Re: A85: Saving the 85

To: <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
From: "Steve Ranck" <psufreak@mindless.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 10:55:36 -0400
Delivered-To: assembly-85-outgoing@towerguard.unix.edu.sollentuna.se
Reply-To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org

I tried to take the ideas and put them into a block diagram. If you think
anything should be changed/added/removed please let me know. The attached
file is os.jpg. The things in gray are the things that are top priority and
the things in white are kind of secondary.

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Butch <mjb25@hotmail.com>
To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
Date: Wednesday, August 05, 1998 9:07 PM
Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85


>
>I'm in.  First we need the specs so that we know what we are exactly
>programming.  Then a block diagram so that we know the organization of
>the OS.
>
>So, any ideas for the specs(besides the one's already stated below)?
>
>
>
>>From: "Steve Ranck" <psufreak@mindless.com>
>>To: <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
>>Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
>>Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 12:46:01 -0400
>>Reply-To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org
>>
>>
>>Hey, I'm with you. My main goal is exactly what the subject says.
>Anybody
>>else want in?
>>Steve Ranck
>>psufreak@mindless.com
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Kaus <kaus@cybrzn.com>
>>To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
>>Date: Wednesday, August 05, 1998 12:12 PM
>>Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: TGaArdvark@aol.com <TGaArdvark@aol.com>
>>>To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
>>>Date: Wednesday, August 05, 1998 1:17 AM
>>>Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>> We need to in a way reverse ASE or Rascall (is that
>>>>> what it's called?) and get 86 emulation for the 85.
>>>>
>>>>As great as this sounds in theory, it's nearly impossible.
>>>>The TI-85 was not made to run assembly and the ROM
>>>>calls that asm programs can use are quite limited.
>>>>The TI-86 has a much larger number of ROM calls, in
>>>>fact almost everything is a ROM call.  TI-85 emulation
>>>>just required an 86 version of the ROM call table found
>>>>in ZShell.  It can't be reversed because the great
>>>>majority of the calls on the 86 are not available on the
>>>>85.  You'd have to put half the ROM in the shell.  And
>>>>even then, TI-85 programs call the ROM through
>>>>the shell.  TI-86 programs call the ROM through the
>>>>ROM.  You can't change ROM.
>>>
>>>
>>>Excellent Point.  Also, other memory locations for screen locations,
>etc,
>>>are all wrong. some do not even exist on the 85.  The 86 has Paged
>RAM,
>>>which most programs for the 86 are forced to use, and therefore, it is
>>>impossible for the 85 to even attempt an emulation.
>>>
>>>Furthermore, this is NOT a solution to our problem.  It only
>encourages the
>>>86 programmers, because they will have a larger market.
>>>
>>>What we need to do is create something entirely new that cannot be
>emulated
>>>right away on the 86, but that allows definitely good things only on
>the
>>85,
>>>until someone builds an 86 version, which WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN.
>But,
>>>since IT will have originated on the 85, most of the programs for IT
>will
>>be
>>>for the 85, although, when the 86 gets a port of IT, the 85 games WILL
>>>spread there too, because they are the only games for IT.  This would
>mean
>>>much more recognition for us who program the initial programs, if only
>we
>>>can keep IT semi under wraps for a while, at least until IT is
>finished,
>>and
>>>a few programs are.
>>>
>>>This IT i am talking about is an entirely new operating system.
>Completley
>>>new an almost unbased on any others.  WE will have ZShell support, and
>>>probly Usgard too, and it will have relocation, most liklely Usgard
>Style
>>or
>>>slightly enhanced for backwords compatiblity.  It will also have many
>>>extended features that allow programs to not care about the system
>they are
>>>programing on.  We will have routines built in that allow easy link
>port
>>>communications, and definelty routines that automatically use the
>Expander.
>>>That will be a major point.  We can have huge programs, becuase only
>parts
>>>of the program that is currently being run needs to be in RAM at any
>given
>>>time.  The Expander can be used to do Overlays and DLLs and such, and
>also
>>>for holding levels of big games that are not currently being accessed.
>>With
>>>512K  (or more after he may put in the 1MEG!)  we could do whatever we
>>>wnated, at the price of only some speed.  Turbo may be a recomended
>feature
>>>for this OS, but I'll have to get me a turbo thing and see what wil
>happen.
>>>True, this will limit the operating system to ppl who can buy
>Expanders,
>>but
>>>it is a way through our situation.  Any of you read the "Future of
>Assembly
>>>Language Programming" or whatever on TI-CALC?  Well, this eliminates
>all of
>>>his problems pretty much.  WE can program huge programs that can do
>>>spreadsheets and word processing and more.  Anything is possible.
>>>
>>>We really need this thing, and it will be a bit of work, but I think
>we
>>>could pull it off if we all helped each other.
>>>
>>>Come on guys,  what do you say?  One last grand effort to save the
>TI-85 as
>>>a viable programming platform?
>>>
>>>I say, Lets do it!!!
>>>
>>>Jonathan Kaus
>>>kaus@cybrzn.com
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
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