Reply to the letter number 56.

   360032 02.07.99

    Hello, Nemo!


   I have a few questions / suggestions. Letter can be 
published in "open letters ".



   1. Why on KAY-1024 does not work license "UFO-2, Vyacheslav 
Mednonogova? Is that - vestige of protection from scorpions?

(If I understand correctly from the published in the open 
letters from the letter of 06/13/1999 Surgut 27.08.1998 - UFO-2 
"Scorpion'ah does not work by definition). 


   2. Why KAY'yu test firmware Profi
(?) In the third quarter of the ROM? Intend
Are you in the future its something replaced?


   3. It is said to KAY'e was Wed / M - both
or was there? And with what it eat? (And eat
right?)


   4. 3 slots on the motherboard KAY'ya
very little - for example, I have them blocked
controllers, hard drive, TR-DOS, IBM-KEYBOARD, and hunting 
connect and XTR-modem and perhaps, GS / own development.



   Are there any plans to develop a bus expander Nemo-bus?


   5.Pochemu would KAY'ya RAM-based
Rare 1Mbit'nyh chips, not to replace
on SIMMs, because of this decision implies
solid pluses for only one drawback:


   (+) Could free up
system board under an additional (-ones)
slots;


   (+) Easy to expand memory up to 4Mb
(Calculations for Simm 30 pin) in the future, for
which would require only 2 bits of port
Addressing more memory;


   (+) No longer a headache in the event of a failure of 
memory: faulty - replaced; 


   (+) Supply of these cards could be
complete 256 kb Simm'ami (or even
without them), and the necessary memory is put to
the user;


   (-) Need to complete rerouting
board.


   6. Once installed on the hard drive KAY,
In my opinion, there is an urgent need to include in the system 
nonvolatile clock. By what standard (and there are at my data, 
nemeryannom) - everything well, only needs the

driver in the IS-DOS.


   7. A long-standing development "Cache"
(See annex). Storage boot in
such memory frees up space on your disks
from boot'ov. In addition, startup programs
Cache of the nearly instantaneous from any
program at any time (by pressing a button). Well, the SIS in 
the Cache and can not speak - Dream Hacker. 


   Slightly refined the scheme can be made to work in Cache 
mode PsevdoPZU and obscures certain areas ROM, which would use 
other version of TR-DOS, SOS, BiOS, finally, etc.

without spoiling the main RAM. Ie would have received
almost analog FLASH ROM.


   Release of this controller under KAY
would lead to the further development of the IS-DOS,
which would be totally independent from
ROM, as well as the undoubted convenience
for programmers and users alike. (Personally, I after the 
transition to a Profi KAY was very uncomfortable without CACHE).



   P.S. I know of your dislike to every
IBM'schine, obveshivanii Spectrum'a sorts
bells and whistles that you care about the survival of
Sp, its economic characteristics, and
circuitry - is secondary, that "the best -
enemy of the good ", but still before
say categorically "no" on Proposition 5.7, consider them. 
Perhaps you will find a rational core. 


   APPENDIX.


   A little bit about Sashe:

author - V.M.G. (Ukraine)

first record - 1994

The logic is:

 By pressing a button formed NMI /, the system is replaced by 
non-volatile ROM RAM (2 ... 64 kb) and forwards to

Address # 66 (on the NMI /) is not in ROM, and in the shadow 
RAM. 


   Soft:

There are several programs that support
Cache, a variety of loaders, debuggers, there are even Demo, 
placing a Cache players under Covox (for more

clean sound).


   Programming:


   device available for reading from 2
Ports:

rd # 7B - shadowing ROM (to include Cache)

                        (Writing, reading);
rd # FB - disable Cache.

    PROBLEMS:


   Random Reading from # 7B port program, not knowing of the 
existence of Cache, will turn off ROM and hang

(Behaves, for example, XLC v 3.5, and
possible program for ZX-LPRINT III), but
This drawback is easily eliminated (required Override Cache 
(software included on rd # 7B)) 

            C Regards, N.

P.P.S. Please give, in some newspaper in Belarus has been 
printed, and when your art "technology - this is war." Like

to read.



                                 10.07.99

    Hello, N!


   1. The letter contains your address. This
coincidence or it too can be published in "Open letters"? In 
the file "about" Directory Letter "shell" Open letters "

expressly stated that publishing the address to direct 
specification. For example: "The letter can be published in" 
Open letters "together with the address." Or: "Cleared to 
publish my address. "This is direct instruction. Otherwise 
address can not publish. 


