Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!van-bc!ubc-cs!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!cunews!bnrgate!bmers153!coop7b From: coop7b@bmers153.UUCP (John Bayko) Newsgroups: comp.sys.m6809 Subject: Re: SHOULD I BUY COCO3 NOW? Keywords: coco os9 Message-ID: <2052@bmers153.UUCP> Date: 18 Oct 90 14:27:40 GMT References: <1990Oct18.104630.17418@cbnewsl.att.com> Reply-To: coop7b@bmers153.UUCP (John Bayko) Organization: Bell Northern Research - Ottawa Lines: 112 In article <1990Oct18.104630.17418@cbnewsl.att.com> rl@cbnewsl.att.com (roger.h.levy) writes: > I've noticed that Radio Shack is selling the CoCo 3 for $100 this > month. Is this a good time to buy or is the machine being phased out? The CoCo 3 is being phased out. It is unofficially being replaced by a beast known as the TC9, from Frank Hogg Labs, which is faster, and allows for twice the memory (1 Meg vs 512K). The TC9 in turn can be upgraded with a high speed bus and a 68000, 68070 (<-- a 68010 made by Segnetics including serial port, 2DMA channels, and other bits), 68020 or 68030 later. The 16-bit CPUs run a version of OS-9 which is more full featured. Another alternative is the MMI. Is is not CoCo3 compatable, but is faster and costs somewhat less. More information on each is available in the comp.os.os9 area. The addresses of these companies are in a magazing called "The Rainbow", which you could probably find in a local computer store. > I am interested in knowing if I can do some useful things with OS9 > on a very limited budget. I have the following: > CoCo 2 > J&M floppy controller > 2 double sided floppy drives > TV as monitor > OS9 Level I, C Compiler, Pascal Compiler (all version 1.0 ?) > Everything is 7-8 years old and has seen limited use. If I can use > it, I have a surplus 20 Meg HD removed from my PC. What is the > lowest cost route to a usable, but unspectacular, level II system? Level II requires a CoCo 3 or TC9. The 6809 can only address 64K or RAM, and requires an MMU that these systems have to address more. There is no upgrade to the CoCo2. A Hard Drive can be added cheaply by purchasing an interface from Burke and Burke, which will allow any PC hard drove and controller to be used. More expensive, but faster interfaces are available. OS9 can work well from floppies. > Some questions: > Do I upgrade to 512K by chip replacement, e.g. replace 16 > 4164 with 16 41256? What speed? I have surplus 41256. > Can I get more than 512K and do I need it? An upgrade board with RAM plugs into two sockets near the CoCo 3 RAM chips. CRC computers sells a board and modification instructions to add 1 Meg of RAM. OS-9 Level II configures itself to the amount of memory you have. > Is a hard disk as necessary as it has become for PC systems? A hard drive is very nice, but not necessary. A RAM drive can be set up, and a 720K floppy can provide limited storage, but enough for most uses. Programs for the 6809 rarely exceed 64K, or require much storage. > Are there applications that I'll really like better than what > I have on a PC (e.g. Lotus, Wordperfect, DBase) or is the > attraction primarily hacker appeal? Skulptor, from Frank Hogg Labs, is a capable database. Application software is somewhat lacking, but is expected to improve for the 16 bit computers, such as the MM1. There are word processors, databases, spreadsheets, graphics editors, and even a tiny CAD program. Some non-OS9 CoCo programs are good. The CoCo Max III programs provide very good desktop publishing for a small system. PC programs are still better. > Can the programming environment really compete with C, C++, > Codeview, vi, Brief, MKS Toolkit, etc. available for the PC? No. C executables are small, and windows and multitasking make programming easier, but compiling is still slow, and there is no interactive environment. The challenge still makes the result satisfying :-). > Can I still get the software I need? I know about the list > server at Princeton. Can I get by cheaply? The best sources for commercial software are The Rainbow magazine and Radio Shack Express order. Public domain software exists (and lots of it) in Compuserve and Delphi, some impressive. Some software is slow because of the 8-bit 6809 CPU. > Are there games that will make my 8 year old son stop wishing > for a Nintendo? There are some impressive games. Not quite as impressive as a Nintendo or Amiga, but they could be enough. > Is color graphics a big part of the attraction? Will I be > unhappy with a monochrome setup? The CoCo3 displays 64 colours, but it will work in Black and White. From experience, though, 80 column screens strain the eyes on a BW TV set. A composite or cheap analog RGB monitor can be plugged in as an alternative. > How will performance compare to my XT-style PC with a 12 MHz > '286 accelerator board? A 6809 at 2 MHz compares to a 6 or 7 MHz 8088. Much of the software takes this into account, but a very complex GIF viewer can take three minutes to display a large picture. The larger 16 bit machines run at about 15MHz, and should be a lot faster than an equivalent PC due to a faster system bus. >Thanks for any response. Sorry for the novice questions that have >probably been asked before but I haven't been reading this group. > >Roger Levy >rl@groucho.att.com No problem. A better group to check would be comp.os.6809. Also, most CoCo enthusiasts can be found on Compuserve or Dekphi. And you're welcome. Sorry I don't have the addresses right now. no signature. std disclaimer. a tiny coco3.