Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!eecg.toronto.edu!leblanc Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm From: leblanc@eecg.toronto.edu (Marcel LeBlanc) Subject: Re: Fastloads vs. JiffyDOS Message-ID: <1991Jan1.165812.10735@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> References: <1990Dec31.204111.24685@evax.arl.utexas.edu> <1991Jan1.063247.18070@DMI.USherb.CA> Date: 1 Jan 91 21:58:13 GMT Lines: 96 sd05@terre.DMI.USherb.CA (Sylvain Tremblay / Eric Trepanier) writes: >I read with much interest your article about the JiffyDos vs SS debate. >I am considering sending in my v4 for a v5 upgrade, but there were a few things >I was unsure of, for example, the ad I saw did mention that all copiers were >REU compatibles, but I was wondering how one could use both together. I hadn't >realized these two cartridges could be used simultaneously with a port extender >gimmick. Now here are a few questions you might be able to answer: >1. You say that the REU/SS5 combination is possible via the skyles cartridge > extender. However, it doesn't work on your system, right? Do you know what > the specific problem is? Have you heard of someone who has been using the > two cartridges succesfully? Yes, many people (REU owners, that is) like this feature very much. I am guessing that Mr. Fuzzy Fox has an original C128. The early versions of this computer seem to have problems with the power supplied to the Expansion port. We (LMS Technologies, the manufacturer) have not seen any problems with a { Skyles 2+1, REU, SS V5 } combination on any C64 models, only on the earliest C128 models. Unfortunately, the expansion port was only designed to handle a single LS TTL load, so you can't fault Commodore for the early C128's. > Can you give me the address where I can get this port extender? I could look it up if someone else doesn't post it. >2. The ad mentions a 2400BPS telecom program that is X/Y modem capable and has > support for 40/80 column. Does it do VT100? And what does the 80 column > screen look like? The usual 320x200 bitmap (slow) screen? The terminal emulator (SnapTerm by Matthew Desmond) does a very nice color ANSI emulation, and handles speeds up to 4800bps on a C64, or 9600bps on a C128 in 80-col mode (running at 2MHz). The 80-col mode is only available on C128's. >And now, moving on to JiffyDos... If we must... :-) >>[stuff deleted] Also, SS's fastloader only works so >>long as the program you load does not disable it. It is a fact that >>cartridge fast loaders can VERY EASILY be disabled and knocked out, so >>that any software that wants to can kill your fastloader and go back to >>slow loading, usually inadvertently. With JDOS, there is NO SUCH THING >>as slow loading. JDOS is always there, in ROM. It never gets in the >>way, and it CANNOT BE DISABLED except by you, the user. It always loads >>fast. Always. >"NO SUCH THING AS SLOW LOADING", "IT CANNOT BE DISABLED", "IT ALWAYS LOADS > FAST"... I understand what he's trying to say, but it isn't true technically. ANY loader can be disabled. Most load methods in the past have used one of the 3 following general methods: a) simple call to $FFD5 (LOAD vector) b) direct calls to ACPTR for custom format, slow load c) completely custom loader I haven't seen any new games that use approach (b) in a LOOONG time. Case (b) is the only LOADing case that a ROM replacement can handle that a cartridge can't. No add-on device of any kind will speed up case (c), including both JDOS and SS V5! >Hmmm. I have a hard time believing that. Programs that *don't* work >with the SS4 usually hang up because they have their own (often weird) >fast-loading routines, which get in conflict with the SS4. That's why only >programs like Taito's games with their V-MAX loaders, and programs like >GEOS usually don't work, or at least, disable the FAST LOADER's routines. You are absolutely correct. You may be interested in knowing that the most common reason for SSV4/V5 'getting in the way' is the function key driver. Try '>KD' to disable the function keys if you have problems (instead of completely disabling the cartridge). >Personnaly, I doubt that neither GEOS, or any other weird copy-protected >fast-loading programs will boot up using the JiffyDos disk speed-up routines! >Am I wrong about this? If not, what's the difference between a SS4 and a >JiffyDos. You are correct again. :-) What's the difference? I'd better let somebody more objective handle that question for now. >> >>I've written quite a bit here, so a summary is in order. >> >>begin 644 .signature >>G5&AIEric Trepanier BTW, the latest version of SS is V5.22, which was released circa May 1990. Marcel A. LeBlanc -- Electrical Eng. Computer Group, Univ. of Toronto ----------------------------------------------------------------------- leblanc@eecg.toronto.edu else: uunet!utcsri!eecg!leblanc