   2. This is a question for VA Mednonogovu. "UFO-2"
created quite a long time and, apparently,
Fame did not bother to test the program on KAY'e. Then they 
were not widespread and is almost unknown. How I know, the 
incompatibility of the directly related to the mechanism of 
protection against copying (piracy). Generally speaking, any 
defense of such a kind of very greatly reduces software 
compatibility. Of course, as a result, users suffer. In this no 
guilt nor mine, nor of Fame Mednogorova. The reason for the 
Pirates and the non-observance of copyrights. 


   3. She went to "inherited" from
firm "Skim" (Stashkov Alexander) in 1993
year. Planned to make on the basis of the firmware "Profi" 
shadow businesses by KAY-128. B KAY-256 entry into this area 
LOCKED hardware - that the public was not involved in

amateur. B KAY'e 1024-m access
this bank ROM is possible, because shadow businesses
lost meaning and its former value. Why do I need shadow 
businesses? This program is for theft Western game software, 
which comes to Russia in abundance under the Spectrum-128 in 
the early 90's. Now shadow businesses have meaning almost does 
not matter. Therefore, to ensure standardization of the shadow 
is no longer relevant. Now if the software and creates, in 
Russia. Why give to the lamers hand tool for theft? To 
software, which is so little, it became even less? To steal 
something in the Spectrum 'is almost nothing, everything and so 
steal. Shadow security has ceased to be a professional, because 
on theft is now not make any money.

To create programs that require other
software tools, another software environment. That's why moving
ISDOS, because this environment is not for theft, and
to create programs. Purely ideological shadow businesses is 
possible, but it must perform (in aggregate) a completely 
different problem: namely, to complement and enhance

effectiveness of the software environment in the regime
Writing programs. And this essentially different concept of 
shadow software, is fundamentally different from the 
conventional stereotype of "shadow businesses." Unfortunately, 
this thought was too long to fit in

much too short gyrus "Programmers" (or rather: encoders). In 
general, conceptually, shadow businesses should (again in

Ideally!) meet the following requirements:
1) a comprehensive, mutually reinforcing and effective work 
under OS'yu, ie ISDOS'om, 2) access to all available resources 
in the architecture (if it does not contradict ISDOS'u), 3) low 
efficiency shadow businesses in the mode of cracking. Then it 
will be really professional shadow businesses

programmer, not the kingpin (professional thief). Now really
creates a shadow businesses by KAY-1024, but will
Does this work is completed - is unknown. Topics
more unknown whether the shadow businesses meet the above 
requirements, as formulation of the problem requires 
extraordinary and, again, a professional approach, rather than 
high-end coding. 


   4. Wed / M. Turn on the lexicographic
Search and find the letters (05.txt) extensive comments on the 
matter. Concisely: 

    1) CP / M - is serial-by-character input / output
in console mode at 80 characters. Therefore: a) the schedule 
can be forgotten, and b) not corresponds to TV-standard 
(standard teletext). 

    2) This is a professional system of the early 80's. 
Actually USER-Wednesday absent. Interface - a command line. To 
take full advantage requires regular and systematic 
professional support (eg for money) and the availability of 
professional tasks from the user (again, PROFESSIONAL, ie work 
regularly for money). If such problems do not, then the system 
loses sense - too navorochena.


    3) CP / M can be seen as naked, "0" second level kernel 
OS'i. When you try to finish the remaining levels of the 
nucleus receive system, opportunistic ISDOS'u. And most 
importantly, Custom. Example Add-Ins - program POWER.


    4) To maintain the two systems is meaningless. ISDOS more 
efficient. And she supported it. 

    5) Systems Wed / M on KAY'yah - as, indeed, on the other 
Spectrum'ah - never was, although it can run. The bottom line

that work on it is not received,
although, in fact, the code itself is working perfectly.
She nobody supports. You can try it themselves, namuchaetes and 
throw - even though, Again, I repeat, program, as such, will 
work. 


   5. O Simm'ah. Together, let us weigh
pros and cons. First, discuss your + / -
then I have something to add later. So:


   (A) A relieved if the additional
place? You often see Simm-panel under the
ONE Simm? I have personally seen a couple of times.
Although MS-ers destroyed (recycled
(:-))) HUNDREDS. Nouveaux riches navezli them so much that the 
work will last for years if not for decades. This means that to 
find a commercial quantity of Simm-panels is not succeed. So, 
it is impossible to use them in production. 


