[Coco] torn on getting a coco...

[Boisy Pitre]

The problem of identifying the next media bridge for the CoCo has  
plagued us for some time.  Mark and I have discussed it, and we've  
determined that keeping 5.25" floppy media as our primary means of  
deploying products makes sense because:

1. 5.25" media is still available and is cheap (on the order of $1 per  
diskette)
2. Most CoCo users have floppy drives and expect to get software in  
that media type
3. It is still relatively easy to obtain floppy disk drives (eBay,  
etc) for new systems
4. Mark has tools to realign older floppy drives and repair them,  
keeping them in service longer

It may sound like a cop-out to stick with the status quo and not  
change, but let's look at the alternatives for distributing CoCo  
software:

1. CD-ROM: cheap media, but very few CoCo owners have a CD-ROM drive  
hooked up to their CoCo; also would require special hardware and  
software to access from RS-DOS.
2. SD/MMC/Memory Stick: expensive media compared to floppy; requires  
Super IDE or other interface to read.
3. Email/network distribution of disk images: the biggest problem here  
is that there is no consistent and reliable way to place a disk image  
onto a real floppy that would be successful for everyone; also would  
require a floppy drive to be attached to a PC.

The point?  With all of its downsides, the floppy disk as a media  
distribution vehicle makes the most sense for the majority of CoCo  
users out there.  The CoCo's legacy is 5.25" media, and as such, most  
CoCo users are comfortable and familiar with that media.  Asking our  
customers to invest in a Super IDE just to load our products on their  
CoCo, while beneficial to Cloud-9, would obviously alienate those who  
don't own a Super IDE and don't want to spend the $$$ just to load  
software on their existing CoCo systems.

> I am not asking you for a 360k drive Mark.  I've already looked
> into it myself and it is nonsense to spend over $200 for a disk
> drive IMO.  A 1.44 meg floppy drive on the other hand can probably
> be shipped and sold for around $20.  Too bad there's no simple way
> to use a 1.44 meg drive. Worse than the inability to use a 1.44 meg
> drive, the media is getting just as hard to come by.  That leaves
> the SVD disk drive, but it doesn't have 360k of memory so it can't
> replace a 360k floppy drive.

Adapting a 1.44MB 3.5" floppy drive to a CoCo system can be done  
(depending on the drive).  Cloud-9 hasn't really made such systems  
available because up until now, 5.25" drives are still available.   
Given the current demand, the existing supply seems to suffice.

The truth of the matter is that there is no magic bullet media that is  
(a) cheap, and (b) readily available to CoCo users.  Holding CoCo  
users hostage by providing some new media as the only way to use our  
products would simply alienate too many existing CoCo users.  Add to  
that, the fact that the size of the CoCo market dictates that any new  
media product requires an initial cost that may seem nonsensical or  
prohibitive to some because the CoCo's economy doesn't "scale well",  
and you have the situation that we are in.

You mention the SVD solution as a possible solution, but even the SVD  
requires a floppy controller, which has become as rare as the 5.25"  
drive you seek to replace; it really doesn't solve the problem.

> I suppose between supply and demand issues and weight, I shouldn't
> be surprised that 360k drives cost so much.  For $100+, it makes
> more sense to upgrade the plans for the semi virtual diskette drive
> than anything else.  Cloud-9 should recognize the difference between
> what people want to pay for a disk drive and what disk drives of this
> era cost.  It should also be aware of the media shortage issue.  With
> that in mind, I suggest you find another medium to distribute software
> on.  It was a mistake to try a drivewire disk, but I didn't know I
> could get a rom pak instead so I didn't ask for one up front.  I  
> didn't
> know that Cloud-9 carries joysticks either when I made the comment
> that it doesn't.  Last time I checked the web site, there was no
> indication that Cloud-9 carries additional products.

As I've pointed out, suggesting that we find a new distribution media  
is easier said than done; many factors complicate the adoption of a  
new media that will satisfy everyone.  So for now, believe it or not,  
5.25" media is still the most preferred distribution solution for the  
majority of CoCo customers.  My advice to you is to adapt to that  
reality or move on; complaining about it isn't going to change the  
dynamics.

Regards,
Boisy G. Pitre
--
Tee-Boy
Email: boisy at tee-boy.com
Web: http://www.tee-boy.com