<Maurice> No, it won't. But there will be a patch to allow GEOS 128 2.0 with the SuperCPU/128.
<Patrick> Speak of the devil!
<Randy Harris> Yeah!
<Brenda> well, how bout dat!!!!!!
<Robert Bernardo> Hooray!!!
<Brant> HIGH, DOUG!!!!!!
<Brenda> thank you thank you ::takes bow::
<Maurice> Ok, I will move over and let Doug have his seat now.
<CMD-DOUG> Evening, everyone. ;)
<C128.LOU> Hello Doug!
<Patrick> Evening oh great one!
<Bill> Hi Doug
<Randy Harris> Hi, DOUG! :-)
<Bernie> Hi Doug :)
<Brenda> He's just being fasionably late
<Robert Bernardo> Gaelyne Gasson sends her greetings and is here in spirit.
<Randy Harris> :: you may all be seated now :::
<CMD-DOUG> I don't really have much of an agenda tonight... though I do want to mention that we're just about done with the board layout of the SuperCPU 128, and we'll be moving on to designing a printer interface when that is done.
<Patrick> Yes! A printer interface!
<Robert Bernardo> Printer interface????
<Brenda> A printer interface? Is that because it is hard to find one, or is it
going
<Brenda> to be spiffed up?
<Randy Harris> For modern printers I hope?
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, right now there are no printer interfaces being made. That DOES make them hard to find, and that is the reason, yes.
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... yes, at this point we plan more modern printer support.
<Brenda> I have an idea... you know how the C= interfaces give non-CBM printers
<C128.LOU> Will it have a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGG buffer?
<Maurice> Will it have JiffyDos in it?
<Robert Bernardo> And I thought the Micro R&D interface was still around.
<Brenda> CBM graphics? Well, would it be possible to do something like make
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<CMD-DOUG> Lou... that's a maybe on the big buffer... if we can do it the way we plan, it might have a 1 MB buffer.
<Brenda> newer printers work by grabbing their wierd codes and translating them?
<CMD-DOUG> Maurice... yes, built-in JiffyDOS.
<J.BORMAN1> kwould love that buffer
<Maurice> Doug's got 10 microphones stuffed in his face. :)
<C128.LOU> 1 MB is big by our standards.
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<Patrick> :D
<Brenda> JD built into a printer interface??
<Randy Harris> Surprise to me, too!
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda... I've already written emulations to let 24-pin printers
work correctly, CBM graphics and all.
<Randy Harris> Great!
<C128.LOU> Is it a user port device, or a serial one?
<Patrick> Oh yeah!
<Brant> Awesome.
<Brenda> thats not really what I meant, but it is closer than what we have now!
<CMD-DOUG> Serial bus device... for user port, we don't need much beyond what we have, really.
<CMD-DOUG> Better software support for User Port types would be nice, but we can do that different ways... like in the SuperCPU at some point.
<Brenda> user port? What about our modems? er, looking at my user port it is empty:)
<Maurice> Killer question... Will it work with bi-directional cables?
<Randy Harris> Post Script support would be a REAL blessing!
<C128.LOU> I didn't think of the software aspects of using the user port.
<Ted> Amen on PostScript
<Brenda> All good CMDers have empty user ports, right? ;)
<Randy Harris> Not if geoCABLE is in use!
<Patrick> Nope, mine has a Handyscanner hooked up!
<C128.LOU> Mine is barren.
<Brenda> ooops :>
<Brant> Yay for geoCABLE.
<Maurice> Sounds like everyone here is using a SwiftLink or Turbo232.
<C128.LOU> geoCable and Promenade ae sitting in a drawer. ;)
<Brenda> <- SL
<CMD-DOUG> As for bi-directional centronics, it isn't planned right now. No
Postscript planned, either... that would take a much more expensive device.
<C128.LOU> <<<< swiftLink
<Brant> <--- Turbo232
<Randy Harris> I use BOTH a geoCABLE and an Omnitronix RS-232 interface!
<Patrick> What about dip switches, more, less, or maybe none?
<Brenda> 8 pin emulation for all printers? (ie in jet)
<Ted> <<<<SwiftLink
<Brenda> er ink
<Maurice> You might want to at least consider having the pins for the bi-dir
cable connected to something in the interface for later use.
<Randy Harris> RS-232 for Apple LaserWriter Plus.
<C128.LOU> I have an old VIC-1011 that I used waaaay back when with a Hayes
Smartmodem 300.
<CMD-DOUG> About the same on dip switches, though we don't plan to support a lot of the legacy printers... this will be pretty much Epson and IBM compatible printers, 9 and 24 pin for both.
<Patrick> Sounds good!
<Randy Harris> What about HP emulations?
<CMD-DOUG> Maurice, I think it would take a bigger processor than we have
planned right now.
<Brenda> why should users buy it that already have interfaces (besides the
aforementioned
<Brenda> JD)
<Maurice> (JiffyDos, Brenda)
<CMD-DOUG> No HP emulations, no. Sorry, but that gets almost as ugly as
postscript... well, maybe not THAT ugly... ;)
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, the main advantages will be the JD and the 24-pin support.
<CMD-DOUG> And the big buffer if we can make that happen.
<Brenda> Does 24 pin mean dot matrix?
<Maurice> All these emulations can still be handled within the computer.
<Ted> What will the JD do?
<Patrick> Are you saying Doug that the print itself will look sharper, less
jagged?
<Randy Harris> So are you saying that the JD will enhance print speed, or more?
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, Brenda, though that should work with most ink-jets as well.
<C128.LOU> What effect would the JD have in the interface? Easier command line printing?
<Maurice> Serial bus speed.
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, the JiffyDOS will enhance printing speed, much as it does disk speed. Especially if we get a large buffer on-board.
** <Bernie> has left.
<Brenda> Does that mean that an ink jet with crummy 8 pin emulation will look better?
<Brenda> or just not elongated?
<C128.LOU> Uh-oh!!! Lock the back door!
** <Bernie> is here.
<Randy Harris> Will the HD printer buffering idea ever be resurrected?
<Maurice> On our current interfaces, it takes just as long to send 100K of data to a printer as it does to a stock 1541.
<CMD-DOUG> Patrick... Improvements in print quality are more a function of
special drivers... I don't think you'd see any difference between ours and
another.
<Robert Bernardo> Will the interface have built-in fonts?
<Patrick> I was wondering if it was the interface or the drivers.
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, somehow I doubt it will. That idea may be reborn to some
degree in the SuperCPU in the future, though.
<Brenda> How does JD speed up a printer interface?!?! :)
<Randy Harris> Here's question ...