   Thus, the panel under two Simm'a. Calculate
footprint:



             Simm-panel 41C100

              (X2 pcs.) (8 pcs.)

Size mm 15.0x96.5 47.5x45.0

+2.5 Mm 17.5x99 50.0x47.5

Area, cm2 17.33 23.75



   Now we associate a square:
23.75/17.33 = 1.37. We have the advantage of only 37%
area. Moreover, IC can 41S1000 (but not
Necessary) to place tighter, then the gain
(By area) was only 15%! So there
win or not? On closer inspection,
study reveals that it is no more
than an optical illusion. Another thing that can be
get 2 MB of memory, but on this later ...


   (+2) Rashireniem up to 4 MB. Why? Question is "How" is 
secondary. The idea that any added chip / mode / technical 
parameter / architectural expansion / etc. etc. justified by 
the very possibility of "vdelyvaniya in computer WRONG. 
Consider it a non-trivial statement for example, 4 MB of memory.



   What will the user's own feelings okromya slope? But by and 
large account - nothing. Only one load this memory with the 
drive would take 1.5 min / disc * (4 MB/0.72 MB / disk) = 8-10 
min. The same number of unloading.



   And then, continuous file TRDOS'e not
may be a 4 MB. Hence it is somehow
bound (structured) set of files: otherwise (ie otherwise) why 
they need all together in computer? TRDOS Not able to work with 
such structures - and thus engage, ie, as something meaningful, 
it is wise to use 4 MB FAILED. Need an operating

SYSTEM.


   Now on. Have "packages" to 5 disks (4 MB / 0.72 MB / CD = 5 
pcs.) Probably not very convenient for purely practical 
reasons. And this means necessary Winchester. 


   Total result. Really take advantage of 4 MB of memory is 
possible only in case the presence of both OS'i and Winchester. 
Most also interesting that when they are available (ie

OS'i as well as the hard drive) pay
Performance in RAM memory (ie, those
most 4 MB of RAM) is virtually absent.
Or in other words, 4 MB do not have any
sense. At the same screw those megabytes can
be any number. So why do we need these
4 MB? In RS'ke From the technical point (the feasibility and 
RS'ke often highly questionable), it is justified. Due CONVEYOR 
sampling teams and increasing the discharge TIRES (up to 8 
bytes or more at a time, ie a single cycle read / write 
processor). In Spectrum'e nothing this is not because It is not 
necessary. CPU Z80 - this eight-bit processor (ie, single-byte) 
with a directly addressable 64 Kbit memory. Architecture 
Spectrum'a and RS Different. Mechanical transfer rules'ov

RS-ka in the Spectrum leads to sux'am. In
KAY'e not sold 1 MB of memory, and
ELECTRONIC DRIVE, ie 1 MB itself
itself has no meaning. You can certainly make four electronic 
drives, but is it necessary? TRDOS because TRDOS'om and remain.



   (3) In fact, headache is not
disappears and appears. Explain why.
(Incidentally, both the manufacturer and have
user. Ie On the one hand it
leads to an increase in prices, on the other hand
to operational inconvenience).


   Practical experience in producing 1 MB's car indicates that 
the absolute reliability 41S1000. Ie has not been a single case 
of failure IC 41S1000. Broken 41S1000 identified

Only in one instance - the car is seriously
Burned out. This usually happens because of carelessness and 
negligence of users. And if there is a broken 41S1000, how

RULE, smashed and the CPU and ROM, as well as
Part IC TTL logic. Ie ICs, which are
well soldered. In other words, all soldering
still needed.


   If you are installing Simm'ov RELIABILITY
From below, in comparison with foil lids
41S1000. Ie machine will often go
failure. Simm - is mechanical, the contact connection. Simm - 
it is quite large vertical size of the board, with

ssotvetstvuyuschim break out moment and
additional challenges for transportation. In addition, a 
contingent of users Spectrum'a is that Simm-connector will be 
crossed only just razdolbaj from the joints. Extreme in this 
situation will, of course, the manufacturer.

Consequence - the corresponding price.


   And then, where you saw SIMMs? This
rare-earth shit. They do not have enough self
RS-Schnick. They burn in the RS, as ICs operate in more rigid 
mode. There is less cycle time, more switching, the higher the 
temperature of the crystals and, consequently, reliability 
below. Find in Peter SIMMs cheaper than 50 rubles. problematic. 
They should be just look for - and because it is also MONEY

worth it. Well, what is all this necessary? To play 'B' 
computer? (That's "B", and not "AT").



