Re: [ reactions ] Re: [NYT] Microsoft Is Set to Be Top Foe of FreeCode

Date view Thread view Subject view Author view

From: Tom (tomwhore@wsmf.org)
Date: Mon May 07 2001 - 08:19:20 PDT


On Mon, 7 May 2001, Eugene Leitl wrote:

--]I should have gone with an Apple ][ with Z-80 card and CPM and floppies
--]instead, of course. But nevertheless it was fun watching the (1d,2d,3d)
--]random rule cellular automata evolve, and trying to write a text editor in
--]Basic, and hacking occasional bit of Z-80 assembly (manually assembled,
--]and poked into strings from a prairie of DATA statements. I think I got
--]good return value from the little Amstrad, and then there were the game
--]warez you could copy with a tape deck ;)

My first purcahsed computer was a Synclair zx81. the z80 assm was an
amazingly cool learning ground. Double so with a clnky Ram Expansion cart
that would crash the whole thing if you typed too hard on the flat plastic
keyboard. You learnt early on that backups, no mnatter how painfull with a
casset tape deck tuned to the proper settings ( you could tell by the
banding on the TV screen during the save and load), are essential to good
mental health.

Z80 asm hacking was the balls out best on the zx81. With the rom
desassembly book in one hand and Krasuners ice tea in the other a few
buds and myself wrote a relly good all asm centiped clone.

My dad had an atari 800 early on and dug the heck out of forth on it. I
learnt it some, did the usuall couple of programs, and then put it aside.

I rmeber there was a version of the zx81 that actualy had forth blown int
he roms ala basic. Never had the chance to use it though.


Date view Thread view Subject view Author view

This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon May 07 2001 - 08:31:03 PDT