Open Letters #04 21 октября 2000

Nemo open letters № 4.1

601900


      Hello, dear Nemo!


   Wrote a letter for you to ask one to my question, but at the 
same time and ask to send a full set of advertising and 
price-lists, because all old Prices are already distributed to 
friends and sent penpals. Stamps in the amount of 5

rub. attached.

   The question here is how. What are the requirements
shall be made to the program to
it can fully work with the RAM-disk? Well, then, that the 
direct programming of VG93 is unacceptable - this is 
understandable, but what else? 

   And one more question on this topic. Because I
is not yet a proud owner of
HDD controller, I want to ask
comparable whether the speed of the propeller with
speed with RAM-disk?

   In conclusion, I want to lead
Here are some example. On my Pentagon'e
program SLIDE SHOW SAGE GRONP [???] works without problems on 
the RAM-disk, ie from and up (only need to set up SETUP). 
Performing the same actions on an electronic disk KAY'ya my 
friend, SLIDE SHOW works, but not until the end of that very

strange. And this is not an isolated case (direct programming 
SH I do not take into account). 

   Of course, you could say "it handles in the curves of 
programmers, but it is for In order to avoid such situations, I

and ask this question.

   That's it. At this permit bow. I await your reply with 
impatience. 


                                       N.


                               08.05.2000


              Dear N!


   1. On your first question, a request for
STA Constantine Verbova:

   "What requirements must be presented
to the program so that it can fully
work with the RAM-disk? "(would be more accurate
name not RAM-disk, and RAM-drive,
as is a subsystem TRDOS, simulating
drive, not just RAM-disk - so
more precisely. This is a more accurate name).

   1). Treatment only on standard
entry points in TRDOS. Standard entry points are entry points 
described in the book Larchenko "TRDOS for users

and programmers. "

   2). Variables TRDOS in no case
should not be affected (those that are relevant to the drive):

   - Variable speed moving the head

   - A pointer such as disk drives

   (Only 8 bytes)

   3). All reserved or used TRDOS'om variables also should not 
be changed. 

   Presumably, the - maybe - will be written by a new version 
(and later D9901), which will be addressed some weaknesses 
(Section 2 relates only to the version of D9901).


   Specific terms are not purposely set out, in order not to 
provoke the audience to idle programming rukosuystvo. 

   More detailed explanations can be obtained by writing to 
appeal directly to the company-developer of flash RAM-drive

"CPG-Compex" (to Konstantin Verbova) on
address: 192007, SP-B, PO Box 142.


   2. "Comparable whether the speed of the propeller to the 
speed of a RAM-disk (Again more precisely - from RAM-disk 
drive). " 

   The question is, generally speaking, is not entirely 
correct. It all depends on what you mean by speed. If the 
instantaneous peak rate of exchange (transfer) files (file 
names, not just data because a RAM-drive, and not

RAM-disk!) Within TRDOS, then several
(Slightly) faster than a hard drive
(Again refers to the peak, instantaneous rate of exchange). In 
principle, this should be tested, given the specificity of each 
particular problem. Must Also note that firmware TRDOS always 
works in the mode NORMAL (not TURBO). 

   At the same time, as soon as you try to go beyond the 
RAM-drive, then speed of the system as a whole (ie, the real 
rate) to fall sharply. When working with files that are larger 
than the size of TRDOS-diskettes as well as with the structures 
files (even small enough to fit on the RAM-disk drive) speed 
(taking into account the reaction OS ISDOS) hard drive will be 
higher - moreover, many times.



   3. "SLIDE SHOW" is working, but not to
end, which is very strange ... "If you
hack program, it is nothing strange
not detect. Programs that were
written under the Pentagon or on Pentagon'e,
usually written NON-SPECTRUM,
as some abstract architecture and
under certain hardware, a specific
clone, namely - Pentagon. Cracking a program, you can verify 
this. Moreover, these errors are relatively easy to "patch", 
which indicates that their artificial neorganichnoe origin - is,

in the first place. Secondly, the program after modifications 
greatly increases its software compatibility - and is, 
incidentally, at the same Pentagon'e and many other

clones, which had never walked.

   As a rule, "Vagrants" are reduced to several types:

   1. Use of undocumented
teams

   2. The use of physical addresses
instead of logical. (Note: different clones of physical 
addresses can be somewhat arbitrary (some bits), the same 
logical addresses are the same almost all clones. At

least logical addresses coincide more often
than the physical.) Example: The port (s) # 1FFD and
# 7FFD. It is clear that, by addressing # FD
(Single-byte output port), the MSB address bus dub junior or
exposed to high byte content
battery. If the bits of high byte is not
participate in the selection of ports (as in Pentagon'e), then 
it goes ON PENTAGON'e. At the slightest attempt to expand the 
program starts to fail, the complex acquires switches, and the 
person (user) - caring for their diversion. Similarly, when 
transfer the program to other computer programs, also began 
buggy. Fail also begins because the program was written

under the Pentagon, - ie a clone.

