[Coco] MESS needs a C++ programmer dedicated to the Coco

[Roger Taylor]

At 12:15 PM 5/1/2011, you wrote:
>On 1/05/2011 9:18 AM, Roger Taylor wrote:
>
>>I can't complain about what all it does
>>for free but when you start seeing performance decrease while PC's keep
>>getting more memory and becoming much faster, I just don't get it. I
>>think part of the problem is contributor burnout. What started out being
>>a team of a few geeks became a large unorganized team of contributors.
>>If everyone isn't on the same page at all times, things fall apart.
>
>The reason you're seeing a performance 'degradation' is because 
>MAME/MESS is striving to become a more generic, powerful, 
>cross-platform emulation engine that encompasses all manner of 
>arcade games, consoles and retro micro computers; and at the same 
>time providing an architecture that (supposedly) simplifies the 
>development of new targets. And that comes with a price, as any 
>software architect can tell you. And let's not forget that the main 
>charter of MAME/MESS is not actually performance/usability of the 
>emulation, but rather accuracy in emulation and a 'documentation' of 
>classic hardware.

Exactly.  They're adjusting the structure of the system while all of 
the subsystems are not keeping up with the law of the land.  This is 
a huge design flaw, but then M.E.S.S. isn't a commercial product.



>To attribute the downfall to burn-out and disorgansation is a little 
>unfair, IHMO. The project now supports so many systems that it is 
>impossible to test/verify every target after major architectural 
>changes to the core. And let's face it - the Coco is barely a blip 
>on the radar when you have Apples, Commodores and NESes to consider.

>Not sure if you're aware but there is a large effort underway by the 
>MAMEDEV team to merge the MESS code into the mainline project. IIUC, 
>it would be wise to put any grand plans of a Coco driver overhaul on 
>hold for a while until the merge is complete, or someone could 
>perhaps see their hard work obsoleted as soon as it's released.

Ouch.  It sounds like a disorganized nightmare.  I really think the 
emulator has seen its best days (for the CoCo) back around version 
.104 which was a long time ago.  I still use that version even though 
I keep trying the updates to see if things are getting better.




-- 
~ Roger Taylor