<CMD-DOUG> Other than the 24-pin support, JiffyDOS speed, and possibly a large buffer, I don't see this interface as being something very different... but it will at least be available NEW, which nothing else is anymore.
<Patrick> True Doug!
<Randy Harris> With Project GEOS giving the 1581 the ability to use CMD's
Native mode, I would LOVE to see a 1581 ROM chip upgrade turning it into an
FD-1000!! How 'bout it?
<C128.LOU> Neat idea!
<C128.LOU> How about turning my MessyDOS PC into a Commodore?
<C128.LOU> ;)
<Patrick> Sure, Lou, just replace the Pentium chip with a JiffyDOS chip! :)
<CMD-DOUG> I don't forsee us doing it... we discussed this as a project about a year ago, but we weren't sure we'd be able to do everything without upgrading the hardware. Since then, we've more or less filled our schedule with other projects.
<C128.LOU> Actually, emulators are available, but they can never be the real thing.
<Randy Harris> Rats, I think the idea would go over VERY well!
<Brenda> I would think it would be cheaper and less hassle just to get an FD.
<Brenda> But it is a cool idea
<Patrick> Other projects, eh?
<Robert Bernardo> Could you tell us about the other projects,Doug?
<CMD-DOUG> I think the problem is we wouldn't know if it would fit until we
were well into the project, and if it didn't, it would all be wasted time.
<Randy Harris> I already have 3 FD's! Its just that there are so many 1581's out there that could be upgraded!
<Brenda> <- waiting for the laptop 64 ;D
<CMD-DOUG> Some of the projects are just in-house things we need to get done that take our time... like a new catalog, some database upgrades, and sundry other things. As far as product related projects...
<Maurice> Those 81s are good to use for backing up 800K native ramdisks too.
<Ted> Notebook 65
<C128.LOU> I consider the FD-2000 to be leaps and bounds better than a 1581, FD-1000 or not.
<Randy Harris> I agree! But I still think it's a good idea. So there :-PpPpPp
<CMD-DOUG> There are some loose ends on the SuperCPU development stuff to
finish up, some other planned upgrades for the SuperCPU, finishing the SuperCPU 128, getting GoDot released, the printer interface, possibly a new
mouse/trackball interface...
<Robert Bernardo> Would one of those projects be a North American release of GoDot, Doug?
<C128.LOU> Randy, I agree. It IS very interesting.
<CMD-DOUG> Plus some work on prototyping our computer.
<Brenda> The FD whoops the 81. But it is still a cool idea.
<Brant> GoDot!! Yes,Please!
<Robert Bernardo> Oops, thanks for answering my question. Do you have an exact release date?
<C128.LOU> I own a SCSI flatbed scanner, and the idea of attaching it to my HD SCSI port makes me wonder.
<Brenda> "prototyping oour computer"?
<Maurice> The CBM partition code could be chopped out of the 81 rom and CMD
native partition code installed in it's place.
<C128.LOU> The CMD Megger?
<CMD-DOUG> GoDot should be ready in about two weeks.
<CMD-DOUG> Lou... GUS. ;)
<Randy Harris> Yes! Don't worry about including the 1581's nearly useless CBM partitions
<Ted> I don't hardly use '71 or '81 anymore; except to backup HD & RL.
<J.BORMAN1> Gotta go. just want to say thanks to CMD-Doug, Mu_aurice, and
any I might haave missed for the continuing excellent work. bye!
<Brenda> Yeah, but how to get the rights to rewrite the code?
<C128.LOU> "GUS", or "guess"?
** <J.BORMAN1> has left.
<CMD-DOUG> GoDot is... well, sort of the 64 equivalant of Photoshop.
<Robert Bernardo> GoDot is quite wonderful.
<Patrick> Photoshop?
<Maurice> Brenda, who's gonna care about the code getting rewritten?
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... he should know... we've been communicating about it over the last few weeks.
<Brenda> *somebody* holds the rights. You don't want to get Doug put in jail,do you?
<C128.LOU> How is it any different than doing JD on a 1541 or 1571?
<Brenda> Er, maybe that wasn't a good question... ;D
<CMD-DOUG> Patrick... It's a graphic manipulation and conversion program...
<Robert Bernardo> GoDot is a graphics manipulation program in which you can
apply various effects over the graphic.
<Patrick> Ah, thanks!
<Maurice> I'll bet nobody can prove who owns the rights to the 81. Maybe Doug will say otherwise.
<Brenda> Lou, further modification that the original agreement? I don't know :)
<C128.LOU> ... yeah, and where ARE those lost Q-Link hard drives? ;)
<Randy Harris> If it's their own Native code, no need to worry?
<CMD-DOUG> Well, I won't say otherwise, but the point appears to be moot from our standpoint. The project was considered, but decided against.
<Maurice> Randy, how about a switch to switch between the original 81 rom and a CMD rom, kinda like the JiffyDos chip in the 64 does?
<C128.LOU> Brenda, just anothet from of JD, as I see it (but I am not a legal expert)
<Randy Harris> Good idea!
<Maurice> But why bother, just throw the 81 rom away and plug in the CMD rom.
<C128.LOU> How is GUS doing?
<Brenda> Doug, how would the printer interface be faster? Because of JD or
because
<Randy Harris> Exactly!
<Brenda> of the user port?
<Brenda> Or buy an FD and give the 81 to your enemy! ;>
<CMD-DOUG> GUS is sitting around doing nothing right now, until we finish the SCPU 128. ;)
<Maurice> Randy, you know if I wanted to, we could have native partitions on the 71, too.
<Randy Harris> :: FAINT! :::
<Patrick> How's the next issue of Commodore World coming?
<Brenda> 71's should be outlawed :)
<Maurice> That would go good with those native ramdisks in the 1750.
<Randy Harris> YES!!!!!
<Robert Bernardo> I missed something...GUS?
<CMD-DOUG> CW #21 is at press right now, and should probably begin shipping
around the end of next week.
<Patrick> Yea!!!!!!!!
<Brenda> uh oh... I think my subscription is up. Will I make this issue if I renew now?
<Brant> Brenda: JD would allow high-speed serial transfer to the printer. :)
<CMD-DOUG> I'd do it quick, Brenda, and you'll still make the output for
shipping labels.
<Patrick> Bad Brenda, bad girl!
<Brenda> me sorry
<Maurice> No, computer to interface. From interface to printer, it's parallel.
<Randy Harris> DOUG, you mentioned prototyping 'your computer.' Meaning your NEW computer, an all in one BIG BAD 64 on steroids!?!?
<CMD-DOUG> Sorry Robert.... GUS is the CMD computer project.
