(C) RAY / AURYN / CPU
SOME THOUGHTS inspired READING
Electronic Journals
After reading nemeryannom number
electronic media, we can notice two
Topics disputes and thought: 1) SPECCY dies, on what platform
to move? 2) If we have so many cool coders, the
why so little steep domestic
soft 'as well (especially the game)? 3)
How to be SPECTRUM 'at?
In this connection there are the following
thoughts:
Somehow someone somewhere noticed that
SPECCY - computer for the young, and was
rights. Usually age working on it
according to recent polls, on average,
about 20 years. Typically, these are people who leave school or
go to school in the early courses of universities. As for care
of people with SPECCY, then it is a natural process in the
sense that people grow up, graduate schools,
they have a job, and they can not pay SPECTRUM 'have much time
much earlier. Such a critical "transitional" age can be defined
somewhere in region of 24-26 years. Here and go to
the scene when something loud and well-known names.
Remember 5-6 years ago, whose names you
seen in intr'ah? Where today are those people?
Bye-bye! And who today? Whew! Scene
lives. Someone leaving, someone new comes up. Ce la vie.
Everything flows, everything changes - New team, new
programming technologies, new programs - not to say it because
SPECCY alive? And what He bends, it seems to me, shouting only
those who decided to throw with him, so some traders soft 'th.
What is with regards to transition to another
platform, the issue is more disturbing
those who just finished college and began thinking about his
future (which, in general, rulez). And if this person
chooses his profession working programmer (computer operators,
etc.), then, alas, the only road to it - on the PC: - (/ if, of
course, he did not get a TV-studio, where often you can meet
and AMMY . Unfortunately, PC today only
platform on which to make money
- These things the truth of life, and nowhere on it does not
get to. And in general, for example, I talk about the
transition from SPECCY to another platform puzzling. And what
for somewhere to go? SPECCY - especially complex
Home, PC - working (but those who
believe that it is home, admit to
According to Arny, "BIIG MISTAKE", and I
they frankly sorry), AMIGA - rulez, but
few who have access to it. I
have access to any of these components, and I
do not put some of them above the rest.
For the PC I'm sitting at work, at play or AMMY
watch the demo or just listen at Mouzon
colleagues in the TV-studio, SPECTRUM, as
be, standing at home and used as
just like a home computer: the play and
newspapers read, and look at the demo and muzonchiki listen
and, finally, something its create, knowing that it is someone
else, apart from me, you need to.
And now some thoughts about
Software. Reading SPECTRUM 'ovsky press, one can often come
across such a dilemma: the We have such cool coders (based on
dem) poidee should overwhelm users coolest
the games / well, west, tremble! /, And in fact
home games once or twice and obchelsya (although
that there is - THE BEST). I think,
Unlike the case in a coding pritsipialnom
demos and game. Thus, to get tough
effect, or high performance in
the demo is almost always used to horseradish
memory, which is unacceptable in a game prog. Not to mention
that today is a waypoint game alone do hard to / though real
example: our dearest NICODIM or Slavik St. Petersburg /
create a workable command is not
always possible. As for the level
skill of our coders, it is unlikely that he
higher than the "branded" / same CODE
MASTERS, at least. It is unlikely that they did not know
and the methods of fast graphics, etc.
They just all this was not necessary, since
they wrote the game, not demos. And why
few domestic games - or simply do not
have the patience to finish the job, or
people grow to a critical age
(See above). As for the possibility of
make the production of soft 'and for
SPECCY, it's not even funny, because
costs and all this fuss with its spread itself simply does not
justify. Already Today, many trader 's become
swapp 'jers. And "the market" soft 'and now
rests only on the exchange. Trader 's proceeds only enough
money for new (?) Floppy yes on postage. As for the proceeds
from the sale of copyright soft 'And then you can say one thing
- it's not serious! No such protection can not be removed, and
the spread of broken programs - Barbarism. In some of the
magazines I subtracted, as earned fame by selling Mednonogov
UFO-II. Today, any Software on the PC, who knows at least
Pascal or Fox Base, one month can earn twice as many. True,
Glory got what not to buy at any price - fame and recognition
throughout huge SPECTRUM 'ovsky audience. So
if you do something serious to
SPECCY, then most likely you'll become famous, not rich. That
Think before you start a new
superproject what you want ...