   (4) The machine shall be equipped with
in such a way as to protect the
efficiency in native mode. In
KAY'e, for example, is not available AY8910.
To listen to music or AY-connect
printer, you must buy more. For Sale
same board without RAM-memory is
dubious exercise. It's like
selling price with the stated in the specifications without 
RS232 interface -12 V and a standard connector. How does it

said, I hope, suggest not.


   (-5) As to re-route it really is. Moreover, under existing 
sales it will affect the price. 

    Now we have some disadvantages.


   (-6) Sealing PMI - a single process. So, it's cheap.
When you install Simm'ov need extra:

    1) find a PC with a shit Simm'ami;

    2) vypayat SIMMs;

    3) find themselves SIMMs (and they are
different)

    4) install / package the sale / distribution

   These 4 points will also have to include in the
tsenu.I is not a fact, chtoSimm'y more common than the 41S1000. 
Do not forget that it is a commercial quantity.



   6. Hours are really needed. However,
enthusiastic with the purchase of IDE-interface is not 
observed. Therefore, the clock is now set to be premature. 
Members OS'i afraid and do not know it enjoy. Therefore, to 
make some sharp movements in the IDE-interface will

much too expensive.


   7. Such utroystvo has long been available under KAY. It was 
necessary to create a RAM-drive. Another thing is that

feasibility of its production is highly questionable. This 
lotion under TRDOS, takes one SYSTEMIC place (slot) on the bus. 
As for ISDOS'a, then to him from this FLASH itself is neither 
hot nor cold. Uses no, harm, too. 


   8. Slots on the bus. Indeed, the little slots. You can 
certainly do, and 4 slot. But this is a temporary, compromise

measure, because the problem of extensions it does not solve. 
Where there are few 3-slot, there will be little and 4. More 
than 3 to 4 slots can not be put for constructive layout 
considerations, and on full load on the line CPU. LVL is 
designed for installation into the housing from the PC 
"Corvette." This is the basis of a constructive solution to the 
board. If fee "comes out" of the case, then KAY-1024

remain without housing. Now about
load on the line CPU. Buffering by
footprint is equivalent to the fees
roughly the area occupied by one slot. It's not just a buffer 
but the buffer management scheme. Now the tire is 0.52 sq.dm. 
board (or 0.52/3.25 = 16% the total area of the board). When 
installing more one slot bus may have buffered. Then the total 
area occupied by under the bus to rise to 27%. This is a very

a lot. Here, everywhere we are talking about the redistribution 
of the area rather than on increasing its area.



   The design of a herringbone unreliable. In
RS-ke tried to make this extension
way, but quickly "ate" claims. If the board articulated in two 
places, then they need to be a mechanical fastener.

Ie the first joint - this is a herringbone / board itself, the 
second joint herringbone / expansion card. And on the 
connector, which installed itself herringbone break out moment 
increases about 4-5 times. Weight equipment, "Christmas tree" 
on the periphery of the 3 devices by more than 3 times higher 
than the average mass payment rashireniem. Plus arm force 
applied more times in half. (This refers to the distance from 
the slot, which installed the "Christmas Tree" to the center of 
gravity equipment, "Christmas tree"). Motherboard connector

board is not designed for such loads. A
means to be defeated and will crash when
the slightest touch. Mechanical same
Mount virtually impossible for constructional reasons.


   Needless to say, "Christmas Tree" requires buffering. And 
not only along the lines of data / address, but also along the 
lines of control. This means that the standard of Nemo-bus can 
be FORGET. Timing diagrams (with iremenami

delays with respect to CLC) significantly
change. Therefore, the reference to PASSPORT
CPU Data will be invalid. Ie
Bus will not specified in
part time diagrams. And this is no material standard with all 
its consequences: the complication of designing the periphery 
and increasing its probability glyuchnosti. Increased risk for 
release (production) periphery. A risk - This is the price. It 
may well be that "Old" device (a Nemo-bus) would refuse to work 
in the new bus, and vice versa. This again PRICE. How would say 
the unforgettable Bell (founder of the Bell-telephony "):" You 
can do anything even transfer a person on the wire. It's 
unclear just how much it will take and who will be a paid '. 
great technologies Ford is also known for his aphorisms. When 
asked the customer if he could (The customer) to buy a car is 
not black Colors, Ford replied: "You can buy a car any color if 
the color is - black. Standart in technology - is the law.

