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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ihnp4!ptsfa!lll-lcc!well!ewhac
From: ewhac@well.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: gameport.device
Message-ID: <2680@well.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 1-Mar-87 06:00:22 EST
Article-I.D.: well.2680
Posted: Sun Mar  1 06:00:22 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 2-Mar-87 07:27:43 EST
References: <292@umbc3.UMD.EDU> <3757@sdcc3.ucsd.EDU>
Reply-To: ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab)
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 63
Keywords: gameport joystick cleanup arrrrgggg

In article <3757@sdcc3.ucsd.EDU> ee173way@sdcc3.ucsd.edu.UUCP (John Schultz) writes:
>
>  Don't even waste your time with the RKM version.  I have written a
>video arcade-style game using *totally* my own routines.  I even
>access port 0 with Intuition hooked up! What is the trick? It is so
>simple, you probably won't believe it.
>  Just READ THE HARDWARE!

(-:	You work for EA, don't you?  This must be why their stuff is so  :-)
(-:	flakey.								 :-)

	NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  DON'T READ THE
HARDWARE DIRECTLY!  USE THE I/O INTERFACE.  IT'S THERE FOR A REASON.

>I wrote my code in Modula-2 and it only took about half a page.
		    ^^^^^^^^
	Ah, that explains it. :-)
>
>  This version is tons faster, much smaller, and less problematic.
						  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
	Oh really?  What are you going to do when the new chips come out?
Recompile?  I hope this program isn't selling commercially, or you're going
to have a lot of irate users on your hands.

	The I/O interface is there for a reason.  It was designed openly so
that, when new hardware was inevitably developed, all the old stuff that
followed the rules would STILL WORK.

	Following the rules means using the I/O system.  It may be a little
slower, but it's infinitely more portable.  I haven't run tests, but I would
guess that using the IOF_QUICK flag and BeginIO() would probably afford
enough speed.

>If you wish to do the same for a mouse version, you'll have to write
>the necessary code to support it (motion x,y,vel).

	Or, better still, use the I/O system.  All the mouse translation
code has already been written.

	Does everyone see the point of this message?  Does anyone disagree?

>   Good Luck,
>    
>            John
>            7OHN

	This should not be taken as a slight upon you, John, but there are
expedient and correct ways of going about things.  On a C-64, your method
would be perfectly acceptable.  But not so on the Amiga.

	Hope I haven't made any enemies.

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