[Coco] DW4 Turbo 230kb mode was : Eureka!

[Christopher Smith]

So far I see two problems here.  Bill's "myth that OS-9 is a programmer's OS" may not be a myth.  I don't mean this in a bad way as Bill seems to.  It's just that since I've gotten serious about writing code and started to look once more at this system, I see a certain brilliance behind it that is far and away greater than what I previously have seen.  So, I think it certainly is as much of a programmer's system as anything can be, even if it is also a good system for others, which I think it is.  The myth is that programmers and non-programmers can't use the same software.  Maybe this is a bit of a semantic distinction.

Next, Al has been writing CoCo software for years, but thinks the OS-9 build process is for geeks and doesn't like to do it.  I was going to ask what other types of people would still use a machine that was completely de-supported by the manufacturer in the 80s or early 90s.  Yes, at this point it probably is for geeks.  That's not necessarily a bad thing, and it doesn't mean that each of us have to enjoy working with these machine is precisely the same way.  Still, to suggest that writing code or installing an OS on one of these systems is a "geek" pursuit while still using them to play games or run word processors is not, well that seems to be a bit of a pot vs. kettle problem.  By all means, I think people should make things as easy to use as possible.  It widens the audience for the project, and it saves some people a good bit of time.  The only point is that we're not all that different here regardless of what we're doing still using a computer platform that was designed in the 70s. :)

Chris

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aaron Wolfe" <aawolfe at gmail.com>
> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Sent: Thursday, September 19, 2013 10:07:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [Coco] DW4 Turbo 230kb mode was : Eureka!
> 
> On Thu, Sep 19, 2013 at 10:52 PM, Al Hartman
> <alhartman6 at optonline.net> wrote:
> > I in fact did offer something, which I was told was not far from
> > what is
> > being worked on.
> >
> > And, someone else posted the same sentiment.
> >
> > I've only had my Coco back up and running for a couple days, and
> > haven wired
> > up a DW cable yet. Give me a couple of weeks to pull my setup
> > together, and
> > I'll have some serious thoughts, once I catch up to the "state of
> > the art."
> >
> >
> 
> I apologize for overreacting.  Great to hear you have your Coco back
> up and running.
> As noted, there are efforts underway by NitrOS9 users and hackers to
> improve the system.
> Hopefully you will give it a whirl someday.
> 
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> 

-- 
Christopher Smith
Systems Engineer, Wolfram Research