mendoza@aero.ARPA (Lee Mendoza) (10/08/85)
<more line-eater stuff here>
I have seen a number of messages requesting information about the Atari
ST Development Kit. I am posting the contents of a letter I recently received
from Atari which details the contents of the kit. Please note that any item in
square brackets is an editorial comment on my part.
ST DEVELOPMENT KIT
Atari Corp. is making available the ST Developers Package for $300.00.
To receive this package, send payment to:
Richard Frick, Director S/W Development
Atari Corp.
1196 Borregas Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Richard can be reached at (408) 745-4926
or (408) 745-4922
THE DEVELOPER'S KIT CONTAINS:
SOFTWARE
Utilities Disk [includes a command shell, Kermit, a debugger, and more]
Compiler Disk [DRI C Compiler, include files, "batch" facility - compiler
is 3 pass, with some assembly required]
Linker Disk
RCS (Resource Construction Set)
MicroEMACS [seems to be just like some mainframe EMACS, also includes a
tutorial and an updated Hitchhiker's Guide to the BIOS]
DOCUMENTATION
Non-Disclosure Agreement (Send back signed copies or you will not get
future updates)
Screen Resolution Memo (Please follow this suggestion)
Six copies of the Software Performance Report (Bug Reports) [form]
Keyboard Scan Conversions from IBM
Introduction to GEM Programming
GEM VDI Programmers Guide, Vol. 1
GEM AES Programmers Guide, Vol. 2
GEM DOS Specification, rev. 13 May 16, 1985
Hitchhiker's Guide to the BIOS Sept. 12, 1985
Line - A Technical Reference Manual Sept. 9, 1985
Intelligent Keyboard Specification 2/26/85
BIOS Listing 7/9/85 (For Reference)
DRI "C" Language Programmer's Guide
DRI Programmer's Guide (Assembler, Linker and Debugger)
Kermit Users Guide April 5, 1985
Atari Hardware Specifications Jan. 24, 1985
Programming the DMA Channel and the 1772
MIDI address for further information
Printer Specifications (2 printers)
SMM 804 - Dot Matrix
SDM 124 - Daisy Wheel
Cartridge Slot Specifications
Sound Chip Specifications and Users Guide
MK68901 Specifications
ST Schematic
Although I have not had a chance to start any real software development yet,
the kit has been of great value in my understanding of the computer, and in
helping to uncover the minor mistakes I made during the upgrade of the memory
of couple of STs. The Kermit seems to work pretty well (at least with the
VAX/VMS Version of Kermit), and transfers files in reasonable speed when
connected at 9600 baud (I don't know about earlier messages complaining about
how slow it seemed, but it seemed pretty quick to me). Software development
is almost unbearable with only one drive, but with one drive and a RAM disk it
gets quite nice.
-------------------------
the opinions expressed above do not represent my company or even somebody
else's company, etc., etc.
Lee Mendoza, The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, Californialbl@druhi.UUCP (LocklearLB) (10/11/85)
>Software development is almost unbearable with only one drive, >but with one drive and a RAM disk it gets quite nice. > > >------------------------- >the opinions expressed above do not represent my company or even somebody >else's company, etc., etc. > >Lee Mendoza, The Aerospace Corporation, Los Angeles, California Could you please post more information about your RAM disk? In particular I would like to know what you did for a memory upgrade - did you buy a kit or was it a homebrew project? Also, where did you get the software for the RAM disk? Is someone selling it, or did you write it yourself? Sorry for all of the questions, but I am getting my developers kit next week and I need all the information that I can get. Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Barry Locklear AT&T Information Systems Labs ihnp4!druhi!lbl
LOOSEMORE@UTAH-20.ARPA (SANDRA) (11/26/85)
According to our local dealer, there is an ST developer's kit available for $300 from Atari. However, he didn't seem to have a very good idea of exactly what the kit includes -- I gather it comes with a C compiler and some other random utilities. Can anyone out there in netland provide more details? Is there a good reason why one should spend $300 on the developers kit versus $65 for Hippo C? (Better compiler, better text editor, etc?) -Sandra Loosemore (loosemore@utah-20) -------
mroddy@enmasse.UUCP (Mark Roddy) (11/27/85)
> According to our local dealer, there is an ST developer's kit available for > $300 from Atari. However, he didn't seem to have a very good idea of exactly > what the kit includes -- I gather it comes with a C compiler and some other > random utilities. Can anyone out there in netland provide more details? Is > there a good reason why one should spend $300 on the developers kit versus > $65 for Hippo C? (Better compiler, better text editor, etc?) > > -Sandra Loosemore (loosemore@utah-20) > ------- 1 C compiler, assembler, linker, all of decent quality; 1 text editor, sort of like EMACS, 4 out of 10 in quality; Assorted CPM utilities, and a program to exit gem into TOS (CPM); A Batch program to run CPM commands from gem; A ton of documentation varying from fair to awful, all of it essential and unavailable elsewhere; One gem application, the RSCS (resource construction set,) apparantly useful for building other gem applications, very poorly documented and of dubious quality, but interesting as a sample gem application. Reports on Hippo C are extremely dubious. -- Mark Roddy Net working, Just reading the news. (harvard!talcott!panda!enmasse!comm!mark)
turner@imagen.UUCP (D'arc Angel) (11/27/85)
> there a good reason why one should spend $300 on the developers kit versus > $65 for Hippo C? (Better compiler, better text editor, etc?) > > -Sandra Loosemore (loosemore@utah-20) > ------- *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** everything i have heard about the hippo C compiler is bad, read the reviews in last months BYTE magazine. -- god bless Lily St. Cyr -Rocky Horror Picture Show Name: James Turner Mail: Imagen Corp. 2650 San Tomas Expressway, P.O. Box 58101 Santa Clara, CA 95052-9400 AT&T: (408) 986-9400 UUCP: ...{decvax,ucbvax}!decwrl!imagen!turner
G.DYER@SU-SCORE.ARPA (Landon Dyer) (11/28/85)
The ST software development kit includes: SOFTWARE Digital Research C compiler, 68K assembler, debugger, linker (two different ones), Kermit, GEM tools, examples etc.... DOCUMENTATION Disclaimer, Non-Disclosure agreement, Introduction to GEM Programming, GEM Setup Guide (IBM example only), GEM AES Programmer's Guide Vol. 2, GEM VDI Programmer's Guide Vol. 1, GEMDOS Specifications rev. 13, Example GEM Program Listing, DRI "C" Programmer's Guide, DRI Assembler & linker manuals, ST BIOS listing (reference only), ST Hardware specifications, Printer specifications, Kermit User's Guide, Intelligent Keyboard Specs, ST schematic, ST to IBM Keyboard Translation Suggestions, Line-A (graphics primitives) documentation, Sound chip documentation The C compiler isn't too hot -- but it works. One of the better development setups for the ST is two floppies and a 1mb machine with a 512K ramdisk. A hard disk is, of course, even better. If you have questions about the development system, call Richard Frick at (408) 745-4922. -landon -------
info-atari@ucbvax.UUCP (12/03/85)
Dear Sandra; I've heard bad reports about the HABA system. The beta test copy of their compiler was full of little buggies. As far as the Atari developers' kit, it includes 2800 pages of documentation, 6 floppies full of software (editor, assembler, CPM-68K, C compiler, linker, object librarian, etc.). I think it's worth the investment. Bill S. Go ahead and flame! I brought marshmallows!! 213/647-1753