Continuing this theme and want to speak about the demos.
Do I need to their release or not? Honestly, I have
me are just laugh lines at the other
demos such as "... The full version will be completely
rewritten engine, a lot of cool graphics and music, etc., etc."
or instead of the game was given just the intro (especially, I
dragged from the demo version of "Tic-tac-toe!). Similarly,
some OVERFILE "thrown" half the country. Why the so
deme surrendered? What it shows?
"I, Vasya Kurochkin, I'll write a cool prog,
all of you to pull! Glory to me, the great !...". But in fact
80% of the demos so established and remain. I think the demo
should be available when the program is written in full, but
not, for example, intro, final cut, not fully written
additional levels, but the engine worked out. And it must be
produced to draw attention to what has been done, and not
planned. As a demo can be represented by one level of the game,
having a logical conclusion. Something
like demos DUNE-2 or DOOM, though
the latter is called the pre-relise, it
more like to debug beta -
version. Innovations in the full version, of course, should be,
but they should not be very much, since the best is the enemy
of the good.
I would like to stay at vkratse
prospects SPECTRUM 'as well. That
As for hardware, I agree
with the thoughts expressed in the journal "FLASH
TIME ". Shadow RAM instead of ROM - it's cool!" Then we can do
and serzno softmaking 'om - its DOS and unique
sutured. Try to break it! On my own like
would add one more thing. Judging from the revisions, many
people want to get out of a cheap analogue SPECCY AMIG 'and.
And why not? Sound Card GENERAL SOUND already buy and connect.
It now remains to create a video processor, which you could
connect to a computer without a significant alterations. Then
we would have SPECCY would AMMY flexibility and open
architecture PC. Having SPECTRUM-128 (better PENTAGON-512
because of the architecture, ob'ema memory and speed), we could
save for the sound card, and then eventually connect video
processor (or vice versa). Why so? Yes, because SPECTRUM
computer purely domestic, and hence, by 90% game! And as you
know, even the lousy game console have more than one percent.
So why SPECCY must be worse? Then do not need to be more
powerful processor, Z80 is quite cope. A 16 colors for
home-computer is enough. Wishing to consider images in 16
million colors can offer AMIGA or PC. A schedule of topics and
SPECCY is good, that it You can draw by hand, but not scanned.
But I digress ... Ideally, good would have been if based
PENTAGON 'and was developed a "mother" with a standard
COM-port system raz'emami where
all the bells and whistles, and insert (a la PC).
Then, for the price and ob'emah SPECTRUM 'ovsky soft' and could
compete for user.