<Brenda> Ah, ok! We forgot to ask... is there a suggested price for the
interface?
<Robert Bernardo> Thanks, Doug.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, nothing set in stone on price yet. Similar to other
interfaces, although the big buffer might make that creep up a little if the option is offered.
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... our own computer.
<Brenda> Do we get to know anything about this computer project?
<Randy Harris> Will it be an empty SIMM slot like the SuperRAM card?
<CMD-DOUG> Well, anything I could say about it at this point would only be
conjecture.
<Brenda> Um, I realllly don't think we care ;) We'll drool anyway
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... probably not... if we can do it, we'll probaly use zip
RAM... we're trying to fit this into a standard sizeW cartridge case.
ill
<C128.LOU> Will Will GUS have 256 or 512K of memory?
<Randy Harris> Or 16 Mb?
<Brant> DOUG: Would you care to conjecture about the new computer's design
goals?
<Brenda> What does GUS stand for?
<C128.LOU> Graphical User System
<C128.LOU> Geos User System
<Ted> 4K added chop in Panasonic is quite nice!
<CMD-DOUG> Well, then, none of you heard this... the speculative plan is for 4 MB of RAM, an unknown amount of ROM with on-board apps, some flash memory for upgrades, three 40 MHz 65816 processors, an SVGA controller, a soundblaster compatible sound chip...
<Ted> Big buffers are good, good, good. The 64K in Gold interface on top of the 6
<Ted> 4K added chop in Panasonic is quite nice!
<Randy Harris> ::: chin on the floor :::
<C128.LOU> ...and backward compatibility?
<Robert Bernardo> Holy Cow!
<CMD-DOUG> Built-in ethernet, GUI interface and BASIC command line.... printer and high-speed serial port, on-board hard drive controller, built-in floppy...
<Patrick> :: fell off chair ::
<Brenda> Will it be announced on April 1st?
<Randy Harris> ... built in Coke dispenser, pizza oven ...
<Brant> YIKES!!!!!
<Patrick> Coke dispenser.......Ah!
<C128.LOU> ...and backward compatibility?
<Patrick> ::getting tissue to wipe massive drool off keyboard::
<Randy Harris> HD controller is SCSI I hope, PLEASE not IDE!
<CMD-DOUG> Probably an option for built-in modem and net-browser/email.... and it will support CD-ROM as well... and yes, we do hope to have a compatibility slot for a Commodore or Apple or other systems.
<Brenda> Commodore or Apple or other systems?!?!?!?
<Snogpitch> Gee, almost sounds like a palm top, like a newton..
<Robert Bernardo> Sounds like Amiga.
<CMD-DOUG> Probably IDE Randy... the point is to keep this cheap, though you could add a SCSI controller if you wanted to expand the system.
<C128.LOU> Other systems?!?!???? The Timex-Sinclair 1000?
<Randy Harris> Aaarrrggghhh!
<Brant> Yay for TS-1000.
<CMD-DOUG> Hey, whatever some third party wants to put in the compatibility
slot.
<C128.LOU> Sounds suggestive.
<Brant> GUS: the Universal Computer!
<Ted> Huba huba
<CMD-DOUG> Though I think mainly it applies itself better for 6502 or
65816-based systems.
<Brenda> Um... this sounds like a massive undertaking. Any idea on how many
years it
<Brenda> will take? (hope not years)
<Maurice> That means a SuperNintendo card.
<CMD-DOUG> Of course, this is all pretty much pie-in-the-sky unless it gets
funding.
<Patrick> Web browser........ going into coma.......
<Robert Bernardo> That's right, Doug. Would you be biting off more than you can chew?
<Brant> SuperNintendore64
<CMD-DOUG> Timing? Depends on the funding level. If we get what we're looking for there, the project could be done in a year or less.
<Brenda> How will you be getting funding?
<Maurice> Brenda, in reality, CMD has already achieved much of the technology needed to do this job.
<CMD-DOUG> We'll be shopping the prototype early next year with venture
captialists.
<Brenda> Maurice, but what about the "compatibility" slot?
<Robert Bernardo> Selling stock?
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, the slot is the EASY part... it's filling it that takes some work.
<Brenda> Are you afraid they will laugh at a 64 compatible machine? I assume it won't
<Brenda> be presented as such?
<Maurice> That's why the slot.
<CMD-DOUG> The base machine won't be 64-compatible... that's what the
compatibility slot is for. That's an engineering detail that doesn't enter into shopping the project as a whole.
<Brant> Smart move.
<Patrick> Anyone who laughs at my 64 or 128, I laugh right back at them! :)
<Brenda> Yeah can we buy stock?
<CMD-DOUG> The basic idea is a modern machine that fills the market that the C-64 and others did in their day... such a machine doesn't exist today, and there IS a market for one.
<Robert Bernardo> That's very true.
<Ted> Might be better to look a bit laughable. So a person who controlls the CPU industry wouldn't take offence.
<CMD-DOUG> We don't plan on going public with this, at least initially. That's why we're going the venture capital route for R & D funding.
<Brant> Isn't venture capital the way Apple got started?
<Brenda> Yeah, I heard when the CD32 was out, the parts suddenly became scarce.
<CMD-DOUG> The machine will also ship with a built-in wordprocessor and
spreadsheet, so between those and the ability to be a 'net-computer' it fills the common household requirements.
<Brenda> Projected cost range?
<Randy Harris> Will GEOS be the operating system?
<CMD-DOUG> Initially, the base configuration would probably run around $399, though in higher volume (say 1 Million units a year or more) we could get it down to $299.
<Robert Bernardo> I'd buy one (or several)!
<Brenda> Gotta hit Billy-Boy where he ain't lookin' ;)
<Snogpitch> Now it's sounding like a WEB-TV
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, the OS will be new, as it will be multi-tasking... though I wouldn't rule out similarities to GEOS for the GUI, and possibly some backwards compatibility with it.
<Robert Bernardo> Better than Web TV.
<Ted> Right Brenda; look what he did to GEOS.
<Brenda> So if it is only compatible with the 64 with a chip... can it do
anything out of the box?
<CMD-DOUG> Snog... but Web-TV doesn't serve as a home computer. That's the
difference. (Web-TV also doesn't have local storage, networking, etc.)
<Brant> With three CPU's multi-tasking would be quite possible.
<Patrick> Nice!
<Maurice> Web-TV doesn't have any personality.
<C128.LOU> Will the WP and SP software be compatible with the MessyDOS world (IE: saving spreadsheets are .DIF files?)
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, if the project gets funded, there'll be applications ready when it comes out (besides the ones that we bundle in ROM).
