[Coco] drivewire serial port progress

[Roger Taylor]

At 10:49 AM 11/30/2009, you wrote:
>I agree it's ambiguous, but I think he was trying to say you can do
>whatever you want on your own machine ("you own programs") but you
>can't use his code in something that you distribute to others ("for
>public release").
>
>Legally, I don't know if his license would hold any water anyway, but
>I like to follow the spirit of these things rather than the letter.
>
>The code is not very complex, and Mr. Olsen's implementation is very
>basic.  The virtual modem I'm just now finishing up for DriveWire is
>much nicer (supports more commands, more efficient, etc).  Porting
>this to the Windows version will be easier than adapting Internet
>Modem anyway :)

I don't know... the program is already there to build on or 
restructure without rewriting it from scratch.  And I've looked at 
the code and have decided that it is not "very basic".  The code that 
processes the commands is rather simple but the networking stuff took 
skill and knowledge and I doubt anybody can just whip that up 
overnight.  If you can do that and make your server handle the 
CoCoNet virtual disk commands, maybe there can be an alternative 
since CoCoNet is a scheme and not really a product, and I'm going to 
release the source code once I pretty it up some.  I tend to code 
messy when I'm trying to beat a deadline, but then nobody writes 
nastier code than Sock Master, so I think I'm good here no matter 
what.  ;)  The thing is, Sock's code is usually Very clever and has 
every reason to look how it looks on paper.  Heh.

The other thing about releasing source code is that my long-time 
buddies like Robert Gault will go right away within minutes 
criticizing my coding style or choices, short cuts, so I'm trying to 
reduce that "effect" the best I can before throwing the code out 
there.  Actually, I get more "why did you do that when you could have 
done this" type of comments from the general public than actual 
criticism, so I'm used to it and it doesn't keep me from moving 
forward with a working program in the end.

My choice for using VB.NET ended up being automatic eventually since 
I reused the Internet Modem source code which is in VB.NET.  It runs 
fast and I see no reason why there should be criticism there, but 
I'll get it for sure.  In the end, there's a powerful cartridge-based 
system here that can revive many bare and otherwise dead CoCo's.

Like I said, I'll talk to the author of Internet Modem myself and 
work out my own arrangements, but I do appreciate your 
concern.  Raising a debate only stirs up hot water when we don't need it.

-- 
~ Roger Taylor