[Coco] Mice and The CoCo, Public Domain Library and 6809 Assembly

[coco at yourdvd.net]

I seem to remember the serial mice drivers that Bruce came up with and I
know there is a serial driver for the Dragon's Dragon DOS that could be
converted to the CoCo decb. I would like to come up with a PIC
emulation to allow a ps/2 mouse to function Identically to a CoCo
mouse. I've found an article on interfacing a ps/2 mouse to a pic, it's
in an old Nuts N Volts magazine, so I would only have to come up with
the digital potentiometer end of the device.

As for the PD library, I will probably include anything that has been
legally released, not just PD, but I don't want to accidentally step on
anybody's copyrights, so hopefully you folks can keep me honest.

-robert 

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [Coco] Mice and The CoCo, Public Domain Library and 6809
> Assembly
> From: "L. Curtis Boyle" <curtisboyle at sasktel.net>
> Date: Wed, May 02, 2007 9:48 am
> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> 
> On Wed, 02 May 2007 10:27:12 -0600, <coco at yourdvd.net> wrote:
> 
> > Some months back, I bought a two-button CoCo mouse off of the eBay.
> I've
> > been looking for one of these for a very long time, as in the U.S. the
> > single-button mouse was the common one. Anyway, while fooling around
> > with multi-vu, I thought about connecting a PC serial mouse to the
> > deluxe RS-232 program pack. This shouldn't be much of a problem with
> > OS-9 or NitrOS, because a proper driver is all that would need to be
> > created. It could also function with Disk BASIC but most of the Disk
> > BASIC software wouldn't be compatible. So, I got to thinking: Maybe a
> > PS/2 mouse interface could be devised using a PIC Microcontroller of
> > some sort, and some Digital Potentiometers. This should allow emulation
> > of the Two-Button Color Mouse and allow it to work natively with OS9
> and
> > DECB software. So, my question is, has anyone attempted such a device?
> > It would be nice...
> PS/2 I don't know, but the serial mouse is done, and has been for
> almost 2  
> decades. Bruce Isted did the drivers, which handled both 2 button  
> Microsoft Mice and Logitech 3 button mice. I have ran both on mine, and  
> both on my TC-9 (same driver, different serial chip).
> 
> >
> > Second, I was thinking about putting together a CoCo public domain
> > library. I know it isn't necessary because anything you want can
> > probably be found in the half-a-zillion .dsk images across the net. The
> > only motivation I would have for this is to have a SORTED & Documented
> > Library to save time in looking for specific files, etc. I thought of a
> > catalog numbering series such as CC1xxxx, CC2xxxx, CC3xxxx, where CC1
> > would indicate that the software on this disk is only compatible with
> > CoCo 1 & 2, CC2 indicates the software is compatible with CoCo 1,2 and
> > 3 and CC3 would indicate CoCo 3 only. The xxxx would be something like
> > gr00, ga02, etc. indicating graphics disk 00 or games disk 02, etc.
> > This would be a very time consuming task, but since my new residence is
> > almost complete and my current (run down residence - read that broken
> > down trailer) will become my coco lab, I am going to work on all the
> > ideas for the CoCo that have been stewing in my mind. Of course, the
> > library would be free .dsk image downloads. I am going to purchase some
> > bandwidth to set it all up on my servers. It'll be cool :-)
> 
> Only PD, or legally released as well? If the latter, anything on my
> game  
> site can be used as well, as I have the author's permissions for them.
> -- 
> L. Curtis Boyle
> 
> --
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco