[Coco] Coco4..Who needs it? I do.

[Paul E. Jones]

Carlos, et al,

I've struggled with this question since I saw it proposed some time ago.  On
the one hand, I'd love to have the kind of machine that enabled be to
tinker, learn, and have fun like I did years ago.  On the other hand, the
reason that the CoCo was so appealing then was that a PC was impossible for
me to afford and, well, that's not the case now.  I have a few PCs now, some
with Windows and others with Linux.

All of these things listed below are already available on the PC (or a Mac),
though #6 is definitely a CoCo carry-over.

I'd like to ask:
 Why would folks want another CoCo?
 Do folks want something more akin to the Amiga?
 Or do folks just want a better PC than today's PC?
 Do folks want to create a computing platform where people
   can learn about computers?
 Do folks want something compatible with the CoCo or
   a new kind of computer that "captures the imagination"?

As a parent of a teenager who'd love to get his son involved in computers,
I'll tell you the one thing that I really miss: the ability to simply create
software.  I loved how the CoCo started in BASIC mode: the machine was
designed for programming from the start.  I can't get my son interested in
any form of programming. All of the languages seem to complex, in his eyes.
If I gave him a CoCo, he would not be interested: he could not share his
creations with anybody else.  I believe the ability to share creations is
important.

What I think would be really cool is to have a "coco4.exe" on Windows that
would load a "CoCo Environment" and, when one double-clicked on
"whatever.coco", it would execute the program with the CoCo environment --
much like Java programs.  But, the CoCo environment would be one that is
similar, but far better than what the CoCo 3 could offer.  It would be an
environment where one could create software easily, yet have the power to be
useful commercially.  Perhaps the window might open with a familiar flashing
cursor and a basic mode.  The graphics could be constrained to a default,
fixed window size, but it would be reasonable to allow the programmer to
utilize all available graphics up to and including "full screen".  Perhaps
some legacy CoCo screen modes could be provided, too.

I guess I am less interested in the hardware aspects as I am the
programmable environment-- but that's because I'm a software guy.  That
said, there might be a business opportunity here in creating hardware
specially designed to work in the "CoCo Environment", much like hardware
that plugged into the MPI.  What would that hardware be?  I don't know, but
I have no doubt that folks here would come up with all sorts of ideas.

What I'm definitely less interested in is having yet another physical
PC-type device occupying desk space in my house.  Whatever I put in my son's
room would also have to be something he can use for school; the CoCo
environment would only be a plus to his learning more about computers.  I
think most people would be that way.  So, as ugly as it might seem, I think
building something that expands on the existing Windows PC would be the best
way to go and would be the only commercially viable way to go.

Paul

> -----Original Message-----
> From: coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com [mailto:coco-
> bounces at maltedmedia.com] On Behalf Of Carlos Santiago
> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:30 AM
> To: coco at maltedmedia.com
> Subject: [Coco] Coco4..Who needs it? I do.
> 
> I believe that it is time for a more advanced Coco. The coco3 is
> great, but there are some features and capabilities that could be
> added.
> 
> For example, if a new Coco was developed with a newer, faster, or
> different processor. It could still run all the legacy software in an
> emulated mode. Furthermore, the new coco could be integrated into an
> FPGA. This would allow some really cool features to be added. Here are
> some ideas:
> 
> 1. Higher resolution graphics with more colors and support for VGA
> monitors.
> 
> 2. Network connections (ethernet and Wi Fi).
> 
> 3. Additional I/O such as USB.
> 
> 4. A PS/2 or USB  keyboard with key mappings for the Coco.
> 
> 5. New peripherals including a USB mouse, digitizer pad, USB keys and
> hard drives.
> 
> 6. The multipack interface could be integrated into the system along
> with the floppy controller.
> 
> 
> 
>   I would like to see an effort similar to the work that Steve Bjork
> is working on but with a real goal of have working hardware in the
> next 3 to 6 months. This may be a tough goal, but with the right
> people involved, I think it maybe possible.
> 
> Consider this:
> 
> A motherboard that can be installed into a PC chassis that includes
> the following:
> 
> A high performance Processor (hardware or emulated in an FPGA)
> 
> Standard memory DIMMs with SDRAM (DDR1 or DDR2).
> 
> An FPGA with the enhanced graphics and I/O capability.
> 	-Support for all standard Coco1,2,3 graphics modes.
> 	-Hires graphics (320x200, 640 x 480, 800x600, etc) with 256 or
> more
> colors.
> 	-USB controller and hub.
> 	-IDE interface.
> 	-Multipack emulation.
> 	-Standard Coco 6bit sound.
> 	-Enhanced Sound controller with multiple channels.
> 
> Slots for the ROM packs and/or additional I/O cards.
> VGA output .
> CoCo joystick interfaces.
> USB interfaces.
> IDE interface for a hard disk.
> User selectable setup for system to boot directly into disk basic or a
> different OS from the hard disk.
> PC keyboard and mouse support with Coco Keyboard mappings.
> 
> Carlos Santiago
> 
> 
> 
> 
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