Waugh, dreaming! But we must try
imagine what is missing SPECCY, and
that can realistically be done. So, the two paramount issues
SPECTRUM 'a - Graphics and music. Trying to find acceptable
solution ... So, SUPER SPECTRUM: - Processor Z80 (we do not
need 16-bit - he was so stronger than the other consoles / no
We poke a finger / maybe turbo - ticks in int 'e - as in
Pentagon 'and - RAM - 512 IPA, addressing
the same as switching pages - port # 7FFD;
- ROM - 2 IPA - a routine reading of 0-th track in the memory
and system test - nothing more is needed. (Why
so? Elementary: enabled computer, uploaded
YOUR system up and running! A softmaker 's
as well - each program has its own
DOS! Burglary of, say, losing games
every sense - a single DOS, as such,
No - so ...); - further - RAM;
- Everything that is connected with the screen depends on
GPU - video processor, the hardware supports screen output
sprites, scrolling, etc. Screens
320H200 resolution, 16 colors or 8 colors and 2 gradations of
brightness / and if both of these regime, at least be able to
choose - GOOD! / - For the home-com is quite enough. The size
of the graphics is quite tolerable - the sound processor. Usage
fees GENERAL SOUND possible, but it seems to me, not as the
base audio device. This fee plays digital sounds and what is
their volume? As the basic unit
you need something simpler, but with sound
better than the "naked" AY, and, naturally,
running parallel to / and for emulating
Need AY of course! / - A standard COM
- Port - a standard LPT - port - drive, m. b. screw. Problems
of OS - see above - the system connectors for extensions -
completely open architecture. This is one of the paramount
condition for success in a computer in Russia. If look at the
history of computers in our country, what are the most
common? Correctly - SPECTRUM and
PC. Why? Elementary - they can collect what is called "on his
knee and earn money. That is why the Russia from SPECTRUM -
compatible machines can be much more likely to find it
PENTAGON, a not SCORPION. Where to compete
Mesons with the vast army of our
craftsmen ... Here is an example of life: a few years ago in
Rybinsk there were such a firm "VILS". So, these guys for a
couple of years had stopped all Yaroslavl and Kostroma region
partly improvised PENTAGON 's. What do you think all those
who bought their computers would have gone to
Mesons? I also think there is. In our
country, in my opinion is easier to sell kits
such as "Gather the computer itself," with base
(Main circuit) must be fully
open and, moreover, easily repeatable
of domestic components (to our
craftsmen to make repairs at home
conditions). And that with regards to commerce, the
commercially profitable to produce components (for example:
payment company itself may make any, and the chip, say, ULA
You can buy into such a firm), or all sorts of "gadgets" (sound
and video cards, modems, etc.). The main thing is that it All
you can plug into a free slot computer and it immediately
worked. Here therefore necessary to develop first some
standards.
And also in general would be BEST'ovo if there was a
switch by which all of the above would be transformed into,
say, PENTAGON 128 + TR DOS 5. 04T + AY (not necessarily the
hardware - good enough emulation).
And of course, with minimal configuration, it's all fun
must be not more than $ 80.
Why such a configuration?
Yes, because it is just such a machine today may actually
discourage users from consoles. I worked for a firm where those
consoles sold nemeryannom quantity, and good to explore the
needs and the psychology of buyers. What is the potential
buyer, who came in store? Young people 15-18 years old who
wants to buy a computer? That's really the pipes! This is
usually my mother, at least - Dad, with children aged 10-14
years. And they want to buy her a daze "... something on which
You can play and (more rarely) to learn
programming. "In this case, they may belmesa not savvy with
computers. So they choose - DENDY, where to insert the
cartridge - and play, or SPECCY, where a table of English words
have to seek some political TR-DOS (!), then something else to
type. In principle, had already does not reach. Already heard
unintelligible words, buyer takes DENDY and leaves happy, what
else and save money. But yet appeared DENDY with PC - this
keyboard (SYUBOR). And people are ... buy, certain that this
computer. As would not be in the bay ... And now
imagine that our SUPER SPECTRUM there. The more difficult it is
to use, What console? And nothing - put a disc,
Reset pressed - and play! Floppy disks - 10 times
cheaper cartridges, games - 2-5 times! Want to learn to program
- no problem! Z80 is the best 8-bit processor!
All vyshekazannoe is only my
Personal views and not on your nelly not claim to ultimate
truth. I will be glad to hear from other readers
on the issues raised, as well as competent opinion
"zhelezyachnikov" possible and the desire to practical
implementation of the above fantasies.
After all, if not us, then who?
In Germany, a project of the "People's Car". Why would
Russia do not receive the draft "National Computer"?
P. S.
I apologize for some repetition
thoughts came at different times of day and night.
P. P. S.
It is rumored that some of the above is implemented in a
computer Sprinter. I would like to get more
detailed information on the subject of
competent people.
