[Qcwa] Solve all your computers problems my way!!!

Fri, 12 Jul 2002 07:10:50 +0200

Hi Joe and thanks for the reply,

	The ramlink sounds suspiciously like a ram drive, which PC/Mac
users can also use, but with native (on-board memory.  If you only have
a total capacity of 16MB, the transfer will be pretty darn fast.  You
are wrong in comparing that to a PC hard drive, since it is often
feeding many tens of MB into memory.  If I had a ram drive set up on my
PC, say a 128MB ram drive, my transfer rate would be very close to the
speed of the chips;  in the nanosecond range.  The floppy I remember
from the old C-128 days - I had them too back in the mid 80's.

	Well, I never claimed a virus had actually been written for the
Commodore PC's that could affect the ROM, but I still stand by my
statement that one could be.  I can use POKE commands and set registers
wrong and knock a C-128 down without a fight.  Quite a bit simpler
actually than doing the same to a PC, but with less permanent damage.

	You sound like you are very happy with your 8-bit, but you last
paragraph would sink it for me.  The internet, in spite of the Porno and
in your face advertising makes pretty effective use of graphics.  I love
a simple page too (ala "Drudge") but the graphics do add something that
I can't imagine trying to replace.  Not being able to see the images
would not be much fun.  I have no doubt you are right about the safety
factor, but I don't think having no graphics would be much fun for me.
I carry around a few standard wiring diagrams and pinouts on my PocketPC
for reference, and I think it's much better than paper.  Not to mention
the still unsaid fact that you must do one thing at a time, while a PC
can do several.  

	We have to agree to disagree on the utility of 8-bit, but I have
no doubt it works for you, and if you are happy that's all that matters.
I really wish I had my old C64 and Dr. DX cartridge some days when the
bands are dead.  That thing was a tremendous CW simulator.  I really
wish I could find a PC alternative!  Yep, not everything was replaced
for the better when I moved over to IBM clones!

73, Bob, K2PI

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Joseph Fenn
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 1:08 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: [Qcwa] Solve all your computers problems my way!!!

Rob,
Well you speak sense in some ways, but I stick to my guns.
I use the old original C128 (with fancy newly created addons like) 1.
Ramlink.  A 16 megabyte active plugin at the cartridge port
    which is faster than any PC I've seen yet in its transfer
    of stored data.   The transfer of data takes place in about
    2 seconds regardless of what your calling into the C128.
2.  FD2000 floppy produced by the same outfit.   External
    6033 block storage on 3.5" HD disks.  This makes it similar
    to standard floppies for PC's.
I dont even have the Super 128 which is produced by the same outfit
that made the Ramlink and FD2000.    It has a souped up processor
speed of about 24x.
3.  No virus was invented for the Commodore computers that could
    as you say destroy peripherals such as Disk Drives, RAM chips
    etc.   No way.  All those peripherals also had their os
    in ROM chips.
4.  I use a standard "SHELL" account with my server TCSH to be
    exact.  I can surf the web just like anybody else PC MAC
    whatever.   I can download binary files (written for CBM
    users).   PDF/WORD/BIG-FIVE and all that jazz no way!
5.  The reason Big Blue requires acres of land to store their
    code,  is that the attitude in their programming
    "hey we got football fields to play with lets use as much
     as we can and thats the way they write their code.
    In CBM every bit and byte counts for a lot more action
    Since we program in space the size of a tennis court instead!

So what it boils down to is this, we can use most of the internet
benefits except pictures and grafix which show up as a little box
that says   IMAGE!   We see no porno, no commercials if in grafix
format and spam mail is no problem using a mail filter supplied
by the ISP.    I's say its the best of all worlds!
                Viva le 8 bit
                 Joe (aka kilroy)

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