<Brenda> I always say, the average user does not need some $2000 powerhouse
system
<CMD-DOUG> Lou, it will take advantage of STANDARDS through-out the OS and
hardware design.
<Brenda> Lemme ask this a different way... what will the standard OS be, or is there
<Ted> Web TV is part of drive to get computing back to the mainframes.
<Brenda> one?
<Maurice> Does the added processors give you the ability to have pseudo-custom chips (ala Amiga) without the high development costs of actual custom chips? Doing it in software?
<C128.LOU> That's why I've had my Commie so long, Brenda (besides the fact that I can't give it up).
<Randy Harris> Well, some of us DO need powerhouse systems, just not $2000
ones. That's why we have CMD equipped 64's and 128's! ;-D
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, the standard OS is something new (although the BASIC will be... BASIC). ;)
<Brenda> Randy, well, I bought my first CMD-HD when it was $1000 for 100meg, so I probably have over $2000 in it ;)
<CMD-DOUG> Maurice... the added processors allow us to do much more than a
single one can do at one time... the OS is not just to be multi-tasking, but multi-processor as well... tasks can be spread to processors that aren't busy at the time.
<CMD-DOUG> It also lets us dedicate things like I/O, Graphics and Sound away from the main processor.
<Brenda> What will the BASIC be like? Will it come with the machine?
<Patrick> Coming back down from above the clouds Doug, have you heard anything about the upgrade to Desterm?
<Randy Harris> Expansion slots? How many? Type?
<C128.LOU> Good idea ... the one in my PC gets awfully hot!
<Ted> Design perameters aimed at release date, not at catching up. I think
that's what made the '64
<CMD-DOUG> Yes on the BASIC... built-in along with the GUI... in fact, you
should be able to program by typing in BASIC likd we do now, or by using a
'visual' interface to programming.
<Robert Bernardo> Will Basic be like the Basic 10 in the C65?
<CMD-DOUG> I think the BASIC will be a lot like 7.0 in the 128, though with
some of the more AmigaBASIC type commands in it... and things like optional
line numbers and such.
<Brenda> How would it look to program in ML on this machine in native mode?
<Robert Bernardo> Have you thought about incorporating Basic 8 commands, Doug?
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... I don't expect a LOT in the way of expansion slots... this thing is probably going into a case about 8 inches deep, 6 inches wide, and 8 inches tall.
<CMD-DOUG> Keyboard is external... sorry, PC type.
<C128.LOU> "Sorry?"
<Randy Harris> Don't apologize on a separate keyboard, that's a GOOD idea!
<C128.LOU> I consider that a plus.
<Brenda> It'll fit on our desks
<Robert Bernardo> Ahhh...a tower system.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, the ML would be a lot like GEOS programming is now... 65816 ML with a lot of system calls.
<Bernie> A standard type keyboard will make typing easier
<C128.LOU> I like lower case apostrophies
<Brenda> another reason to learn GEOS :)
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... we call it a micro tower, since it's much shorter than a mini tower.
<C128.LOU> Ah! A standard tower!
<Randy Harris> Yeah, but I HATE the UPPER case colons!!
<C128.LOU> Yeah, I prefer lower colons, too.
<CMD-DOUG> The main reason for the keyboard is that they're very inexpensive at this point. We couldn't come close with a custom keyboard to the price.
<Brenda> Me too Randy... I'd much rather have uppercase 's than uppercase :s
<Randy Harris> The nice part about sep. keyboards is they are easy to replace!
<Maurice> And besides, when someone comes over to see your new computer and
they see the same keyboard, they will feel comfortable with it.
<Brenda> Doug, do you think there will be a lot of system programming, or more
<CMD-DOUG> For interfacing external drives and such, we're considering using Firewire.
<Brenda> compatibilty stuff?
<C128.LOU> What is Firewire?
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda? Not sure what you mean there...
<Ted> Now that is forward looking!
<Robert Bernardo> Interesting...Firewire to connect digital cameras?
<Brenda> Do you think people will write software for the new computer first,or try
<CMD-DOUG> Firewire is a standard Apple came out with some time back for
high-speed serial communications to peripherals... it can handle streaming
video.
<Brenda> to get the compatibility stuff first?
<Randy Harris> What about USB, will that come into play at all?
<C128.LOU> This may sound odd, but when I think of all of the top-notch Commie users who have ditched their C= over the years and are missing these days of the Commodore World, it makes me feel bad for them. They are missing the best.
<CMD-DOUG> I think our own efforts initially will be to get people writing new stuff for it. It can't hit the right market to make it successful without that.
<Brenda> Lou, and I bet most of them don't do as much with their new computers (do they have them) than they did on their commies
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, we consider USB to be inferior... it requires a hub for
multiple devices, and isn't as fast.
<Brant> I agree, LOU.
** <QT> is here.
<CMD-DOUG> In other words, no on USB. ;)
<Patrick> Hi QT!
<Bernie> Hi QT :)
<Robert Bernardo> Hi QT.
<Brant> HOWDY, QT!
<C128.LOU> I know SO MANY Beemer users that just play games, yet they call the 64 a "game machine".
<C128.LOU> CueTeeeeeee!
<QT> Hi everyone
<CMD-DOUG> Firewire can support up to 64 devices (with hot-swapping) without a hub.
<Brenda> Hi QT!
<Randy Harris> WOW!
<CMD-DOUG> Folks, I need to take a quick break... brb...
<Snogpitch> Well folks, I gotta work in the morning....niters
** <Snogpitch> has left.
<QT> brb: putting the child in bed
<Robert Bernardo> Sure, Doug.
<Randy Harris> Coke refill coming up!
<Bernie> afk brb
<C128.LOU> 5 minutes "til showtime!
<Robert Bernardo> My gosh...I have lots to post to my on-line contacts!
<Patrick> On my third can of Coke!
<C128.LOU> Go to our snackbar and enjoy some hot dogs, ice cream, or soda!
<Brenda> Pat, the meeting was last night, too. Guess we have something to tell them next time
<Brant> Who here is currently using a C= to access Genie?
<Robert Bernardo> No more caffeine for me tonight.
<Patrick> Yep, maybe that'll wake them up! :)
<C128.LOU> They are nutrious, AND delicious!
<Brenda> <-128
<Mike B> I am
<Robert Bernardo> I am.
<Patrick> 128-D!
<Bill> I am
<Brant> <- 64c
<C128.LOU> <<<<<< Cyrix P166
<Brenda> LOU!
<CMD-DOUG> <-- GUS prototype. ;)
<CMD-DOUG> I'm back. ;)
<C128.LOU> My modem is detached from my Commie for a few days. :D
<Ted> 128D
<Brenda> Doug, really??
