u557676751ea@ucdavis.UUCP (Mark Nagel) (11/19/85)
Has anyone gotten a chance to play with the new version of CoCo OS9? If so, howis the compatibility with older software. I am very concerned that the new keyboard driver will render some older software useless. Anybody out there know the answer? - Mark Nagel ..!ucbvax!ucdavis!deneb!u557676751ea
jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (11/22/85)
In article <347@ucdavis.UUCP> u557676751ea@ucdavis.UUCP (Mark Nagel) writes: >Has anyone gotten a chance to play with the new >version of CoCo OS9? If so, howis the compatibility >with older software. I am very concerned that the >new keyboard driver will render some older software >useless. Anybody out there know the answer? > > - Mark Nagel > ..!ucbvax!ucdavis!deneb!u557676751ea The only thing I noticed was the 'at' key is now defined as an 'alt' key. I didn't get to play around and find out where the new 'at' key is, but the idea behind an 'alt' key is to make *more* key definitions possible. The 'at' has got to be there somewhere. I still don't understand why they don't just come out with more keys on the key- board. The other problem will be the slightly increased memory overhead of the new driver system. We're getting very short of user RAM now. We need Level II. I don't know of anything in the new 'Tandy CoCo' which makes me expect that Level II is coming out. Others say they are certain that Level II will be out this February. Some of them are quite knowledgable and with the possibility of inside info. I don't see it that way. Cheers! -- Jim O. -- James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura Byte Information eXchange: jimomura Compuserve: 72205,541 MTS at WU: GKL6
scs@wucs.UUCP (Steve Swope) (11/30/85)
In article <933@lsuc.UUCP> jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) writes: > The only thing I noticed was the 'at' key is now defined as an >'alt' key. I didn't get to play around and find out where the new >'at' key is, but the idea behind an 'alt' key is to make *more* key >definitions possible. The 'at' has got to be there somewhere. I still >don't understand why they don't just come out with more keys on the key- >board. > Keystrokes on the color computer are read as intersections of lines on a grid, by means of some reserved locations in memory. One interesting side effect of this is that simultaneous keystrokes can appear as up to four keys at once (I don't recall the layout on the grid, but I think it's set up so that intended double uses, such as shift can be distinguished). Four of the possible intersections on the grid have no associated key, although third party keyboards are available which supply them (usually labeled f1-f4). I don't know why more keys aren't added, except for compatibility reasons. Think about it-- would you be inclined to buy an OS that required you to install a special keyboard? Of course, this doesn't answer the question of why the full grid wasn't used in the first place... Steve Swope (aka scs@wucs.UUCP) "Brigadier, A straight line may be the shortest path between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting!"
finley@t12tst.UUCP (Clay Finley) (12/12/85)
I don't think that Radio Shack will intro OS-9 Level II. It seems to me that they are trying to make the CoCo as cheaply as possible. It seems that for the capability offered by OS-9 Level II you will possibly have to look to 3rd party companies for this option. Regards, Clay.
jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (12/15/85)
In article <899@t12tst.UUCP> finley@t12tst.UUCP (Clay Finley) writes: >I don't think that Radio Shack will intro OS-9 Level II. It seems to me that >they are trying to make the CoCo as cheaply as possible. It seems that for >the capability offered by OS-9 Level II you will possibly have to look to >3rd party companies for this option. > >Regards, Clay. I think, from your reference list, you've misunderstood the discussion. We're talking about Level I, version 2, which does exist. Still, while we're on the subject of Level II. I have to admit that I don't tend to worry about whether or not we'll see it lately. As for your observation about Tandy's development trend as it's been, I agree. I think Tandy has made a fundamental mistake over the last year. Up until last year, the thing to do was to make your computer cheaper. As of last year, about this time, I think the thing to do was to make your computer *better*. There seems to be a level below which it isn't worth it to sell computers. It seems to be around the $300.00 to $500.00 range. A computer below this range seems to attract buyers who aren't willing to spend on upgrades. As such, if you sell on paper thin margin for the computer in the first place, you can't even count on making it up by selling accessories or software. The buyers in question won't pay. Furthermore, you're killing the used market which stiffles the older users (like me) if they want to upgrade to a better computer. There were many upgrades possible. Tandy *did* have a better keyboard (which I've mentioned before) with the 4 extra keys. Someone said that it wouldn't be practical to have to have a special keyboard to use and operating system. This is a misunderstanding of what OS-9 is all about. The point of OS-9 is that you can replace modules such as drivers very simply. My own system has both a new display driver (WordpakII) and new disk driver (SDisk). Software compatibility generally doesn't suffer. Furthermore, even in one driver you can redefine or multiple define to accomodate 2 keyboards which are as close as these keyboards probably are. Heck, I've got an extra key on my Keytronics keyboard already. I just haven't gotten around to doing anything with it yet. Anyway, we'll see come March or May if the 512K version hits the streets. If it does, then I expect it'll have the 6829 and OS-9 Level II. I'm not as positive this will happen as Van (CIS) is. But we'll see. Cheers! -- Jim O. -- James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura Byte Information eXchange: jimomura (416) 652-3880
jlw@ariel.UUCP (J.WOOD) (12/16/85)
> If it does, then I expect it'll have the 6829 and OS-9 Level II. I'm not
What's a 6829? Is it a large address space 6809E?
Joseph L. Wood, III
AT&T Information Systems
Laboratories, Middletown
(201) 957-5475
<ariel!>titania!jlwjimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) (12/18/85)
J. L. Wood, III asked what a 6829 is. It's a Memory Management Unit.
I haven't got the specs on it yet. The price was fairly low. If the
part number is any indication it would seem to be designed to be used with
the 6809 processor, but I'm only speculating.
Cheers! -- Jim O.
--
James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto
ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura
Byte Information eXchange: jimomura
(416) 652-3880