[Coco] CoCoNet

[Roger Taylor]

At 05:59 PM 12/27/2008, you wrote:
>On 12/27/08, Frank Swygert <farna at att.net> wrote:
>
> > What I find ambiguous is ... that the emulators do the same 
> thing, only run on a PC
> > also. While the idea is to make the PC a slave to the CoCo instead of the
> > other way around, it just seems like a lot of trouble for 
> nothing. I suppose
> > it's good for sharing files between the two systems, or using the PC to
> > download DSK files then install on the CoCo. I suppose those who 
> have a CoCo
> > and PC both set up at and in use at the same time will find it more useful
> > though. The PC can easily serve the CoCo while still doing other things.
>
>The idea is to avoid too much extra hardware, and yet still allow the
>PC to serve up files to the CoCo. Take for instance Nitros-9
>development. If the entire system gets built on a PC, which is a whole
>lot quicker than doing it on the CoCo, then the PC can automatically
>serve up the disk image to the CoCo. Perhaps the CoCo has been set up
>with a Drivewire/CoCoNet ROM of some sort, and can boot directly from
>the serial port.
>
>In the case of CoCoNet, you could even have your CoCo boot directly
>from nightly Nitros-9 builds put up by someone on the internet,
>theoretically.

I'm going to put a mode in the PC/server driver that causes CoCoNet 
to automatically issue the DOS command on power up.  You'd be able to 
toggle the switch with a simple checkbox.  However, no OS-9 or 
NitrOS-9 drivers have been written yet.


>As for an emulator, even a dedicated one, with CoCo "compatible"
>hardware, it still wouldn't be a real CoCo, and I don't think the
>enthusiasts of real CoCo systems would be interested. The people who
>are willing to use an emulated CoCo will just use a PC with an
>emulator.

In my experience, none of the emulators are 100% compatible with 
everything out there.  You run into those snags then say, "I wish I 
hadn't sold my CoCo"... a CoCo that now would only need a bitbanger 
cable strung to the PC.

Btw, I plan to also add PRINT #-2 support so the PC prints what the 
CoCo prints, but don't expect too many CoCo-compatible printers to be 
emulated that quickly.  Stuff like that would probably have to be 
created by third parties.  I'd try to make it easy by using 
translation tables and so forth so a .txt file could probably be 
created on the PC that teaches the server about another "CoCo 
printer".  My job would be to let the CoCo actually send the PRINT 
#-2 data to the server at 57600 bps or 115200 bps.  The server app 
would select the default PC printer.



-- 
Roger Taylor

http://www.wordofthedayonline.com