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. ************************************* Commodore Free Magazine ************************************* http://www.commodorefree.com/ Issue 33, September 2009 Free to download magazine dedicated to Commodore computers Available as PDF, HTML, TXT, SEQ and D64 disk image ===================================== CONTENTS * Editorial * NEWS - Ethernet Cartridge - JiffyDOS License Acquired - 185 Classic AMIGA Games &Joystick - Bezerk Redux Updated - The C2N-II Datassete project - BBC computer Does SID - 1541 Ultimate II announced - Cosine TMR Game preview - Commodore 64 Hacking * Interview With Marshall Alexander * Commodore64 Ringtones * Geos & Role Playing Games * Interview with Johan van den Brande * Commodore 16 and plus 4 pages - Graphic Tally Commodore 16+4 - Tally Counter - VAT Calculator * Commodore Computer Club Meeting * Interview with Arcade Retro Gaming * Multiple Classic Computer Platform ===================================== ************************************* Editorial ************************************* Someone I know is a fanatic about X brand of Coffee, Nothing else will do, and yes I have tried offering different varieties and pretending its brand X, but he can taste the difference. This leads me to hardware in a very round about way to; Many Commodore users are fanatical about there machines. This isn't a problem; I may upset some of you here by saying I am not just a Commodore user. When I worked for Silica shops in the U.K. (anyone remember them) I became quite attached to the Atari Falcon! Now ok every machine has its strengths and weaknesses and I know the Falcon wasn't blessed with all the greatest features, especially if teamed up next to the Amiga 1200. However I was quite drawn to the DSP (Digital Sound Processor) in the Falcon and wondered how far the machine could be pushed. Sadly, the Falcon never really took of (I know some diehard Atari users will claim otherwise; but hey you should be reading and using Atari fanzines not Commodore ones) I also quite liked the Atari Jaguar, Atari's 32bit console although I think they marketed it as 64bit because it contained 2 x 32bit chips so 32 and 32 = 64bit The Atari Jaguar seemed to have a lot of features, Jeff minter was backing the machine, and a quite excellent version of Doom existed for the device, and quite a nicely designed hardware box (although again you may claim differently as this is subjective matter) placed next to the CD32 that used CD media instead of cartridges, well personally I think the CD unit for the Jaguar should have been provided free of charge. Some Hardware technical type people seem to like bits and pieces from one system and hate other features from other systems. The Commodore 64 gained an advantage because of the SID (sound interface device) although I think it should have had 2 SIDs in the initial hardware design but then I suppose there was a costing element involved. Of course the hardware sprites made the machine more flexible and produce Arcade style graphics. Now I may upset people by saying I was never a fan of the Zx80, Zx81 although these was the first machines I ever "touched" as a child to program, starting with the now famous "hello world" and "input your name" style applications, but I suppose we all start somewhere. The Sinclair machines suffered from the membrane keyboard ,strange input methods of characters and of course no hardware sprites, and the sound well it virtually wasn't there (the zx81 didn't have any and the Spectrum just had a small internal speaker that fuzzed a little) Watching the Television recently I found someone praising the glory of the Atari 2600 console, and I remember sitting at the machine with a friend playing "tank Command" quite a remarkable offering (at the time) from Atari something the whole family could crowd around take turns and beat each others high scores. A friend at school also had an Oric atoms now I cant remember off hand about the specification of this machine, I just remember the small size and keyboard. Yes many other systems have existed and I still remember using some form of Timex system with a small cassette and till roll printer, this was version I produced my not so famous "wall paper estimator" application that told you how much wall paper to buy, some years later and I still haven't perfected the program fully; although I have used it to calculate how many rolls of paper I need and it does function to my needs, just a little clunky. A great many systems have appeared and failed due to lack of software, or features or bad design. Of course I have just touched on a few machines here; but it leads me nicely into memories and retro computing. Remember your grandparents always said things were better in the old days, well I don't really buy into that, yes they seemed more exciting for me when I was a young child, and watching my sons excitement at an imminent thunderstorm and other "grown ups" around just shrugging and saying "umh another thunderstorm going to get wet again" Now my young son was amazed shouting "look the black clouds are coming" and then "we will get lightening" and constantly shouting "it's a thunder storm it's a thunderstorm?" took me back to when I saw "Monty mole" on the Commodore 64! I purchased the Cassette version from a local cosmetics store called "Boots" mainly for the screen shots, but also I had heard about the sound track. The game loaded and My friend and I looked in amazement; "how is this music coming from the Commodore 64, its not possible!" We then told all our friends that "The music is amazing listen.." and taped it onto Audio cassettes to play whenever we found a unit to place them in. Not all retro was great, Slow loading, large floppy drives are all a thing of the past, now we have SD cards hard disks and IDE interfaces, we also devices that can load games from memory in seconds (although really this isn't that new a feat for Commodore users". So while some look back at Retro with rose tinted glasses, just remember it wasn't all good. Do we remember our childhood as great and so everything about it was great, music, computers, TV, etc... I do remember with fondness some of the old shows and toys from my childhood, heck they still look great today, is this just my fondness of my youth or was there something special happening. Back then it was all innocence, today teenagers just want to link into facebook and brag about the number of friends they have. I remember that although playing computer games was amazing, when the sun came out playing "kick the can" was also as good. I never really got on well in school, maybe this was the teachers, and maybe it was a rebellious streak. Retro is becoming big business, people are making money out of selling old systems. Who is buying the systems? - Well to my mind it seems to be this; Some people just collect systems to place in a museum never to see the light of day, maybe they have to much money or just like the thought of collecting all the boxes, its like a "Clarice Cliff collector" collecting everything she made to place on display in a large glass cupboard. If the device isn't used for the purpose is was made I cant really see the point of owning it, however some people would disagree. I know there are museums you can go round and look at the items, and preserving history is a worthwhile cause but a "closed" museum that only the collector has access to.. - Then we have the nostalgic; someone who remembers the unit as a child and it evoked strong memories, they want the feeling of childhood excitement back so buy the unit and for a while its fun; but then they get fed up and the unit ends up back on eBay or in the loft. - Next we have the normal users, pushing the hardware like Geos users printing out colour postscript files. Programmers creating new and amazing demos, musicians getting more and more voices from the SID chip. So then to sum up I am not just a Commodore man I like many consoles for differing reasons; the thrill of "Tank command" the memories of laughing at others failing to beat our high scores, the BBC micro and in my mind the best version of elite; coupled with the joy at gaining the "elite" status and taking photos of the screen to brag at school, the thrill of tempest2000 the flashing colours and the thumping techno music and all that superb eye candy, the feel of a unit in your hand the stylish look Even today those feelings; for me have not gone away, amazing Commodore demos of such programming skill I still look at the screen in absolute amazement; how the heck can this be done. Nothing is impossible, heck we even walked on the moon. Bring on the console bring on the challenge.. Errrrmm that's it for this editorial see you next time Thanks Nigel www.commodorefree.com =====================================