News, changes

So, yesterday I updated main web about The Ace and look at - there are so many changes that I'll be very happy for each comment what - you - Commodore users mean.

Today evening; I'll get CRT monitor for control computer by Lightpen

Like time was going I was searching for CRT monitor for using lightpen to control computer. This evening I'll get one and try it, later I'll publish any lightpen demo and my dream will be more real...

BOOTER 1.0.3 Release

BOOTER was released at CSDb at January, 22, 2015

Or download: BOOTER 1.0.3

Drawer needs new PC tools, BOOTER can be higher level meaning BIOS - what have to be next?

So, finally I finished booter with perfect result and this result couldn't to be complete without Robert Willie (aka Hydrophilic). Drawer is finished generally few days before and it needs to create new PC tools to use its possibilities - Font Editor and Icon Editor (can be named icon&sprite editor). I want to shift BOOTER to new level - BIOS. Old BIOS version published in 2010 was not BIOS, only booter and info tool named BIOS. New BIOS version can user allow to manage disks, display, keyboard and bit RAM using... of course inside is BOOTER. BIOS is not only for The Ace, it can use every Commodore 128 user, PC tools will work this time in not yet published The Ace and I want to add there few programs to use it without The Ace so it means will be generally released for all.

So, what to do? PC tools can make little break of The Ace development, but development without them will be harder, much harder and old tools are for new Drawer unusable. BIOS can make using of C128 easier for everybody.

Help me to decide and post any comments or suggestions.

Miro

Friday, January 4th 1985

It's here... Commodore 128 30th anniversary - before 30 years was Commodore 128 introduced as a new step of Commodore...

And it's every time best computer made!

Commodore 128 PC with 8502 processor 128 kB of RAM and ROM cartridge port

Commodore 128 was the worlds first mass market multi-processor computer

It also have two video subsystems, one of which allows to connect it to TV

I know that I catched not this anniversary with The Ace release, but year 2015 will be year of first release...

Flirting with "Touch and type"

I was very interested to control The Ace with Lightpen...

like "Touch and get control over all". Sadly I must to say that I did all possible to make it real also on LCD display, my HP2025 which has balanced reactions to Lightpen Demo, but working, now looks like impossible. I knew that LCD is not CRT and these two devices have different method to displaying picture. For now I'm balancing at Q which is for me important if work on this feature or throw it to scrap...

So, I'm asking you: Have yet users for displaying C128 desktops CRT or LCD monitors? Is count of CRT so high to work around "Touch and go"?

Really I'm finished Drawer for IDEA, now I'm beginning to create Font Editor which allows to edit standard Commodore fonts for VIC (8×8 pixels), VDC (8×8 up to 8×16 pixels) - this means fixed width and proportional fonts of maximal width or height 16 pixels, each character can have different width, but height is used for whole font. Of course in case of proportional fonts it can have more than 256 characters, really so many how much allows RAM. Balancing only on one thing - use first byte of each character to information about character width and if width of any character get over 8 pixels use 2 bytes wide each character or to save space leave at begin of font information area how to locate character in output...

So, if you mean that it's useful comment these two Qs.

Now is December.

I'm near finish with Renderer, I can to adjust tools, but really I have full hands of work.

All of you can see that in present are touch devices in trend, so I tried to do with this on Commodore 128 using lightpen. We all know that modern displays - LCDs are not working with lightpens, only old CRT monitors, but I found one which allows this also and it's LCD. I tried to test lightpen in case of VIC screen and it works, I want to try it also with VDC screen, but now I'm satisfied with results. It's HP 2025 LCD with inputs CVBS, S-Video, VGA, DVI-I and DVI-D...

In my head are more projects and have problem to make any priority, in words better to say:

I don't know what to do first...

Please forgive me that The Ace is not only one project, I do all possible in free time 'cause real life is here and many tasks are important for real living...

After users feedback I decided finally to new look. It means release later, but in my eyes better.
Now I started Renderer for new UI and in few days I'll begin working on tools to easier work with new ui.
They'll be published.

The Ace website updated, work began!

First report will be that I finalized and published new webpage of The Ace and now work real began!
For more info visit www.theace.sk

Miro