Today, our companions will be people trying to make a
technical revolution in the world Spectrum. And they obviously
have weighed his chances. But it best to judge you, dear
readers. A until the present you Nikolay Noskov, CEO of Peters
and the head Project Sprinter, as well as Ivan Makarchenko,
specialist firm Peters and developer of the new
computer. Went to meet them, we
decided to leave alone the technical issues, and
hear from the creators of the prospects who are waiting for a
new car that bears the working title Sprinter.
Spectrum Progress: Nick, tell me what Sprinter may attract
users in the near future, there is not even written by its
advanced software mode?
Nikolay Noskov: Even now, when using traditional
Spectrum'a, you can use a whole megabyte of RAM. That is, you
use 256 kilobytes, as usual, for example, Scorpion or something
else and the remaining memory is organized as
ramdisk at more than 800 kilobytes.
This is actually the capacity of one floppy disk. You all
diskette there are resetting and this disc works just fine.
Then, if you want to write the contents of the floppy disk.
SP: It seems to have done on MBytes
Profi ...
NN: M-m-m ... Thus, Sprinter has
really working ramdisk. Now.
There is a graphics accelerator and it just
You can use ...
SP: There is a view video accelerator?
NN: It's not quite video accelerator, it is even
incorrectly. This is an accelerator-screen operations
core and video RAM. It speeds up the operation as
mainly RAM and a video RAM. That is, if
you write a program, you first, use
clock frequency of 14 MHz (and the program will already be
rotate faster), and secondly can use the features accelerator:
transmittals the use of tables accelerator to convert from one
format to another ...
Ivan Makarchenko: That is recoding the symbol table.
NN: Yes. Very convenient for a text editor ... Besides all
this, making, for example, game for conventional Spectrum'a its
small screen, you can, considering the inclusion of more modes
high resolution on the part of which is occupied by border'om.
There you can make a nice frame or display additional
information. Even in this version of the program will be more
interesting than a standard Spectrum'e, and the work requires
programmers to the relatively small. It is only necessary to
provide option to run your Games Sprinter'e.
SP: This is what we talked about new software, and how things
are going with the old, already grown fond games? That is,
whether provided by the compatibility level comparable with the
level of compatibility of the same Scorpion?
NN: What do you mean - Scorpion ... As far as I
I know from Scorpion just disgusting compatibility with
Pentagon'om. Not every game It goes ...
SP: By the way at the time were some of the disputes
existing machines closest to the ZX-Spectrum.
NN: In this dispute, we do not want to get involved. Y
We will provide various options for the port configuration.
Regardless of whether under that written program, under the
Scorpion or the Pentagon, it can be used. Enable the desired
mode configuration and work. We have solved the problem
like this. In order not tormented, deciding who
are holier than the Pope ...
MI: Schematic configuration of ports allows for four choices,
if I is a 128-ROM and eight, if - 256-I.
HH: Well, eight, as I understand it, nobody needs - we do not
have a lot of formats, computers ... In general, the problem we
have decided the case, so all existing software, except tied to
various tricks (such as Shadow monitor) should work. Well, we
hold, of course, tests. Now a lot of programs focused on
something or otherwise. For example, recoverable in a few
Logros'e hundreds of floppy disks and see what would have
worked as a computer with all kinds of programs. You may also
like take part in testing that would confirm later that yes,
indeed found fairly complete compatibility, or vice versa -
incompatibility. This must be done publicly to doubt themselves
transgressed Saboya. Let bring with them a diskette that is not
screaming that we altered the program ... Or carry out
independent tests. Floppy disk to arrive in the sealed box :-),
guarded by special :-)), Commission will reveal its :-)))...
Vobschem question compatibility principle for us and we pay him
much attention.
SP: Yes, it is already clear. And how are you going
to solve this problem: users are not sure
that programmers will write new programs
for Sprinter'a and therefore questioned whether
buy it, and programmers are not sure
users will buy this computer and
doubt that their programs will pay off. As
cut this knot?
HH: This node is cut ...
SP: Simple?
NN: M-m-m ... Generally speaking, this problem
somewhat artificially, I think so ...
SP: And yet with what you want to start?
NN: We want to start a comprehensive manner. Because
when the computer is finally ready ...
Indeed do a preliminary stage, when we
We are confident that the computer is running as
expect, before it goes into a series of
we will conduct extensive outreach company among programmers
and consumers. I say that we already have a small queue
on this computer. We have a few months
simple hand twist, they say, when we can
buy ... So ... The question of whether
buy it? Will! Because about half of the
those who wish - Scorpion'ov owners who
heard about a new computer and want to surrender their
machines to buy our product.
The only thing that interests them, whether the program
compatibility. Well, of course - will shadow monitor.
MI: So you got used here.
HH: Yeah, they got used to it ... With the shadow, we monitor
the issue will be resolved in any case. Because that is in the
shadow businesses some features that convenient and necessary.
In general, the most interesting things we try to implement at
home, so that it was.
SP: The most valuable thing in the shadow businesses, then
that program You can stop pokapatsya in it, then start the
next. And then there is the issue of protection Copyright. You
do not care?
HH: I agree. Moreover, it turns
what? It turns out that someone stops,
search in the program, then break the protection,
if she was there. After you give a copy of the compromised
program to a friend, friend, brother. The program starts to
drag on different computers and then the problems begin.
