[Coco] [Color Computer] The evolution of the Coco..

[John R. Hogerhuis]

On Fri, 2005-04-22 at 13:49 -0600, Glen VanDenBiggelaar wrote:
> 
> John, just to clairify what I am saying,
> And I don't want to start a fight,
> Probably about 90% of people who read this board, run MESS or some kind of 
> Emulater on thier machines at home, This is why I think emulation is 
> redundant and the cheap and "easy" way out.

Well I don't run MESS, I prefer to run my vintage Coco hardware. And now
that Boisy ported NoICE to the Coco, it's probably a better idea to use
NoICE for testing your software since it's a more realistic environment.

But if a Coco 4 was designed around a modern embedded CPU, then that
would be the real CPU. The emulation would just be for parts we can't
get any more, compatibiltiy with Coco 3. The analog is more to a MM/1
but with modern components, and the ability to run all Coco stuff and
connect all coco hardware.

> I am not refuring to you as a "Fanboy" but 98% of Linux users out there are, 
> and I can't open up a tech magazine, read a message board or even go up to a 
> Tech site these day without having Linux cramed in my face. This has been 
> going on for the last 3  to 5 years and Linux is no more popular then as it 
> is now, but every day, I see all the propaganda for a movent that seems to 
> be going nowhere. This is probably the number 1 reason why I won't touch 
> Linux, because its becoming like a Religious cult.

Religious cult? Sweet Jesus, what mainstream computing mailing list am I
posting on? I *suggest* using anything other than a 6809 and I get my
head bitten off. No "religious" issues here...

Anyway, your opinion of Linux is not really relevant... OS prejudices
for/against are not my concern. *I* use Debian every day (and right now)
and it has great utility for me, it's free, and it's market share is
increasing whether you believe it or not.

But that wasn't my point. the Linux kernnel is already integrated on all
kinds of hardware, so it could form a base of system support for a Coco
4. But there are other options. The coco doesn't even have an operating
system, just a BASIC BIOS ROM. 

For me the best technology choices are made on the basis of
requirements, not religion. One should try to say "what do I want the
system to do" not start out with pre-conceived notions about *how* to
implement it. Economic realities will force you to make the choices.

> Its not a knee jerk reaction, but just an opinion. I don't want to buy a 
> Pick up truck, then try to emulate a Porche. I want the real thing. Thats 
> why I won't use MESS, when I have a huge collection of real CoCo's around. 


False analogy I think... I'm not suggesting replacing your Coco 3 with
an emulator. I'm suggesting a successor computer with backwards
compatibility via emulation. Your Coco 3 will still be there. No one is
trying to sneak MESS or any other emulator in through the back door. 

> Its like buying No-Name Beer. close too the real thing, but just a bit off.
> I say just stick with nitrOS-9.

> them again. Just look at the Z80, its still being used in printers and such 
> today, its still a profitable chip, because companies are still buying it. 
> If Motorola gets enough demand for a "new" 6809, they will make one.

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one... Motorola/Freescale has moved on
from the 6809 a *long* time ago, so the market if there was one for an
embedded 6809 died long ago or moved to the other Motorola
microcontrollers.

-- John.



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