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, no, I lied. ;)
<C128.LOU> ...and my SX64 is in sad shape.
<Maurice> I am.
<Patrick> Well this has been the longest time I have spent here on Genine in a long time!
<Brenda> Will CMD be doing the C= compatibility for GUS?
<CMD-DOUG> Heck Patrick, you've been in here so long you added a character to Genie's name! ;)
<Brant> LOL!
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, I can't imagine anyone else doing that better than us. ;)
<C128.LOU> GUS: A 2001 Oddesey
<Patrick> Whoops! And I have to get ready to go to work too! :)
<Brenda> Hmmm... CMD is modest... but it is true :)
<Brenda> bye Pat!
<Randy Harris> BTW DOUG, what DOES GUS stand for officially?
<C128.LOU> 'Nite, Pat
<Ted> No brag-just fact.
<Brenda> What about (c) considerations for the various compatibility options?
<Patrick> Not yet, staying to the last few minutes.
<CMD-DOUG> The socket for that will allow us to put a SID and VIC on the board, and feed the video and audio outputs to the on-board chips for mixing with the on-board video and audio outputs.
<Patrick> Holding out as long as I can.
<C128.LOU> So am I.
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you afterwards. Sorry. ;)
<Randy Harris> Get Us Shot? ;-D
<Ted> You let that stop you?)
<Brenda> You can tell us,then shoot us
<Brenda> (get ready to scatter everyone!0)
<Randy Harris> Hey, I'm a POSTAL employee, you don't scare ME!! ;-D
<QT> I'm sorry, gotta run
<Brenda> (he can't get us all)
<CMD-DOUG> Really it's no big deal... for now it just means General User's
Computer platform.
<Patrick> By QT!
<QT> g'night everyone
** <QT> has left.
<Bill> night QT
<Brenda> uh oh... thats not very exciting :>
** <Anitra> is here.
<CMD-DOUG> Yeow! Don't go Postal on us.
<C128.LOU> Hi Ann!
<Bernie> Hi Anitra :)
<Brenda> hi Anitra!
<Robert Bernardo> Well, we need a more exciting name.
<Patrick> Howdy Anitra!
<Randy Harris> :: BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! ::
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, well, it's just a project name for now.
<Mike B> hi anianitra
<Randy Harris> Hah! Igot him FIRST!
<Robert Bernardo> Hi , Anitra.
<Brant> HIGH!, Anitra!
<Anitra> Boy, did I miss something?
<Anitra> <G>
<Brenda> uh, yeah
<Robert Bernardo> Plenty!
<Anitra> ... oops ...
<Randy Harris> NO! Nothing at all! ;-D
<Randy Harris> Only the news item of the year!
<CMD-DOUG> Nah, we were just mulling over... er... what was it we were talking about?
<C128.LOU> Good night, folks! I'm running my buffer for the rest of the
conference, but I'll be AFK.
<Mike B> I have 2 pages of notes about whatever it was.
<Brenda> bye Lou!
<Ted> Whether reports;>
<Bernie> gotta run -- night all :)
** <Bernie> has left.
<Randy Harris> Nite Lou!
<CMD-DOUG> Of course, our secretary will dis-avow any knowledge of what has
been discussed tonight.
<Anitra> So,what's thehot news? Is CMD buying Genie? <G>
<Randy Harris> DOUG, any word from Matt on DesTerm 3.00?
<Brenda> Anitra, this is better than that
<Robert Bernardo> Doug...back to the SCPU 128 front, are you taking anymore $50 deposits, or is it full price now (accepted)?
<CMD-DOUG> Wow! Riverside raceway in Agawam MA is on Real-TV right now...
<Randy Harris> Good question?
<Ted> Or is that better tahn this?
<Brenda> It's a hopeful new computer from CMD called GUS. CMD will be looking for financing on it.
<Mike B> Oh yeah, I see it
<CMD-DOUG> SCPU 128, so far as I know, we're not accepting anymore orders until the release.
<Brenda> Er, I mean it is hopeful to get financing on it.But I guess calling it a hopeful computer is accurate too :)
<Bill> I sure am glad I put my deposit down.......a long time ago
<Randy Harris> Anything new to replace the sorely missed Trackball?
<Robert Bernardo> Oh, so that means on the first day of release I call in my order?
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... that's a maybe... we may do a generic mouse/trackball
interface sometime down the road if we find the time.
<CMD-DOUG> Robert, I'll be sure to post when orders are being accepted again.
<Randy Harris> Translation, fat chance.
<Brenda> Doug what about copyright issues on the aspect of the compatibility
options?
<Robert Bernardo> Thanks, Doug.
<Brenda> (did that make sense ;) )
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, we'll negotiate whatever is necessary when we get to that point.
<Maurice>
<Brenda> Will we be able to use our current hardware with the machine...
<Brenda> with or without the 64 compatibilty option?
<CMD-DOUG> Robert, with the current pre-orders, it will take at least a month to get one with a new order once shipping begins.
<Robert Bernardo> All right...a newer one. :-)
<Bill> there must be a bunch of pre-orders ?
<CMD-DOUG> With the option there would be a serial bus connector, and
mouse/joystick ports.
<CMD-DOUG> Bill, somewhere between 150 and 200 last I knew.
<Randy Harris> GREAT!
<Patrick> I can hardly wait for the 128CPU to come out and see it work on one of our Omni128 BBS's! I've already seen it on a 64 BBS here locally, fast!!
<Brenda> No cart/user port? How will we use the SwiftLink, RL etc?
<Robert Bernardo> Does that number of units meet your expectations, Doug?
<Brenda> (or should I say,will we be wanting to?)
<Anitra> I'll see you later. Niters!
** <Anitra> has left.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, definately no cart/user ports.... but the emulation could handle things like Swiftlink code via the standard serial port or modem.
<Randy Harris> One more GUS question, printer driver support will be a big
factor. Or will that be covered by whatever OS/software compatibility option is in place?
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... more is always better, but it's about what we expected on pre-orders, yes.
<Bill> I know a lot of people are waiting to see how it works before they order one
<Brenda> How does it compare to the Be box?
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, I would expect good printer support with the release. We
expect to use Truetype font technology at this point, and there's plenty of
info for us to create a myriad of drivers for this.
<Randy Harris> GREAT!
<Patrick> [AWell folks, I gotta hit the freeway to work, thanks DOUG for the info! Brenda, see you later, eh?
<Brenda> See ya, Pat!
<Randy Harris> CYA Patrick!
<Brant> BYE, Pat!
