The evolution of the Spectrum world (harmony and agreement)

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║ Area : Netmail.My (Forwarded by Michael Markowsky using timEd 1.10)
║ From : Andrew Savichev (2:5020/400)
║ To : Michael Markowsky (2:5020/378)
║ Date : Sun Aug 24, 15:42
╙─

To: fido7-zx...@fido7.ru
From: "Andrew Savichev" <mas...@satan.spb.su>

Hi, All!
"Spectrumists of all networks and platforms unite!"

The development of the world of computers and, accordingly, the world of their users reveals
numerous contradictions between these worlds. One of the main ones: the world of technology
begins to change the world of people from a certain moment. Those of you who say
that it is a narrow circle of people who change the world of other people, will be only partly right,
after all, the computer of tomorrow cannot be created without the help of the computer of today. A person must change in order to maintain harmony with the world of technology around him... But progress in microelectronics production technologies is capable of developing the progress of computer architectures not only in one direction
increasing their capabilities and power, but also in other directions. It is possible to implement the existing architecture on a more advanced element base,
although without any improvements in its quality - this makes no sense ;-).
If you lookon Spectrum Line computers, then only the first
trend is clearly visible. These are hardware improvements by changing the circuit, with the introduction of
chips expanding the capabilities of the classic Spectrum 48: ATM, Scorpio,
Pros, and software emulation on the IBM PC (this is in our country, and in the West and on other
platforms). An interesting question arises: when does the expansion of the architecture go
into high-quality changes (the boundaries are always blurred), i.e. Is it possible for the Spectrum to metamorphose (and therefore die in its former quality)? It is necessary to consider
only
innovations that have become standards. The first such standard is the classic Spectrum 48
(although of course there were many specific schemes left, but we will consider
generally the “software model”). The first extension of the standard, which also became
a standard, is TR-DOS (later “surrounded” by CP/M, IS/DOS managed
however
to take its place). The needs for improvement of graphics and sound led
to the new Spectrum 128 standard, supported by Scorpios, and Pros, and ATM.
The fact that in other moments they did not come to a “single denominator” only did not allow
to create standards for a modernized disk (file) system, advanced graphics modes and a single map of expansion ports. And this despite the fact that there is still no standard BIOS that allows individual manufacturerscarry out "experiments with hardware" (in the sense of its upgrades). It was the advanced
graphics modes that required expanding the main memory, increasing the speed of the entire system as a whole, and developing the file system (changing the operating system). "Rapid growth" shook the foundations of the Spectrum world, deprived it of harmony and agreement,
and this jeopardizes its well-being and itself existence. The most insightful spektrumists, feeling this, raised their voices in defense of the Spectrum...
But inertia, this ultra-conservatism, also leads to necrosis and death.
A living tree must have roots, leaves, a trunk, and branches...
A healthy life is a harmonious life and vice versa.
What are the “troublemakers” in the world Spectrum?
Not emulators for ibm pc, after all, collectors and nostalgic
spectrumists, software developers and publishers have them.
Today, the “troublemaker” is Sprinter!
Flesh of the flesh of Spectrum: z84c15 this is not emulation on ibm pc!
Won’t it be the one? a descendant who will “bury” his ancestor?
This is a question that we all ask ourselves today.
Firstly, there is the Spectrum’s “steel cohort” - Scorpio and its owners, who
will also be able to install the z84c15 in modernized versions.
It very much lives up to its name -Scorpio - bravo authors!
Secondly, there are emulators for ibm pc, and I don’t think that Sprinter will ever be able to prevail over Pentium-II or Merced (786). (If on my 486DX4-100
the speed test gives 27MHz z80, then I have no doubt at all that on K6-233 it will be at least at least 135 MHz z80).
In general, Sprinter and his fans have two ways: either to be the avant-garde of Spectrum and “focus” on ATARI, AMIGa, etc., or, when trying to “trample
Spectrum and Spectrumists,” they will simply be expelled from the world of Spectrum and form a separate world of Sprinter with the same invisible barriers that are now exist
between Spectrumists and Amishniks.
In the meantime, if you look at Spectrum Line computers from the side not of a pure gamer (haven’t they all gone to Dandy, Sega, Nintendo, etc.?) but of a user, then
this is a harmonious world for users with any tastes.

Spectrum 48 users: when connected floppy drive and PC keyboard, IT IS POSSIBLE (in the absence of artistic and musical inclinations) to work as with the first and
cheap
computer (personally, I think that here it would be possible to remake it using modern circuitry, so that it would be really COMFORTABLE for beginners to start)
instead of a disk drive it would be nice to install a larger flash drive, say 1 MB and
an electronic disk with a battery for your programs 128-256K, as well as
connection
to otherscomputers Spectrum Line and ibm pc.
...and now... he is forgotten and abandoned like many old people :(, shame on you gentlemen
hardware people!

Users of Spectrum 128: (Scorpio, Pro, ATM) the main people of the Spectrum of the world,
though separated due to differences in extensions :(
ATTENTION! develop programs using musical sopra and advanced graphics is not recommended for people WITHOUT TALENT. Spare your
reputation,
and most importantly, don’t disgrace the Spectrum!
The bulk of the remaining gamers are also here (it’s them that the Sprinter manufacturers are “hunting” for) Well, well... cool software will appear - the hunt will be successful.
Among other things, these compers will remain an “economical” class for a long time.

emulsion users: they have already been mentioned above, in my understanding these are software
developers, collectors, communicators (sysops), publishers and nostalgics
(spektrumists in the past). Hardware developers seemed to prefer Scorpios (maybe
because in-circuit emulators are not available?), will it be possible here? It is still unclear to compete with the Sprinter.

and, finally, the Sprinter users: which are still in the “in-utero” state (until October of this year). Firstly, this is an “elite” computer. Why is there a Sprinter, they would immediately call it Elite, so as not to jinx it, but having a Sprinter will be in. soon it will be as “prestigious” as having an Amiga orstump-II (provided that high-quality software appears, and not “rehash” from the Amiga or PC). The only question arises: where will it come from? From the "enthusiasm of the masses?" : that is, if all the currently existing Russian creators attack this work UNITEDLY, maybe it will work out. So gentlemen from “Peters”, then you will sell them 20 sets at half price
with the condition of free transfer of the software they developed to you.
And coordinate, control, punish those who are at fault, etc.
Perhaps it will work out. it’s good if Peters can withstand such a “financial knockdown” 10x700=
7 million. IMHO this is less than the annual salary of one full-time programmer.
Some of the most
ADVANCED Russian creators will migrate here for gamers with “thick wallets” (majors, almost all of them ;-)), or rather
on the contrary, at first software developers, and then gamers with “thick wallets”
There is no need to count on building non-multimedia and gaming software, except for communication programs (which has already been announced by the management of “Peters”), associated machine translators (Russian-English-Russian), text
processors with advanced capabilities (for example, built-in electronic spreadsheets, business graphics, of course you can’t count on EXEL).
But those who speak Russian and English (for starters :-) ) languagesI would really like to see the program - then it would also be a fantastic machine for
training!

Happy hunting everyone! Peace, happiness and harmony to all Spectrum people!
Savichev Andrey V. AKA m@s