Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!ames!ncar!boulder!pikes!udenva!isis!csm9a!kamann From: kamann@csm9a.UUCP (kamann) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti Subject: Re: Mayarc Geneve Message-ID: <1643@csm9a.UUCP> Date: 6 Jul 89 22:56:04 GMT References: <4752@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu> Distribution: na Organization: Colorado School of Mines Lines: 75 In article <4752@psuvax1.cs.psu.edu>, bartle@gondor.cs.psu.edu (Aron Bartle) writes: > > ...Since then I have almost completely lost all intrest in my junk and have > spent my time hacking around on mainframes. (and you can tell I'm a > pascal programmer by the way I compulsively indent) > You mention your Pascal style, have you ever considered a P-Code card? > > Now (I don't follow TI-news at all) it seems that there is a NEW TI (mayarc) > that might help rescue my lost (gulp!) investment. I would like to know > more about this thing, such as: Does it exist? Does it sell? (no stores > around here carry it) Will it use any, or all of my hardware? (the > expansion-tank for example) And, just what exactly IS it? I gather it > has hi-res color graphics and large amounts of RAM, but I know no > specifics. > I have seen many messages about "What is the Myarc Geneve?" so I thought I'd go ahead and post this to the network and hopefully answer everyones questions. The Myarc Geneve (sometimes refered to as the "swan") is someones answer to the "big" computer built from the TMS 9900 CPU. It is a 512k 'marvel'. It runs a home-made brew version of an operating system called M-DOS (note that M-DOS is NOT a Microsoft concoction, it is written by a guy named Paul Charlton under arrangement with Myarc). M-DOS is NOT IBM compatible, therefore the Geneve is not IBM compatible. M-DOS does resemble MS-DOS in many respects. I won't go into too many details about it. The Geneve does support a multitude of graphics modes, all considerably better than those available on the TI. The machine is mostly TI compatible. There have been some problems, but patches have been found for most of them. As for performance, according to benchmark tests (not performed by myself), the Geneve is close to the speed of a 10 mHz machine (I think the actual is 12 mHz, correct me if I'm wrong). The machine is also compatible hardware wise with almost ALL the hardware currently available for the TI. Overall, the thing is pretty impressive, but there are still things being worked out, and promises that were made that have not been met. Most software for the machine (machine specific software) is written in assembly language, although there is a Fortran compiler for it (I don't know how complete as I don't have it). There is also Basic for the machine, but that is still in the pre-release versions (or was last time I heard anything). Oh yeah, there is also a 'C' compiler, but again I am not sure as to its completeness. As for availability, the Geneve is NOT sold in stores. There are a few supply companies that are still supporting the TI, and if anyone is interested I can post those addresses and names to the NET. I would also recommend contacting your local Users Group. If you don't know where they are I can probably find out for you (if there is one in your area). Before I forget, the Geneve sells for around $500. It is a card that goes into the expansion box, and you'll probably want to get a real monitor ($200-300) for it, otherwise 80 column mode is a little hard to read. Lastly, a good source of information about topics like this is bulletin boards. Anyone with a modem and a telecommunications package can get on to one of your local boards that supports the TI. There are close to 160 BBSs in the United States alone that support the TI! Now, I don't own a Geneve, but I've stated what I know. If I have made any misleading statements please feel free to correct me. Since I kinda keep up with this news group, does anyone know how many subscribers there are? More for curiousities sake than anything, thanks in advance! Keith Amann Senior, Colorado School of Mines Bitnet: KAMANN@MINES Internet: Couldn't tell you