** <Patrick> has left.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, it doesn't compare to the Be Box... I've got BeOS, and I
can't even run it on my PowerPC 601 120 MHz machine... requires at least a 603e
processor, and prefers a dual microprocessor system. It's like a lot of
everything else out there...
<CMD-DOUG> Needs a ton of hardware to work. Other than that, it multi-tasks
nicely, but it's pretty much like an Amiga... sort of a GUI over a Unix-like OS.
<Brenda> Can the GUI be "pushed out of the way"? At least like the Amiga CLI?
<CMD-DOUG> Our system is much smaller than that in scale.
<CMD-DOUG> On the Be?
<Randy Harris> I know some will want to know if there is a possibility of a
laptop version possible?
<Brenda> No, on GUS
<Robert Bernardo> Doug, how do you feel (or how does CMD feel) about your
current position in the Commodore universe? Are you satisfied at where you are?
<Mike B> Doug: theres a huge fllea mkt up near UMass. Ever conissider setting up there and selling C= suf to the Umass kids theree?
<CMD-DOUG> Gads, I'll have to number these... ;)
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<Brenda> the system is much smaller than what in scale? I didn't get that.
<CMD-DOUG> Okay, with GUS we haven't planned an option for pushing aside the GUI other than going to BASIC (or starting in BASIC if you want).
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... our position in the market... Well, we're on top, so I
guess there's no where better to be from that respect. But surely the market is shrinking, and that's really why GUS needs to be something other than just a Commodore-compat machine.
<Robert Bernardo> I'm glad that my question was understandable.
<CMD-DOUG> Mike, we don't really sell at flea-market prices, so we hadn't
considered that, no. I wouldn't doubt you'll find some Commodores there for $5 or $10 from time to time already.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda... by scale I mean the resources involved... I doubt you'd run BeOS well on even double the RAM we'll consider to be way plenty.
<Randy Harris> That would be like selling new Cadillacs at Joe Schmmoe's used and abused car lot!
<Robert Bernardo> Doug, are you ever thinking of coming back to the West Coast for another club meet/show?
<Randy Harris> Or Chicago?
<Brenda> CMD On Tour! ;)
<Randy Harris> Get your shirt now! ;-D
<Robert Bernardo> Selling t-shirts...CD's...
<CMD-DOUG> I do like to do shows when I can get away, but I can only travel
like that at my own expense at this point, so it isn't often. ;)
<Robert Bernardo> Autographing for the fans...
<Randy Harris> Hey, the groupies are already here! ;-D
<Brenda> Yeah but Doug is married!
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<CMD-DOUG> Well, I wouldn't trade a Micky Mantle card for my autograph... don't think it will ever have quite the same value. ;)
<Robert Bernardo> Darn, Gaelyne Gasson wants me to pay for her ticket from
Australia, too! ;-)
<Brenda> Doug... can the compatibility slot communicate with the rest of the computer?
<Brenda> ie: could you do something in the 64 compatibilty mode and dump it into standard GUS?
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, it will need to.
<Randy Harris> Good question!
<Ted> Well... it ought to be worth it for your average C= club meeting. caugh
<CMD-DOUG> Not sure on that Brenda... that kind of detail will come later as the compat card and software are developed.
<Brenda> Cause then you could say, type something in your 64 wp and go to a GUS
<CMD-DOUG> If we didn't mind leaving a hole for it, it should be possible.
<Brenda> prg to print it for better output
<Brenda> or to a GUS printer driver, if it would work that slick
<Randy Harris> DOUG & MAURICE, since you're both here ... SWRAP User Group in Chicago is considering hosting a (at the risk of sounding like copy-cats) EXPO, one year from now. This would compliment the one from LACC, and be a central location for the whole country.
<CMD-DOUG> What you'll have to bear in mind is that the software will all run in 'protected' mode... each task has it's own memory beginning at address $00000, and accessing memory from another task can only be done through a system global request.
<Robert Bernardo> Oh, good grief...another show for me to try and make. :-)
<Randy Harris> It would really only work if CMD and or Maurice were able to
come.
<Randy Harris> But we think it would be a big boost for CMD and the C= market as a whole.
<Brenda> Does that mean the 64 program would have to do the "system global
request"?
<Maurice> That sounds great, Randy, I would most likely come since it is not that far for me.
<CMD-DOUG> I wouldn't be able to guarantee CMD making a particular show like that...
<Robert Bernardo> 2,000 miles for me.
<Brenda> <- WA state :/
<Mike B> Good night all. Nice meeting you all. See you soon.
<Randy Harris> We hoped to do it this year, but we hoped to have the Super128 as a drawing card, plus we just did not have enough time to get it organized or announced.
<CMD-DOUG> Night, Mike.
** <Mike B> has left.
<CMD-DOUG> Soon, Randy, soon. ;)
<Randy Harris> Great, Maurice!
<Brenda> Does that mean the 64 program would have to do the "system global
request"?
<Randy Harris> Well, it's a year from now, so keep your calendars open, and
suggested optimal dates in October would be helpful.
<CMD-DOUG> Well, maybe we could send Charlie Sr. ;)
<Randy Harris> Charlie Sr. would be GREAT! I REALLY enjoy talking to him on the phone!
<Robert Bernardo> Doug, I'm sure you have an open invitation from us at the
Fresno Commodore User Group.
<Maurice> Yeah, Charlie Sr. doesn't do much, you can send him.
<CMD-DOUG> Thanks Robert, if I should manage to be heading that way, I'll
shout. ;)
<Maurice> Is it quieter around CMD when Charlie is gone? :)
<Randy Harris> Just send him with a U-HAUL full of stuff to sell from CMD!
<CMD-DOUG> It is, though he's been around more lately... but still been quiet, as he's been busy with his consulting.
<Brenda> What does he consult about?
<Maurice> Guns, that's why Doug can shoot us.
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<CMD-DOUG> He's consulting for some lawyers who are bringing a case against
Colt firearms.
<Brant> Question: Will GoDot convert JPEG to geoPaint?
<Maurice> See!!
<Brenda> ooooohhhhhh sounds exciting
** <Snogpitch> is here.
<CMD-DOUG> GoDot doesn't have a JPEG loader at this point.
<Randy Harris> Why, were they making Commodore PC's? ;-D
<CMD-DOUG> Good one Randy. ;)
<Brant> Welcome back, Snog! :)
<Snogpitch> Yea, I'm home, now.
<Robert Bernardo> Oh, before I forget...Arndt Dettke wants me to ask you
whether you have visited the GoDot site to look over the information there.
<Snogpitch> I probably missed some good stuff.
<CMD-DOUG> You're asking me, Robert?
<Robert Bernardo> Yes, Doug.
