tschak909 Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Hello all. I'm Thom Cherryhomes, the systems operator and shared shitless leader for IRATA.ONLINE. IRATA.ONLINE's website is here: http://www.irata.online/ IRATA.ONLINE is a PLATO system that has been set up, to be targeted toward the greater scope of the retro computing communities, and to this end, not only am I providing a place for everybody with vintage computers to log into, I am trying to foster the following: * Terminal programs. IRATA.ONLINE uses a very special ASCII based protocol (and boy do we use every single character, even the control characters!) to provide not just text, but graphics, touch screen interaction, color, and other unique features. So, systems wanting to access need their own terminal program. To this end, I provide on the website, not only a complete protocol description, I also provide TWO example terminal programs written in plain C to show the needed protocol and example display implementations. The official terminal program for PC, Mac, and Linux also has source code too, so this can be used as a reference...A very enthusiastic programmer can provide a terminal for the TI 99 in very short time, perhaps even F18A enhanced for greater screen resolution and color fidelity. * Hardware access devices - I am trying to consolidate, as well as foster development of vintage computer TCP access devices, so that they can connect to this service. Such a project is already underway for Atari 8-bit systems to provide a complete interface that plugs directly into the serial I/O port without any additional hardware. * Provide author and systems staff access to anyone interested. I need help to run this thing, and we need content, this system was literally designed to foster not only content, but social interaction around creating said content! We can leverage this to create a truly unique experience that you just can't get anywhere else. * Tell people about this thing. I am hosting regular google meets to show people how this thing works, from every angle, from the user, to the author, to the systems staff. I want people to see just how unique this system really is. It sure beats running a BBS! The next meet is today (Saturday, March 31, 2018), at 9pm to 11pm CDT, on Google meet. Details on top of the site. The following meet is tomorrow (April 1, 2018), at 4pm to 6pm CDT, on Google Meet, details again, on top of the site. If anyone wants to come, please do. Enthusiastically, -Thom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 The TI-99/4A actually has had a standalone implementation of PLATO since 1982. Lessons were built on the Control Data terminal machines using the TUTOR language and then output from the system as standalone packages for the /4A (the /4A just needed a disk system and the PLATO cartridge to run them). It was one of the only PLATO implementations back then that didn't need the mainframes and terminals to run the lessons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 Yes, There was a MicroTUTOR resident that was made for the 99. What I would like to do, is to help foster a functional resident for the TI 99 4A to connect to IRATA.ONLINE (or the other extant PLATO system, cyber1.org). I am extremely familiar with the ASCII protocol, and can help with the ins and outs of the protocol. What I am not familiar with, is the peculiarities of providing connectivity options that will be beneficial to the most 99/4A users possible, and the intricacies of the 9918 and its cousins. The benefits to doing this, far outweigh any negatives, and will provide an aspect of the PLATO experience that you couldn't get with MicroTUTOR (by the same token, MicroTUTOR offered its own unique possibilities that were simply not possible on Central PLATO at the time.) If you guys want to see what this system can do, ping me, I can jump on Google Meet, and run through the entire system, from top to bottom, both of the integral capabilities of PLATO, as well as the customizations that I've made to my running instance, and WHY this system is relevant, WHY it would be beneficial to the retro computing community, and WHY I need help to bring this service to its intended audience, for the freest possible definition of free, mind you. I have also scheduled two google meets this next Saturday and Sunday, details are on the site, to introduce the system and its capabilities. I want every single branch of the retro-computing community to be able to access this thing on their native machines, and I will bend over backwards to facilitate this. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moocowmoo Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) Interesting to see how things changed from the original to the TI-99/4A version. Edited April 5, 2018 by moocowmoo 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 5, 2018 Author Share Posted April 5, 2018 Oh wow, that's awesome. -Thom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moocowmoo Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 To get to where I took those screenshots, press g at the main menu, then type 0gbrouter and press enter. Press enter again to get to the main menu, then choose option "b... descriptions of clusters". That seems to have everything from disks PHD 5201-PHD 5264. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moocowmoo Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Now THIS is interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 6, 2018 Author Share Posted April 6, 2018 I am amazed that the FAA system still has PCD2. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 6, 2018 Author Share Posted April 6, 2018 Ok, I've dug into PCD2, and while it's there, it shouldn't be run. at all. While files can still be made with it, the PCD2 authoring system has "year" issues, and won't work much beyond approximately 1986, it looks like. I verified this by creating a nameset to the PCD2 specifications, and going into the environment. While editing appears to work, the authoring environment will crash at different points in the program, corrupting ECS and CM, and leave the system in an unusable state (nobody can log on). The only fix is to literally stop MASTOR, idle NAM, unlock, checkpoint the system, step, shut down, and do a fresh deadstart of the machine. I will ask anyone who is on IRATA to PLEASE not use PCD2, as its crashes literally affect everybody on the system. