Opening a dialogue for SpartaDOS Source Code

[ivop]

23 hours ago, mytek said:

Thank you for inspiring me

I'm glad I did

 

23 hours ago, mytek said:

Coming soon from an Atari supplier... a somewhat condensed version of your MIDImuse.

 

I appreciate very much that @ivop chose to release his MIDImuse project into the public domain. Its very nice when someone decides to do this, but not everyone should be expected to do the same. EDIT: The above design will also see a public gerber file release this Fall.

I agree that it's not an obligation, but in my experience it always leads to either nothing happens with your code (happened a lot of times to me, too), or it gets improved upon. Same with hardware designs. I really feel a bit of satisfaction about the fact that I some sort of "revived" the Atari 8-bit MIDI interface, and you picked it up, added it to the 1088XLD design, backported it to the 1088XEL, created a stand-alone version (SIO2MIDI), and now added the WaveBlaster port again Not that it matters, but I agree on your decision to drop the THRU port. And just powering it with +5V/GND, it could also be used as a stand-alone WaveBlaster host. Very cool!

 

[Tillek]

6 hours ago, Stephen said:

The ignore feature on this forum is shit because it doesn't ignore quotes.

And it only "hides" it, which is way too much temptation to see what they posted "just this once".

 

[E474]

I can hardly move for MyDos forks.

[evilmoo]

On 8/9/2020 at 1:19 PM, flashjazzcat said:

Another problem is getting the original build tools to work.

Can you tell us a little more about them?  Since they're of little interest to all but a few people would you have any problem releasing them?

[drac030]

Unless there is more out in the wild than I have, the "original build tools" consist of these files:

 

1) XASM65.EXE, or "ICD Cross Assembler", serial number #0001

2) MAKECAR.EXE

3) MAKEBIN.COM

 

The first two are MS-DOS 8086 executables and do not work on Windows. Both are written in Borland Turbo C. There is the source module for MAKECAR.EXE.

 

Also there is a source module for XASM65.EXE, named XASM65.C, but, judging from the project file XASM65.PRJ, it is only one source file out of the total of about 20 other *.C and *.H files, and apart of that one all others are missing.

 

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by drac030

[+warerat]

10 hours ago, drac030 said:

Unless there is more out in the wild than I have, the "original build tools" consist of these files:

 

1) XASM65.EXE, or "ICD Cross Assembler", serial number #0001

2) MAKECAR.EXE

3) MAKEBIN.COM

 

The first two are MS-DOS 8086 executables and do not work on Windows. Both are written in Borland Turbo C. There is the source module for MAKECAR.EXE.

 

Also there is a source module for XASM65.EXE, named XASM65.C, but, judging from the project file XASM65.PRJ, it is only one source file out of the total of about 20 other *.C and *.H files, and apart of that one all others are missing.

 

 

Interesting.  The assembler serial is the same with version 1.40 of XASM65 used to build the original MIO code.  Additionally, there is another utility (also MS-DOS) XLINK.EXE (ICD Object Linker) v1.00 that is serial #00000.

 

[Alfred]

On 5/11/2021 at 9:05 PM, Alfred said:

I'll text him and say since I never heard from him I'm going to release the code. Maybe that will get him off his ass.

Mike has responded without answering. Awaiting further responses.

[kenames99]

hey Alfred,

  thanks for the response. I was just curious if he ever had answered you.

 

Ken

[Alfred]

I spoke with Mike this afternoon. His life is in a bit of turmoil, he’s having to move on short (a week) notice among other things. He’s asked me to hold off on releasing anything until he gets settled in his new place, which should be in a couple of weeks. So we’ll see.

[kenames99]

thanks for the update Alfred.

 

[mickster]

On 8/17/2020 at 10:10 AM, mytek said:

It's been long overdue since I last contacted him, so I'll send off an email today and pass your greetings on to him.

 

Oh yeah he definitely knows about that, and has a U1MB I swapped for another that was already fully loaded. As I said he didn't seem the least bit upset about what's been happening with SDX, and is completely aware that it's being bundled into these devices. Not sure where he stands on SDX being sold stand-alone in a cart, but then most of that money has mainly been directed at paying for the materials and the assembly of such, and not about making a profit off of the SDX itself.

 

Mike's become a part of urban legend over the years with people claiming that he ripped them off back in the FTE days. However I strongly suspect that much of the stories of such have been greatly inflated. I was one of the very few people that had pre-paid for his infamous Mars8 board, but when that didn't materialize we worked out a trade (my suggestion) of other OSS/ICD products to more than compensate me. In the end I actually made out very well for my investment.

 

When I hear about other ventures not panning out and people never getting what they paid for up front, whatever Mike may or may not have done in the distant past pales in comparison.

 

Understood . I just didn't want people confusing this as being abandoned-ware which they could do whatever they please with. Mike paid a lot to acquire the rights legally from ICD, and certainly deserves recognition of such. I do see that FTE is still credited in the boot-up sequence of SDX, which is great.

 

SDX has obviously evolved due to others efforts, so the original source code will no longer apply. However I can ask Mike if he might still have that source and if he would be willing to release it for historical and comparative reasons.

 

bumping a old thread as I read through old posts about ICD's MIO product.

 

What was the mars8 board?

 

Not trying to stir up controversy, just curious what that product was supposed to be.

 

mickey

[+David_P]

As I recall from seeing it at the Toronto Atari Fest 30 or so years ago:

 

A board with a '816 CPU with extended RAM, built in SDX, R-Time 8, Basic XL, Action, MAC/65...

[+mytek]

4 hours ago, David_P said:

As I recall from seeing it at the Toronto Atari Fest 30 or so years ago:

 

A board with a '816 CPU with extended RAM, built in SDX, R-Time 8, Basic XL, Action, MAC/65...

It basically was and did what the U1MB does now days, and even a bit more in some aspects since it could run the OSS banked languages in a selectable fashion. Of course it also had its limitations due to the time frame when it was developed and not benefitting from great programmers like FJC and his most excellent U1MB BIOS. I believe it was also expandable up to 4 MB via plug-in SIMM modules. However the 816 was running at the stock speed and not accelerated, but I suspect it could access part of the expanded memory in a linear fashion.