ignores the Intensity bit, so you only get 8 colors...

RobertB · September 20, 2007, 12:17 PM

Quote from: gklingerThe latter is attributable to the fact that Wildstar got involved. Oy.

Incorrect. Rick Balkins never made a serious effort to program Doom for the C64.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

RobertB · September 20, 2007, 12:20 PM

Quote from: airshipAnd didn't the C=VGA project die when the developer found out he could do it much more easily just by using an off-the-shelf CGA to VGA adapter?

No, that was not the reason.

Quote from: airshipOf course, that route totally ignores the Intensity bit, so you only get 8 colors...

One of the prototypes, which I saw in operation, provided all 16 colors.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

airship · September 20, 2007, 12:42 PM

But not with an off-the-shelf CGA to VGA converter, right?

RobertB · September 21, 2007, 03:26 PM

Quote from: airshipBut not with an off-the-shelf CGA to VGA converter, right?

I don't understand the question. Like Fotios C= to VGA adapter, Commodore Scene C=VGA used an off-the-shelf device as a basis. However, it was much improved over the off-the-shelf device in that it provided a scan doubler, adaptation of the 80-column color mode, *and* adaptation of 40-column composite mode. All modes would have had 16 colors. It would have been an all-in-one solution.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

airship · September 22, 2007, 12:32 AM

I understand all that, Robert. What I'm saying is that a STANDARD off-the-shelf CGA to VGA converter, in my understanding, will only give you 8 colors from the C128 VDC output because it doesn't have a Luminance input. Am I wrong about that? If so, please enlighten me. Because I'd go ahead and spend the $100 on one if it supports all 16 VDC colors.

RobertB · September 22, 2007, 01:52 AM

Quote from: airshipWhat I'm saying is that a STANDARD off-the-shelf CGA to VGA converter, in my understanding, will only give you 8 colors from the C128 VDC output because it doesn't have a Luminance input.

Ah, that I wouldn't know. However, that would be a logical assumption.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

Golan Klinger · September 22, 2007, 08:41 AM

There may be some merit in (re)reading of this thread.

airship · September 23, 2007, 09:07 AM

D'oh! I'd totally forgotten about Mangelore's intensity hack. In fact, I highly suspect I didn't understand what he was talking about my first time through it. It's so simple it makes you wonder why they don't just include those 3 resistors and 3 diodes and a optional 'I' pin right on the board.

Obviously my next purchase needs to be a CGA to VGA converter board, and then work his hack on it. While I have a great nostalgia for CBM computers, if I never see another CRT again, it will be fine with me.

Of course, that means that I won't be able to do all those pixel dithering and smearing things we were talking about above...