Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!gatech!mcnc!rutgers!mtune!codas!killer!elg
From: elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: Good C-64 Assemblers Needed (Rip-off companines, really. Fast)
Message-ID: <2667@killer.UUCP>
Date: 5 Jan 88 07:22:02 GMT
References: <22385@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: Bayou Telecommunications
Lines: 49

in article <22385@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, bryce@hoser.berkeley.edu (Bryce Nesbitt) says:
> In article <2650@killer.UUCP> elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) writes:
>>...I get better performance with a SFD-1001 with any
>>decent IEEE card (or even not-so-decent ones like the Skyles IEEE-Flash, an
>>excercise in overpriced cheapness -- an EPROM, a PIA, and a couple of popcorn
>>TTL).
> 
> Actually old versions of IEEE-Flash used to be a *lot* faster.  Yes, I have
> an axe to grind...
> 
> I designed the hardware and software for the first IEEE-Flash.  After a 
> "contract dispute" Skyles stole the hardware outright, refused to pay 
> due royalties on sold units, and re-wrote the software to make the "new"
> IEEE-Flash.  Vastly inferior software, by the way.

The design is fine. In fact, one of my own designs looks a bit, err, derived
from it, albeit without the mux passthrough thingy, and with 16K of ROM
instead of just 8K.  The packaging stinks (puts out enough RF interference to
down jets flying 10,000 feet overhead :-). As for the software... well, I
don't notice it, which is about the best you can say considering. Ribbon
cable... pfui. Ribbon Cable:  Just Say No :-). Of course the engineer never
has any input into packaging, especially after a "contract dispute". But is
decent shielded cable really THAT expensive?

I appreciate the warning about Skyle's tactics. Jives with what I've heard
from insiders elsewhere, who say basically that Robert Skyles is an engineer
who gave up engineering to become a first-class businessman, with all that
THAT implies. I especially appreciate the warning because right now I have in
front of me the wire-wrapped prototype of, well, something that will probably
be the biggest seller ever in the C-64 hardware market... woulda been a shame
if I'd sent it off to Skyles.

>>For my assembler, I'm currently using CASM 2.1 (as posted to the net eons
>>ago)
> CASM is up to 3.25C.  The 'C' is a hack I added in for the C-128... it pops
> the CPU to 2Mhz during assembly.  Casm is, naturally, meant to integrate with
> the Texit editor.  The author of all of this is dillon@cory.berkeley.EDU
> (ucbvax!cory!dillon).  I'm not sure he will be of much help... the PET/C-64 is
> old history to him.  He did write an Amiga-->C-64 cross-assembler system.

Hmm, do I send mail to him to get a copy of the latest? And what's Texit? I've
heard of Texed (Amiga)... really, it's a shame that I know more about Amiga
PD/freeware than I do about C-64 stuff, and I don't even OWN an Amiga!

--
Eric Lee Green  elg@usl.CSNET     Asimov Cocktail,n., A verbal bomb
{cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg              detonated by the mention of any
Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191              subject, resulting in an explosion
Lafayette, LA 70509                    of at least 5,000 words.