Re: A85: Saving the 85


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Re: A85: Saving the 85




I'm in, when do we start?

----------
> From: Steve Ranck <psufreak@mindless.com>
> To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org
> Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
> Date: Wednesday, August 05, 1998 9:46 AM
> 
> 
> Hey, I'm with you. My main goal is exactly what the subject says. Anybody
> else want in?
> Steve Ranck
> psufreak@mindless.com
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kaus <kaus@cybrzn.com>
> To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
> Date: Wednesday, August 05, 1998 12:12 PM
> Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
> 
> 
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: TGaArdvark@aol.com <TGaArdvark@aol.com>
> >To: assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org <assembly-85@lists.ticalc.org>
> >Date: Wednesday, August 05, 1998 1:17 AM
> >Subject: Re: A85: Saving the 85
> >
> >
> >>
> >>> We need to in a way reverse ASE or Rascall (is that
> >>> what it's called?) and get 86 emulation for the 85.
> >>
> >>As great as this sounds in theory, it's nearly impossible.
> >>The TI-85 was not made to run assembly and the ROM
> >>calls that asm programs can use are quite limited.
> >>The TI-86 has a much larger number of ROM calls, in
> >>fact almost everything is a ROM call.  TI-85 emulation
> >>just required an 86 version of the ROM call table found
> >>in ZShell.  It can't be reversed because the great
> >>majority of the calls on the 86 are not available on the
> >>85.  You'd have to put half the ROM in the shell.  And
> >>even then, TI-85 programs call the ROM through
> >>the shell.  TI-86 programs call the ROM through the
> >>ROM.  You can't change ROM.
> >
> >
> >Excellent Point.  Also, other memory locations for screen locations,
etc,
> >are all wrong. some do not even exist on the 85.  The 86 has Paged RAM,
> >which most programs for the 86 are forced to use, and therefore, it is
> >impossible for the 85 to even attempt an emulation.
> >
> >Furthermore, this is NOT a solution to our problem.  It only encourages
the
> >86 programmers, because they will have a larger market.
> >
> >What we need to do is create something entirely new that cannot be
emulated
> >right away on the 86, but that allows definitely good things only on the
> 85,
> >until someone builds an 86 version, which WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN.  But,
> >since IT will have originated on the 85, most of the programs for IT
will
> be
> >for the 85, although, when the 86 gets a port of IT, the 85 games WILL
> >spread there too, because they are the only games for IT.  This would
mean
> >much more recognition for us who program the initial programs, if only
we
> >can keep IT semi under wraps for a while, at least until IT is finished,
> and
> >a few programs are.
> >
> >This IT i am talking about is an entirely new operating system. 
Completley
> >new an almost unbased on any others.  WE will have ZShell support, and
> >probly Usgard too, and it will have relocation, most liklely Usgard
Style
> or
> >slightly enhanced for backwords compatiblity.  It will also have many
> >extended features that allow programs to not care about the system they
are
> >programing on.  We will have routines built in that allow easy link port
> >communications, and definelty routines that automatically use the
Expander.
> >That will be a major point.  We can have huge programs, becuase only
parts
> >of the program that is currently being run needs to be in RAM at any
given
> >time.  The Expander can be used to do Overlays and DLLs and such, and
also
> >for holding levels of big games that are not currently being accessed.
> With
> >512K  (or more after he may put in the 1MEG!)  we could do whatever we
> >wnated, at the price of only some speed.  Turbo may be a recomended
feature
> >for this OS, but I'll have to get me a turbo thing and see what wil
happen.
> >True, this will limit the operating system to ppl who can buy Expanders,
> but
> >it is a way through our situation.  Any of you read the "Future of
Assembly
> >Language Programming" or whatever on TI-CALC?  Well, this eliminates all
of
> >his problems pretty much.  WE can program huge programs that can do
> >spreadsheets and word processing and more.  Anything is possible.
> >
> >We really need this thing, and it will be a bit of work, but I think we
> >could pull it off if we all helped each other.
> >
> >Come on guys,  what do you say?  One last grand effort to save the TI-85
as
> >a viable programming platform?
> >
> >I say, Lets do it!!!
> >
> >Jonathan Kaus
> >kaus@cybrzn.com
> >
> >