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, I've visited it a few times recently.
** <Snogpitch> (Sent by 4) probably didn't miss much, did I?
<CMD-DOUG> Yeah, Snog, we're in slow-down mode now.
<Robert Bernardo> Very good. I'll let him know.
<Ted> Snog-- Just Deja Moo. You've heard this bull before.
<Brenda> Doug, when you use a program that reads the CMD clock, does it use
device 8?
<Randy Harris> DOUG, I just want to say I appreciate you web site. The NEWS is helpful! I visit the site very often.
<Robert Bernardo> Me, too.
<CMD-DOUG> I'll probably mention it to him myself, but you can tell him GoDot got the back cover of CW #21.
<Snogpitch> device 8? I have no clock on device 8
<Snogpitch> everything else does, tho
<Brenda> Well, I have 4 devices with CMD clocks in them.
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... just wish I had something more to post into the news more often. ;)
<Randy Harris> ... we don't need no stinking device 8! ;-D
<Robert Bernardo> Yow, the back cover of CW #21! Now that's an ad.
<CMD-DOUG> Yeah, what do Commodore users do when they want to live dangerously? Set all their devices to a number above 8 and get out their full software collections. ;)
<Brenda> Doug did you see my question?
<Robert Bernardo> Now, I thought living dangerously was to pull out a cartridge with the power ON! ;-)
<CMD-DOUG> Nope, but I see it now...
<Maurice> A beamer person will sit down and type... cd 8:
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, I can't really answer that. Up to the programmer and how HE wrote it.
<Brenda> Maurice, you mean they won't say, what is that
<Brenda> c>
<Randy Harris> Hey, there's a GREAT idea for a program! Enter time and date and it searches all devices for an RTC and sets them! Not more doing it 4, 5, 6 ... times!
<Brenda> Hmmm ;)
<CMD-DOUG> Personally, I write such routines so that they poll all devices, and if it is a CMD device, check for a clock, and if present read it.
<Maurice> Yeah, you're right Brenda. But I remember when everybody had to be running DOS programs and they though the 64 was outdated. Now DOS stuff is outdated and I still use the 64.
<CMD-DOUG> Or SHE. ;)
<Brenda> Well, doesn't HD SET CLOCK require that you run it from a floppy?
<Randy Harris> My #1 complaint about software is being hard coded for device 8, or any other device for that matter!
<Brenda> and only checks device 8?
<Maurice> Brenda, maybe it only checks the device it's loaded from?
<Brenda> Maybe
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda... actually, the EARLY version was writtens so it only ran from the HD, and used the device nu
<Maurice> mber
<CMD-DOUG> mber of the device it was run from...
<Randy Harris> echo
<CMD-DOUG> The latter is what required it to be run from the HD.
<CMD-DOUG> That was my first clock program. Sorry. ;)
<Brenda> Where are newer versions found?
<CMD-DOUG> I HOPE they're found on the newer HD disks. ;)
<CMD-DOUG> I'd have to check to see if they've ever been uploaded or not.
<Brenda> I forget how it worked the last time I did it.
<Maurice> It's still pretty simple to set the clock from JiffyDos commands.
<Snogpitch> [B[B[C[B[C[B/sta
<CMD-DOUG> I don't recall when I married it with POLL DEVS.BAS, offhand.
<Brenda> Anyway, that was an answer I wasn't asking for (bonus!) What I meant to
<CMD-DOUG> Nice, Snog.
<Robert Bernardo> Doug, what is your opinion on CD-ROM devices for the
Commodore? I saw a CD in England which contained 30 games and interfaced a CD player through the joystick port of the Commodore.
<Snogpitch> bumped the keyboard and mouse.
<Brenda> ask was what if your clock starts running slow... is the battery weak?
<Randy Harris> Excuse you!
<Maurice> Don't forget the closing brackets too Snog. :)
<Snogpitch> ]]]]]]]]]
<Snogpitch> happy now?
<CMD-DOUG> I think it's only worthwhile if you have software producers to
support it.
<CMD-DOUG> Or if CD-RW gets cheap enough to be mass-marketable to Commodore
users.
<Maurice> That prevents SYNTAX errors!
<Maurice> Kinda hard to release one Commodore program on CD.
<CMD-DOUG> Oh, we're doing away with SYNTAX errors... they'll be called
NITPICKS in our BASIC. ;)
<Randy Harris> How bout SNAFU's?
<Brenda> How about "Ecuse me?"
<Brenda> er, "excuse me?"
<Randy Harris> Or 'Say, shat?'
<Randy Harris> Oop!
<Randy Harris> Say what?
<Brenda> I think not
<Brant> "Xcuse.me"
<Snogpitch> Or how about instead of bad command....good command, but try
again.....
<CMD-DOUG> Actually, I think they should abort with, "You should consider using commands that I can understand."
<Brenda> LOL
<Maurice> Don't forget this will have to have two language support. ?NO
COMPRENDE (did I spell that right?)
<Robert Bernardo> Si, senor.
<Randy Harris> Je ne comprende pas.
<Snogpitch> no is still the same.
<Ted> Or - You should consider using commands that oyu understand.
<CMD-DOUG> Anyway, I think we'll try to do syntax checking as lines are entered.
<Maurice> And when we do a command that it recognizes, it says NOS PROBLEMOS
<Randy Harris> Actually, I think 'Stick it in your ear, Moron' would be most appropriate! ;-D
<Robert Bernardo> Maurice, you just said, "Problems us."
<CMD-DOUG> Yeah, and when you tell it to shut down it says, "I'll be back..."
<Maurice> Oh well, it sounded right!
<Brenda> Doug, does it mean the battery is weak if the clock starts to slow
down?
<Brenda> When it starts up, it does the James Brown, "Ah feel good!"
<CMD-DOUG> Normally it would lose time altogether...
<Snogpitch> what battery?
<Maurice> The clock speed probably won't change until the battery reaches a
certain level and then it will simply fail.
<CMD-DOUG> Slowing down might just mean the crystal is aging, and there isn't really anything to be done about that.
<Randy Harris> And 'Elvis has left the building!' when it shuts down.
<Brant> Is the clock battery in the SmartMouse replaceable?
<Maurice> These batteries are designed to fail before 2000. That gets CMD off the hook. :)
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<Snogpitch> oh, the smartmouse one...
<CMD-DOUG> If you can get one and if you can solder, it is.
<Randy Harris> In other words, if you got the $$!
<Robert Bernardo> Not me...I leave big lumps of solder.
<CMD-DOUG> It isn't something you'll find other than from an electronics
distributor.
<Brenda> Doug, when you said you "married" SET CLOCK with POLL.DEVS, is the
resulting
<Brenda> program still called SET CLOCK?