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moocowmoo Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 Ok, I've dug into PCD2, and while it's there, it shouldn't be run. at all. While files can still be made with it, the PCD2 authoring system has "year" issues, and won't work much beyond approximately 1986, it looks like. I verified this by creating a nameset to the PCD2 specifications, and going into the environment. While editing appears to work, the authoring environment will crash at different points in the program, corrupting ECS and CM, and leave the system in an unusable state (nobody can log on). The only fix is to literally stop MASTOR, idle NAM, unlock, checkpoint the system, step, shut down, and do a fresh deadstart of the machine. I will ask anyone who is on IRATA to PLEASE not use PCD2, as its crashes literally affect everybody on the system. -Thom So it works with the date set back to before 1986? If anyone else wants to try figuring out how to use this, download your own copy of CYBIS at http://www.control-data.info/CybisRelease.html so we don't crash IRATA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted April 6, 2018 Share Posted April 6, 2018 That is some very useful information on PCD2. Based on some data I tracked down in another thread, it also appears that a version of PTERM for the TI also existed (and a copy of that survived as well--Klaus has it). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 14, 2018 Author Share Posted April 14, 2018 I've scheduled two more Google meets for: Saturday, April 14th, 10am to 12pm Sunday, April 15th, 10am to 12pm Details on the website. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 17, 2018 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 Next IRATA.ONLINE meets are on Apr 21, and Apr 22, at 10am to 12pm CDT for both days. Google Meet links on http://www.irata.online/ I want to talk to TI-99 programmers, to try and get a terminal written for these machines, as I am very familiar with the protocol, as I am finishing an Android implementation. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kl99 Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 there is a lot of terminal software for the TI-99. there is also emulation of a TI 820 and a TI 911 Terminal. Nevertheless I assume you are talking about a specific TE. with my 99/8 unit came a lot of software from the former owner and TI employee who was involved in testing Plato software it seems. I guess you have the Plato Terminal Emulator Software there to download from my preserved and shared disk images. both d021 and d036 are featuring the software: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/247627-ti-998-and-more-collection-it-arrived/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3412128 BR Klaus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kl99 Posted April 19, 2018 Share Posted April 19, 2018 a pic of the welcome screen is here http://atariage.com/forums/topic/247627-ti-998-and-more-collection-it-arrived/page-3?do=findComment&comment=3411906 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 19, 2018 Author Share Posted April 19, 2018 Yup, it looks like indeed, this is the PLATO terminal. I have it running in mame, but I am needing to install it on linux, so I can do a bridge with tcpser (trying to use rxtx and ti image tool is proving to be a major pain in the ass, under windows.) -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 so ok I loaded this in EA and set the rs232 settings to 8n2400 as that's what my modem likes.. I can dial and it connects to my bbs.. so that works.. there seems to be zero handshaking so I'm going to slow it down to 1200 So now what is there something I can dial into over telnet? or modem? I can hook up a courier if need be. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Ok i figured out how to get on with your telnet info off fb The first pic was with the disk36 program 1200 8n1 then I switched to the disk21 7e1 and was able to login Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Ok i figured out how to get on with your telnet info off fb The first pic was with the disk36 program 1200 8n1 then I switched to the disk21 7e1 and was able to login Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk Heres 36 w 7e1 Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 Here's the same view from MAME: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+9640News Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Does this mean the Plato terminal emulation needs for the TI-99/4A have been met? Sounds like it. Beery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 Well, it needs work, particularly: (1) implementation of software flow control (XON/XOFF), so that faster speeds can be done. PLATO did not implement hardware flow control. (2) Definite protocol mismatches due to possibly incorrect terminal type. The Atari terminal definition had been replaced by Macintosh in the intervening years, so we had to change the terminal type that the cartridge reported to IST-III. Something similar will need to be done here. (3) the bottom 4 or so lines are cropped from the terminal output. Not sure what to do here. I do think a new terminal implementation would be worth doing, and I will help anyone who wishes to do so, there are tons of useful documentation on the website to this end, as well as two sample C implementations. -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+9640News Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Can anyone comment whether the C implementations mentioned have many/much/nil issues with the current C compilers for the TI-99/4A and/or Geneve? I realize the RS232 interface would need some work. Just curious if our C compilers we have can handle that code. Beery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 They should be compilable with gcc. It's very standard C89. (The code was written in 1990). The MacPAD implementation is notable because the protocol decoding (pad.c) is seperate from the computer specific bits (in the MacPAD) folder, it was originally written in ThinkC, but it should be compilable in gcc. And failing that, I've implemented a protocol decoder on github for a friend working on the commodore 128 implementation that compiles in gcc and cc65: https://github.com/tschak909/platoterm128/blob/master/protocol.c -Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tschak909 Posted April 22, 2018 Author Share Posted April 22, 2018 Ok, I've now moved the meets to a self hosted service running on the same server as the main service: https://meet.irata.online/demomeet This will be used starting with the demo meet, tomorrow. Links on the website have been updated. -Thom p.s. would really like to see some TI users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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