plus/4 GEOS questions
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From: David Murray on 18 Jan 2006 07:56 I just had a few questions about GEOS for the Plus/4. Forgive me if this is available online, but I couldn't find it. I noticed a PAL version for download. Is there an NTSC version? And why should it matter, does GEOS do any raster tricks? Is there a way to use a mouse with the Plus/4? Will any GEOS program load and run on the Plus/4? Or must they specifically be compiled for it? What about the Apple II? They are all 6502-based, are the programs compatible? Are there any advantages / disadvantages to running GEOS on the Plus/4? I have to wonder if GEOS were available when the machine was released if the machine might have faired better in the business market.
From: James @ cbm264 on 18 Jan 2006 08:32 There is not an NTSC version for download. The PAL version is only available from my website, and only as long as Maurice is allowing free GEOS downloads for the 64 and 128. The current download only works with a 1551 drive, or with a Plus/4 emulator with true 1551 emulation (YAPE 0.49 and higher). The PAL version messes with the PAL/NTSC switch in the Plus/4's video chip, so every instance of this had to be found and patched. Next on the list is a driver for the 1541. The Plus/4 has no way to detect a true mouse. You could use a joystick adapter and a 1350 mouse, or a 1351 mouse in joystick mode (again, with a joystick adapter). I have had mixed luck with off the shelf GEOS software. The Berkeley addons don't like it, but probably because they've already been 'serialized' to their C64 counterparts. Some public domain and shareware programs, that don't care about serial numbers, work and some don't. I do not know if any Apple version software would work; I don't have a drive that can read Apple disks, let alone any Apple software to test it with. GEOS wasn't released on the Plus/4 til 1987 or so, as it's based on the GEOS 2.0 engine. The Plus/4 had already been discontinued for two years by that time. Since the Plus/4 incarnation was originally limited to the German language (due to licensing restrictions with Berkeley), its' market was limited to begin with. My main interest in GEOS on the Plus/4 is to prove to the C64 owners that it can be done, it can be done well, and it can be done in 121 colors without sprites. :) James www.cbm264.com
From: puritan_2076 on 18 Jan 2006 15:08 THERE'S A PLUS/4 VERSION OF *GEOS*!!!??? :D Please let us know when the NTSC/english versions and/or application patches are available. Maurice, if you still care about the Commodore community, PLEASE write a plus/4 version of Wheels. Now I'm going to go home and get out my plus/4 again. :)
From: Maurice Randall on 18 Jan 2006 17:55 puritan_2076(a)yahoo.com wrote: > Maurice, if you still care about the Commodore community, PLEASE write > a plus/4 version of Wheels. Wheels needs 128K of ram expansion. If an extra 128K could be added to the Plus 4 in some way, then it would be possible to assemble a Plus 4 version of Wheels. -Maurice -- ** Maurice Randall - Click Here Software Co. ** High-Performance for your Commodore ** email: maurice(a)cmdrkey.com, support(a)cmdrkey.com ** web: http://cmdrkey.com
From: James @ cbm264 on 18 Jan 2006 19:18
At one time, a RAM expansion was readily available in Europe. Now, however, we can find schematics online but cannot purchase readily-assembled packs. In my opinion, a Wheels port to the Plus/4 would not be justified by the number of people purchasing it. :( JiffyDOS, on the other hand, would probably break even or turn a small profit, presuming that most of the code could be ported from the 64 version. James |