| |
M1BYT > IBM 18.04.06 00:25l 59 Lines 2563 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : AF4000M1BYT
Read: GUEST DC9BM
Subj: Re: BBC micro
Path: DB0FHN<DB0NOE<DB0GAP<DB0AAB<DB0ZKA<DB0GPP<DB0KTL<DB0ZDF<DB0LJ<DB0RES<
ON0AR<GB7FCR
Sent: 060417/2213Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:37921 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:AF4000M1
From: M1BYT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : IBM@WW
G0SYR Opined with considerable skill:-
> It was a machine built by
> engineers for engineers.
Precisely Bryan ;-)
It didn't need to be such, it only had to meet the BBC's specification, but it
went much further. By contrast the PC is designed and built for the consumer
market.
>
> It was SO easily accessible via its well documented OS calls and assembler
> that even I could write an RTTY terminal programme, which after modifying
> it to decode AX25 eventually became a terminal for my kit built TNC200.
> And who remembers Cambridge packet from the tape casette port?
It was the last computer I was ever able to fully understand both the hardware
and software of. You could pick up the manuals and quickly work out how any
part of it worked, it was repairable down to component level - not something
you would attempt these days on a PC, even if it were worth the effort. You
could even walk into WH Smiths and buy a software programming quick reference
manual for the CPU - or any of those current 8 bit CPU's.
> I still use it regularly today so I can't complain about reliability
> as it's been running since 1981 and I seem to remember cost around 250 UK
> pounds over here.
There were two early offerings, the BBC and the higher spec BBC B. I think the
lower spec one cost 250(?), though Acorn were caught out by most customers
ordering the B.
It was a very capable system, when compared to my complete DIY sytem which
ended up costing me the best part of 1,000 - so I bought one. It kept me
'going' for several years of exploring and experimenting, until a PC came
along. I even designed some hardware plus writing software to decode the
weather satellites upon it.
I just cannot enthuse in the same way about a PC, which is just a ready made
tool.
ษอออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออป
บ 73 from Harry, M1BYT @ GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU บ
ฬอออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออน
บ International Museums Weekend 17th+18th June 2006 บ
บ www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/imw/index.html บ
ฬอออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออน
บ The ARC's FL/RAE courses + Newcomers Introduction บ
บ to amateur radio:- http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk/ บ
ฬออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออหออออออออออออออออออออน
บ QTH: Garforth, W. Yorks.. บ Timed 22:12 บ
บ harry.m1byt@tiscali.co.uk บ 17 Apr 06 บ
ศออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออออสออออออออออออออออออออผ
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.80
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