   3. Using the program specifics
microarchitecture specific clone. Example: demomeyking again on 
the same Pentagon'e. Pentagon'ovsky video processor MOST 
NON-STANDARD among Spectrum-clones - and it opens a wide field 
of activities to create programs that Will not go on any 
Spectrum'e. The video processor Pentagon'a - it's not his 
dignity, as some think, but its drawback. Dignity as a linear 
processor mode NORMAL (3.5 MHz), better known in wider circles

as no-WAIT'ovost. At KAY'e can create nothing worse (and even 
the best) demos than Pentagon'e, - but the audience,

thank God, is not abusing this
stupidity on KAY'e (not accumulated kitchen
recipes).

   4. Poll ports, in which some
Bits implied constants - and
Significance in treatment. This is a profound stupidity. The 
bottom line is that the person writing program, do not 
understand that the port - is an input - output, and

bits in it at random (ie, determined
external to the computer environment)
by definition. If any discharge is not
So in the program, or do not understand it
appointment, it should be blacked out.
Otherwise - the glitches.

                                (C) Nemo.
428034 10.05.2000


       Hi, dear St. Petersburg!


   I - a resident of a modest provincial
town, SYSOP resting until TITANIC-BBS (we mostly Vicom-modem'y)
with a bow, I beg you to send me a catalog
Your hardware and software development
(Preferably on a diskette) and price list with
rates for them. I also heard that
that you are somehow associated with the firm "Logros",
If you are not hard to send their catalog
(Do not peel me like a sticky ...)

   In our city, just go over the network
Legends about your miracle - General Sound'e, I
would like to study it more in detail
and, possibly, make you good publicity ...

                                       N.


              Dear N!


   1.Tverdaya copy, compared with the files on the diskette 
more quickly. This is explained by the fact that those who 
receive hard copies of the letter, sometimes pay

money, unlike those who receive
files for free. In addition, the price in a certain sense - a 
contract to supply and client requests are usually it. An 
electronic version can be used only in README order - not more 
than. 

   2. Logros firm ceased its operation - thanks to the 
proliferation of networks. Networks have found Freestuff 
resource and fully destroy it. So now bast soup

slurp. At the same time to reflect on the topic:
"Sometimes there such a freebie, which nobody
not worth the money? And if it happens that someone in
each case pays? And who
Should pay? "I think the catalog has lost
relevance, but does not send a pity. I
to do this because Akimov put money
in the Spectrum, - and someone lecturing. So
that the health to enjoy.

   3. By GS informational and promotional materials included in 
the package of advertising (of course, hard copy).


                                (C) Nemo.
425200 14.05.2000


         Dear captain Nemo!


   I write to you first. The fact that I
I want to connect a mouse to a computer. You can certainly use 
MKEY, but he was not yet (seen in your friend's price list). 
Think connect the mouse via KEMPSTON MOUSE INTERFACE to Create 
Soft (see diagram in the ZX-F Number 5). Certainly do not want 
to engage in "creative kitchen", but according to my data This 
interface is no longer available. You do not in the course, 
where you can order an interface or bare board? How do you feel 
about this interface?


   Once one of the ZX-F mentioned
that can be emulated Kempston-joystick
mouse collecting shemku on 2 buildings TM2.
You do not know, looks like this shemka?
Of course, the emulation of joysticks - is
yesterday, but I still want to
to begin to collect the emulator, connecting to
connector on the joystick, and only then take up
mouse interface, groping for a soldering iron
board ...

   More questions there. I await your reply. Thanks in advance. 
Congratulations on 9 May. 

                                       N.

P.S. Comp magnified my Leningrad-128 + TRDOS + Lprint III. Soon 
going to buy a PC over a standard / new / Tidy.


P.P.S. I write in this envelope because other
envelopes, no ...


19.05.2000


              Dear N!


   1. Indeed, Create soft'ovsky
controller is no longer available. Scheme
powered ZX-F № 5 differs from the circuit serially produced by 
Max Romanov products. They stood RT11 (the infamous 556 
series). So that the finished board unlikely to help you. In 
addition, if too issue fee, and then fill them too

need (ie, trade in manufactured goods), because the price 
difference is minimal. In addition, the planned output MKEY, - 
Why duplicate articles? Respect where you can order an 
interface or bare board, of information do not have.


   2. Can emulate, but not necessary. The resulting device 
would be inconvenient to work, although Popayán, of course, 
nice. Mouse generates pulses of the shift up / down

right / left [???]. Only 5 wires
as in a joystick. But the problem is that
for the formation of pulses necessary
move the mouse. Therefore, the programming interface, which 
serves the joystick does not take into account that the 
constant movement on any of the 4-way counter a mouse

interface (hardware mouse) - it would go away
with a rug. It is a trifle escape the attention of those who 
are puzzled by the joystick mouse emulation. As the saying 
goes, well where we do not ... Try it - see for yourself. The 
scheme is elementary. If you can not able to reproduce it, then 
"picking" in a computer you are strictly contraindicated.


   3. Thank you for your congratulations.

   4. Apparently, this complex, which was issued by "Skim" when 
projected KAY (1992-93 gg.). It seems that the machine works so 
far. 

   5. Quite a decent envelope. Is
worse, (but rarely), - send Homemade
envelopes.

                                (C) Nemo.