Suddenly, the program starts fail, begin to pull at
programmers, producers, they say, how is it I immediately
bought it, and at I was not working. Where did you buy? Where do
did this version? .. You know, the one possibility that has
been laid Zonov was laid Four years ago, when everyone enjoyed
this case involved the question of what will have to protect
copyrights of programmers no standing, it was all about the
collective farm, all around my ... Now the situation is
different and objective should not be profitable either to us
or you so that everyone can plow your program.
We are not profitable, because then we come to the claims that,
say, your computer does not working with such and such
programs. I tired to explain that, guys, buy licensed software.
And such a situation must occur.
SP: Calls for honesty may be ineffective ...
HH: And maybe it is not necessary ... And I think that the
computer must be other benefits sufficient weight to a man
refused to like it and at the same time not given from the
computer. That is some netralnye features (such as stopping and
printing the pictures) do not allow ispahabit design programmer
to leave. After all, this service features that are needed for
anyone.
SP: That there is a button Magik your computer be?
NN: Yes, it will.
SP: This would be done in Scorpion'e, then
there will be some sort of shadow menu, or will
somehow intercepted?
HH: You see the shadow monitor this sort of thing ... Here
you are asking what will happen? And I want to know and what
you need?
SP: :-)
NN: Will what you need!
SP: :-))
NN: I would not like to think that has something to do
and impose it to people, they say, that we have done and
buy everything here in this form. Here we have to go
on the contrary: the guys that you want, we will
do it!
SP: But let us return to the previous question ...
NN: About who will buy and who will write programs ...? In
the first stage, say in During the ninety-seven, Sprinter'om
might well be trading as high-speed Spectrum'om, which works
faster with the programs and has a more developed periphery. In
addition, many asked what would be a megabyte of RAM, even on a
normal car ... So even in this kind of computer to satisfy
increasing demands sufficiently large number of people through
more RAM, through the development of the periphery, for
by high-performance, due in
Eventually, the same rich text
regime, which is convenient to work with a text
editor. If you need to work with the document and make it
qualitatively, please turn on your computer and you're doing.
And if you still use the existing decoder, it can be prepare
documents better than even on the PC.
SP: And what decoder?
MI: Seven decoder for two hundred and fifty
six characters. They are located in RAM, which means
they can load from disk ...
NN: Yes, you can load from disk and have
always at hand. It is better even than on PC ...
Thus, the computer will find a demand
and we'll keep track of customers and continue to work with the
programmers. Like, my friends, passed three months, sold a
certain number of computers ...
SP: Programmers should be a machine to
write something ...
NN: Yes, it is not a problem ... That's just
No problem.
SP: Programmers are not sure what to get
their disposal machine, technical documentation, and so on.
NN: Why are they not sure?
SP: About Peters few people know. No information was
available.
NN: That's another matter. But we are conscious for a while
retarding the process of advertising, because they wanted to
wait for what would be the machine normally earned. Because the
way we passed the autumn and ninety-six, was very heavy.
Several stages, and every time - just about it, good luck. And
again! Reach a certain stage, when the machine stops working at
all because you have another step to raise the frequency and it
all cuts. Assume full pererazvodish fee, then a piece of
formiruesh, arguments, and again, again, point blank. AND only
the third time we have made payment so that all parts have
earned each other on the frequencies on which to. Because in
order to rotate the information through the video RAM
and to operate the accelerator and the palette,
These chips operate at forty-two megahertz.
SP: But now, when the computer is running, we should probably
catch up time ... For example, many are interested put you in
the declared eight hundred thousand?
NN: stowed. We've got plans have not changed,
then there is a computer with one megabyte of RAM, a
normal operation will cost in the range of eight hundred
thousand. We will not pull up the price because we have the
opportunity, if the board itself would be too expensive to save
the expense of other components.
SP: Maybe you are planning to pay back for
due to sales? How many computers do you plan to
sell for the first time production?
NN: The question is what should be in six months to sell
several hundred pieces.
SP: And this is real?
HH: It is enough really. The fact that we have
There are applications from everywhere. For example, from the
Urals, from Vladivostok, from Sochi, from Blagoveshchensk. From
Ekaterinburg called a very interesting person.
He is also the developer of a graphics accelerator for the
Spectrum. He told me so proud imagine that I knew immediately
that it is widely known in narrow circles of people :-). I felt
ashamed that he did not know and I honestly in this case. As
this most ... y Bunin, it seems ... "I have not read
newspapers, and if there is a war, will be announced in
regimental order :-).
SP: Ideas graphical expansion was somewhat, but few schemes
have come ...
NN: Vobschem can not say that there is no
interest. Because children from Vladivostok,
for example, asked as soon as possible
to put his party's computers because of their
cool enough, everything a connection option pisishnogo modem.
They are going to organize there your network, and computer
classes, I think.
SP: A motherboards nobody was interested?
NN: Yes, just Blagoveshchensk and Yekaterinburg
asked the board to be converted. We are not against it. Who do
not like changing your computer entirely, we are ready to sell
him a fee. Then is not a question that during the first
six months to maximize profits. I even
is not my goal right away to recoup the costs, although the
money already invested a lot and that would return them need a
year of work ...
SP: So going through?
HH: Sure. I think no problems. Will
trade and simultaneously advertise. Endow
All vendors of advertising materials. By
as the more sold computers, the
more people will know about it. Hardest
strip, strip of misunderstanding, we have already passed.
SP: Well, we can only enjoy your
optimism and desire to work. On behalf of all our readers, we
thank you for it interview, good luck and hope that this
meeting did not last, devoted Sprinter'u.
