scott@max.u.washington.edu (10/06/89)
In article <936@amc-gw.UUCP>, marty@amc-gw.UUCP (Marty Akerman) writes: > [....some text deleted....] > > Unrelated questions: > > 1: I've read and heard about the "fast load cartridge". I gather this > is a cartridge that plugs into the cartridge port on the back and > speeds up disk accesses enormously. Sounds like a terrific idea. > Where can I get one? How does it work? > > 2: I would be interested in doing some assembly language programming. > Are there assemblers available or do I have to hand assemble (yuk)? > Where can I get one? > > 3: Any other words of wisdom you could offer a novice C64 hack? To find what is available for the C64 in terms of hardware and software, the best place to look it up is in a magazine. Go to a books store or a magazine stand and pickup a commodore specific magazine like COMPUTE! GAZZETTE, RUN, TRANSACTOR, etc... and look thh the reviews and ads of hardware and software. With the ads, write wn the address of the company publishing that ad and write them a letter for a catalog; some of these companies are TENEX, Computer Direct, etc (Most stores that carry hardware also carry software and that includes the two companies mentioned above.) Once you know that a particular item of interest exist, try to locate a local store that carries that item to get a first hand look. You would be surprised of the things that are available for the C64. With fast loading of the 1541, there are two types of product available for the drive. One is the cartrige form which just plugs-in into the expansion port (there are several manufacturers making this product). Another is a chip replace in the 1541 drive and the C64. This product is called JiffyDOS and is made by CMD (forgot what the acronym stands for). According to the ad, it speeds up the load/save upto 15 times. And also, it is 100% comparable with all software, even commercially copy protected programs. JiffyDOS is not only available for the 1541/C64 by also for the 1571 and 1581 drive and the C128. Sincerely, Scott K. Stephen