Productivity Image / SD Card?

[leech]

So I know there is at least one very awesome image with thousands of games on it that @ParanoidLittleMan has made (and I know he has released more than that one as well).  And I know most people are interested in the ST and other older platforms for some of the fantastic gaming.

 

But I'm thinking about creating an image (for use on UltraSatan or MiST / MiSTer that is all about productivity software!  Anyone interested in such a thing?  Any suggestion on applications to use?

I kind of figured I'd start with attempting to make a compatible one, so it would have xboot, and configs for magic, plain tos, teradesk, etc.

 

Also, I assume I'll have to use one of the hard drive drivers that are not currently being sold.  So like AHDI / ICD Pro?  Most of the software I'll put on this would be in the 'abandonware' thread over at atari-forum.  I kind of started working on this with my Falcon already, but I think it might be more useful to target the ST(e). 

 

Thoughts, suggestions?  Dumb idea?

[+DarkLord]

I actually think it would be very helpful if it followed along the idea of the "Essentials software list".

 

One  SD card/image, with the best AUTO folder apps, desktop software (like you mentioned), archive/compression

software for ZIP, ARC, LZH, etc, etc, examples of the best image viewers, text readers, blah, blah, blah,....

 

All in one neat, ready to go place for new US and other mass storage device users. 

 

[Atari8guy]

I agree, I might go broader than the Essential Software list.  But having access to different setup ups, Teradesk, for example would be great for beginners.

[leech]

My thoughts were a multiboot set up.

1) plain old TOS

2) MagiC+Jinnee

3) geneva+neodesk

4) TeraDesk

 

Granted with xboot, you can configure these on the fly, but it would be great for having some default profiles.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I'm not sure that Xboot can solve boot of different OS/Shell from hard disk/SD card ...  Is that tested ? Tested with what kind of partitions ?

What seems having more chances for work is mine active C partition selection during driver start - so any of those mentioned can be set as default on C, and will run if that partition is selected as C .

So, that image should have multiple, not so large partitions. Like 6x100 MB - or up to 14 partitions (but really don't see need for so much in this case).

I can prepare empty image with my basic ACSI driver - and that works with practically all regular adapters on ACSI port - like Satandisk, UltraSatan, Gigafile, classic SCSI hard disk via ACSI-CF adapter - like Mega STE internal one. 1 GB limit should be no problem.

[leech]

26 minutes ago, ParanoidLittleMan said:

I'm not sure that Xboot can solve boot of different OS/Shell from hard disk/SD card ...  Is that tested ? Tested with what kind of partitions ?

What seems having more chances for work is mine active C partition selection during driver start - so any of those mentioned can be set as default on C, and will run if that partition is selected as C .

So, that image should have multiple, not so large partitions. Like 6x100 MB - or up to 14 partitions (but really don't see need for so much in this case).

I can prepare empty image with my basic ACSI driver - and that works with practically all regular adapters on ACSI port - like Satandisk, UltraSatan, Gigafile, classic SCSI hard disk via ACSI-CF adapter - like Mega STE internal one. 1 GB limit should be no problem.

I may end up doing it that way, but I have my Falcon set up with xboot with

1. Geneva (doesn't work with 060 yet)

2. TOS

3. Mint

4. Mint no SV

 

Gets a little tricky when some of the launch prigrams are in configs vs AUTO/CPX/(basedir), but seems to be doiable.

Biiting from seperate partitions may be a little easier for initial set up, but not as convenient for making changes, as Xboot allows you to disable various levels of things for troubleshooting.  Really is an excellent tool.

 

Edit: ha, just did a very quick check on an 'optimal SD card size' and it seema unlike when I bought my 2gb ones, that 4 or even 16gb ones are actually cheaper.  But I mean for FULL compatibility, a 16gb one would be a waste, right?  As you can do (forgive me if I am wrong, it is 1:21am here) A-Ppartitions, and 1.x TOS only supports 256mb partitions? 

Pretty sure you have said it requires 2.x to have 512mb partition support.

 

But if you want to help this along by providing an image with your driver on it for partition booting we could do it that way.  I bought your driver a while back it is awesome!  Ended up working better for me on my TT than the HDDriver I use on the Falcon.

Edited November 26, 2020 by leech

[ParanoidLittleMan]

It is C-P partitions (A and B are for floppies), so max 14 partitions.

Max partition size is 256 MB for TOS 1.00 and 1.02

512 MB for TOS 1.04-3.06 . And TOS 4.02 too.

1 GB for TOS 4.04 . Falcon only, of course.