[net.micro.6809] Cartridge Slot; Microware C

knudsen@ihnss.UUCP (11/04/83)

(Combining two items in one posting)
First, how complete is the forthcoming MIcroware C compiler for $150?
Does it include floats (doubtful), Long integers (it better),
arrays of >1 dimension (better), structures (nice, but can fake with arrays).
Frank Hogg is now selling a Dyna-C for $150 that looks good for the $$
but is missing all the above items.  I want C so bad I can smell it....

Second:  I may be wrong, but the extra gating added between the SAM
and the 'LS138 demux memory mapper to get full 64K (the famous Frank Hogg
mod) prevents you from writing into the cartrige memory space.
Well not really, it just inhibits the CTS- cartridge enable on write.
Of course you can do your own address decoding (just AND the top 2 bits,
but inhibit on the last 256 bytes).  I have considered sticking some
static RAM in the cart slot, but from 64K I don't know how you could get
to it, especially from OS9.  The nice thing is that it IS useable from
normal BASIC or assembler modes.  BTW, Radio Shack sells two PC boards
with the 40-pin fingers etched on both ends for $5 and $10.  mike k

dyer@wivax.UUCP (Stephen Dyer) (11/05/83)

My understanding of Microware C is that it's full K&R, including floats.
Of course, who knows what will happen when R/S gets their hands on it,
especially since $150 is so much cheaper than the $400 Microware is
asking for non-CoCo OS-9 systems.  I have definitely put off ordering
anything like FHL "Dyna C" until I have a chance to evaluate Microware's
product.