<CMD-DOUG> Digi-Key might have them, though... (Mail-order)
<Maurice> Well, it's time for me to run. It's been nice talking and thanks for the info tonight, Doug.
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, Brenda.
<Ted> SET CLOCK JR
<Randy Harris> LOL!
<Brant> Thanx, Doug. :)
<Brenda> What version # is it?
<CMD-DOUG> Maurice!!!!
<Robert Bernardo> Bye, Maurice.
<Brenda> Bye Maurice!
<CMD-DOUG> Any word on that Convert info?
<Randy Harris> Nite, Maurice! Nice to see(?) you!
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, no idea on the version number.
<Maurice> Oh, I forgot Doug! I will do it this weekend. Sorry.
<Brant> Good-night, Maurice.
<Robert Bernardo> One day, Maurice, I'll try to make it to your BBS.
<CMD-DOUG> Thanks, Maurice... geoFAX?
<Maurice> Ok, Robert. Give it a call.
<Brenda> Does it check each device # it finds with a clock and lets the user set it?
<Randy Harris> He'll fax it! ;-D
<Maurice> You will have them tomorrow. But probably nobody will pick them up tomorrow.
<Maurice> So you will have them on Monday.
<Bill> Iso, are all the CMD rtc batteries soldered in?
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, yes, it should. There may have been an interrim version that asked for the device number, too.
<Maurice> See you later.
<CMD-DOUG> Okay, Maurice. Thanks.
** <Maurice> has left.
<Snogpitch> The FD clocks aren't soldered.
<CMD-DOUG> Bill, all the ones that have external batteries are, yes.
<Brant> Estimated life-span of rtc batteries is... ?
<Brenda> I'll have to be sure to find it then. This clock on my Dialogue is 14 mins
<Brenda> slow... that is it might be 1 hr 14 mins don't remember if I set it for
<CMD-DOUG> Supposed to be around 5 to 10 years, though I'm sure I've seen some fail at 3.
<Brenda> daylight savings or not
<Brenda> What about the story that if your HD battery fails, it will leak in your HD?
<Brant> YIKES!
<Bill> what?
<Bill> and what about my RL battery?
<CMD-DOUG> Well, any battery can leak. It isn't a normal failure, though.
<Brenda> I remember reading it somewhere.
<Bill> rtc battery that is not the other one
<Randy Harris> Any news about Genie having 28.8 connections? Or any other Genie improvements? They said they were going to, but I haven't seen anything yet.
<Brenda> Or will they let it slowly die, like QLink?
<Randy Harris> They said they were goint to upgrade to the newer version of
LYNX, also. but haven't done it yet.
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, nothing I've heard. Right now we're just moving it to the Web.
<Robert Bernardo> That's right. Will the Internet gateway with the Commodore references be updated?
<Ted> They were moving it to the web no later than two months ago.
<Brant> When will Genie move to the Web?
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... do you mean the launchpad?
<Robert Bernardo> Oops...sorry...lost for words...yes, that's what I meant.
<CMD-DOUG> Brant, a lot of the structure is already there.
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, I'm working on new links for the launchpad.
<Brant> But when will Genie drop their access from GE phone lines?
<CMD-DOUG> They don't plan to.
<Brant> GREAT!
<Robert Bernardo> That would be nice. I'm tired of hitting dead ends when I try to click on something on the Launchpad.
<CMD-DOUG> They just won't be running the system on the GEIS machines... the numbers will route you to their own servers on the web.
<Brant> That's good news! Phone line is my only access. No local ISP's have
UNIX accounts.
<Brenda> How do you access Genie on the web?
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... the way the launchpad was done here was really screwy. The web version will be easy for us to update ourselves (RT staff, that is), while the current one requires writing up the links in a funny format and submitting a change request.
<Robert Bernardo> If it's like HTML, then it's a foreign language to me.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda... I think it's at www.genie.idt.net, but I don't remember offhand (I have it bookmarked, so I only typed it once a few weeks ago).
<Snogpitch> I think that's the right address....mine is bookmarked, too! :) including the Commodore RT! :)
<CMD-DOUG> Robert... the current method is more obscure than that. The web one is HTML, but that's easy for me.
<Brenda> Do you have to have a Genie account to go there?
<Randy Harris> Did Jim Brain ever finish the SuperCPU assembler?
<CMD-DOUG> No, it's wide open right now.
<Snogpitch> I can access it from my Prodigy account, Brenda
<Brenda> Will it be closed down to only Genie members?
<CMD-DOUG> Randy, SAS is ready for an initial beta, but I haven't had time to get the developer area on our web site going to put the beta online. Soon, I hope.
<CMD-DOUG> Brenda, eventually it will be members-only, yes.
<Snogpitch> Hopefully the conference rooms won't be closed to Genie only.
<Brenda> Can you get your Genie mail there?
<CMD-DOUG> Snog, I'm betting it will be completely closed, except for info on joining and what's happening.
<Snogpitch> :(
<CMD-DOUG> Yes, Brenda.
<Snogpitch> I was hoping to invite folks from the web....
<Snogpitch> I guess it won't be true IRC, then.
<Brant> Will Genie's new format be accessable with older platforms like 64's, Apple II's, etc. ?
<Ted> Snog, do it now while it's open.
<Randy Harris> They told me they were not abandoning the text interface.
<CMD-DOUG> It will be IRC on bots, but you'll need to be a member to enter the rooms (my guess).
<CMD-DOUG> The text interface will remain, but it will be done by basically
conversion. You'll still be on the web, but it will look like text-based Genie to your terminal program.
<Randy Harris> Does Genie currently have, or will it have the ability for
members to set up their own web pages?
<CMD-DOUG> Randy... haven't heard anything either way on that.
<CMD-DOUG> It doesn't currently have that, though.
<Randy Harris> Will the sorry e-mail system ever be updated?
<CMD-DOUG> I think the main thrust right now is to resolve whatever it takes to get the system as it is onto the web... then they can go from there.
<Snogpitch> moving to the web, it'll have to be...
<CMD-DOUG> If the people who access Genie now with Front End program have their way, everything will be as close as possible to the way it is now.
<Brant> I'm using Novaterm. Will this continue to be useful with Genie?
<CMD-DOUG> Well, folks, I think it's about time for me to check out...
<Robert Bernardo> I prefer Genie's system in comparison to Delphi's.
<CMD-DOUG> Novaterm should continue to be usable, yes.
<Randy Harris> I agree Robert.
<Brant> THANX! :)
<Robert Bernardo> Thanks, Doug, for all your time and your enlightening words.