If he fails, then there instant hit on the money. And 
regardless of who it violates: producer or consumer. 


   What are the possible solutions of the expansion? Point out 
concisely: 


   - Re-expansion device between the bus Nemo-bus and 
Centronics'om. In fact, not everything that is stuck in

Bus system does require system resources. Device installed in 
the bus, essentially receives permanent residence in your 
computer. For many peripheral devices which is absurd. Example: 
programmer. This is not a system utroystvo. Placed on BUS him 
absolutely nothing. 


   The list of peripheral devices
Require considerable system resources, it is easy to continue. 
Actually this was written back in 1994,

ie Five years ago, in "Radio amateur" (Minsk) in the N 11 for 
1994, p.7. I quote (myself five years ago): "... The hardware 
is only implemented "Spectrum-architecture, and specific

problems of specific groups of users can be dealt with 
peripheral devices, easy to add that given sufficient 
attention. The concept of "SYSTEM CHANNEL" determine the form 
of three-dimensional system bus slot layout. Possible periphery 
is divided into two CLASS: a) FAST - is installed on

system bus in the form of slots inside the case, and b) Slow - 
Connect through plume as a standalone unit volume

outside the body (through bi-directional
parallel port). It would do without buffering tires and make it
more predictable and simple. "So what?
Clearer because you will not tell. Think it is up to
anyone here? Far, far from it. WHO and
now there. Probably to the average user it comes up as a duck 
on the seventh day. (In this case - on the seventh

year).


    There is a good anecdote about Americans
engaged in genocide. Once blednolitsye caught red-native to
Name Sharp Falcon and imprisoned him in prison. But Sharp Sokol 
was not simple. Already On the third day he found freedom, 
seeing that there is no fourth wall.



   Anecdote is relevant to Centronics'u. Of course there are 
objective reasons. For example, discredit STANDARD Centronics 
such well-known radio-larechnikom as Mr. Zonov. Taking 
advantage of the naivety and gullibility of the masses, He sold 
CONCEPT Centronics'a, creating convincing dummy that interface.



   Not only is there not all the lines Centronics'a, there is 
still no standard connector. It would be better to call it, 
that is, not Scorp'e Cenyronics'om and Printer interface having 
a attitude toward Centronics'u.



   Bosons do a master work
on concepts. When the lips are opened Zonova of them spewing 
feces, which then clogs the brains of users. Coming up

drain is the corresponding reaction, and users pay him the 
money. He it pisses in the eye, and they all God's dew ...

Both were sold to such concepts as "TURBO", "PRO", "RS-232", 
"INT with Five zeros "," Centronics ". At this

currently are on sale the concept of "High Tech" in the form of 
green "gadgets", prilyapannoy Alter'oy. As a result, users 
believe that these are things such buggy, curves and 
inconvenient. But in reality Indeed, it is not in the reel - 
just a rascal sitting in the cockpit. Members also in its

aggregate and in the aggregate of such concepts come to the 
conclusion that this is a SPECTRUM Squalid, curves, and buggy.



   All would be nothing but a crap Zonov the general manger. 
How would say Ivan the Terrible, "more than the feces stinks." 
Ie shit where eating. Does, so to speak, under the

themselves. In fact, for it is no loss, solid profits: the 
higher the faecal He "promptly inserted" in Spectrum, the 
faster a it will come running to buy PC to the main circulation 
of capital out there. The scheme is simple as the three penny.



   In order to really do something
in Spectrum'e, ie working, comfortable and
bug-free device, you must have been brainwashed by feces. And 
it is very expensive. AND meets strong resistance. Since

to admit to himself that he cheated,
User psychologically
difficult. For 18-20-year-olds are strong and
painful blow to his vanity. Not every
is effective and capable of such. Therefore,
the following method of solving the problem of extensions are:

   - Brainwashing;

   - Combination of devices on a single board, expansion cards, 
ie, Multicard. 


   Now about the article in Belarus. I understand that you got, 
through negligence, not the disc. Why do you need it? Many 
knowledge increaseth sorrow. To customers Indeed, there is no 
need to read it. In the most complete form, in author's 
edition, Article published in "ZX-Format", number

I do not remember, was it three or four years ago,
hence, it is estimated NN 4, 4 1 / 2, 5.
(More specifically, the number 5, 1996). That
As published in the journal "Your
Computer "(Annex to the magazine" Radio amateur "), then this 
publication in Minsk interesting unless editing.


        (C) Nemo