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1500 questions
17
votes
4 answers
How to use BASIC after "LOAD "$",8 on the C64
After loading a file list from a floppy disk it is hard to program in BASIC because the file list is interpreted as BASIC lines.
For example there can be 20 lines with the number 1, because 20 files have a file size of one, so to delete them, you…
user6734
17
votes
1 answer
Number of transistors in the C64
How many transistors are there approximately in the C64 if we consider every chip on it? I think that it is something around 50.000 but I'm not sure.
user6734
17
votes
3 answers
What were practical uses of SCSI floppy drives?
I've always been fascinated by the rarity and elitism of such devices.
However, from a practical standpoint, I don't understand why such low transfer rate device ended up in a bus commonly used for its performance.
Best candidates I can think of…
Eric Cartman
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17
votes
4 answers
Is there a Linux client for Amiga Explorer?
I have some Amigas that I would like to be able to transfer files to/from using my primary desktop machine, a PC running Linux.
My Amigas do have CrossDOS installed, but transferring things in 720K chunks is tedious, made more so by the fact that I…
Laurence Gonsalves
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17
votes
4 answers
Are there any ZX Spectrum applications (mainly games or demoscene productions) that use a port other than $FE to access the ULA?
Although it is widely known that the ZX Spectrum ULA answers to any request to an even I/O address, all documentation state that the official port number to use should be $xxFE (where xx is any 8 bit number).
I'm now updating my ULA core to add the…
mcleod_ideafix
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17
votes
1 answer
Motorola 6809 Stack Blasting
I've seen several mentions of a "Stack Blasting" technique for copying memory quickly on the 6809. What is it? How does it work?
tlindner
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17
votes
2 answers
Can I run a NES emulator off the original cartridges?
Every NES emulator I've found runs off ROM dumps. Would it be possible to run an emulator using the original cartridges directly? It's probably not the most practical way of doing things, but the "cool factor" of plugging Super Mario Bros. into…
Mark
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17
votes
1 answer
How could Amiga computers play 14 bit sound?
The "Paula" chip used for sound output in all Amiga computers had 4 8bit sound channels (arguably comparable to 9bit stereo).
There were programs/libraries which could play 14bit stereo on the Amiga - how did these work?
How much were they used?
nsandersen
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17
votes
2 answers
What is the difference between DriveSpace and DoubleSpace?
DriveSpace is the successor to DoubleSpace. Both are DOS systems that mount a Compressed Volume File as a drive, allowing ordinary programs to interface with a compressed drive without an intermediate compression stage. According to the MS-DOS 6.22…
wizzwizz4
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17
votes
1 answer
Why is the Apple II hi-res HGR command so slow?
The Apple II hi-res screen sits on 8KB of memory, so it should be possible to erase it quickly. The Applesoft HGR command is slow enough that the "Venetian blind" erasure is clearly visible. Clearing the screen to a color with CALL 62454 feels…
fadden
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17
votes
3 answers
Who decides what is the memory address that the CGA video buffer will be mapped to?
In DOS, the memory mapped IO base address for the CGA video buffer is 0xB8000. So when you write to 0xB8000, you are actually writing to a buffer in the CGA card itself and not to RAM.
What I want to know is who decides what is the memory address…
user5161
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17
votes
1 answer
How did the AOL software provide internet access to other applications running on Windows 95/98?
During the late 1990s, I (and countless others) accessed the internet by running software provided by America Online (mailed to my house on free CD-ROMs) and using a dial-up modem to access their service. This would have been AOL version 4.0 or 5.0…
smitelli
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17
votes
3 answers
What methods were used for password encryption before adoption of DES?
It is well-known that, for quite a while, UNIX passwords were hashed using the DES algorithm (see here).
However, DES was not published until 1975 and not standardized until 1977. What were the multi-user OSes using for password encryption (upd:…
Leo B.
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17
votes
6 answers
What monitor did Atari recommend for its 8 bit product line?
I am curious what Atari recommended to users as an appropriate monitor for their 8 bit computers (400/800/800xl/etc).
For example, my Commodore 64 pairs nicely with a Commodore manufactured 1702 or 1802 monitor. Likewise, my Amiga pairs with its…
Geo...
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17
votes
4 answers
Is it possible to expand Amiga 500 rev 8 to 1.5 MB with a 1MB trapdoor expansion?
Is it possible to expand an Amiga 500 rev 8 (not an Amiga 500 plus) to 1.5 MB of Chip RAM using an A501+ expansion?
It is plug and play or are modifications required?
This is the board:
Source: Big Book of Amiga Hardware
It has a 8375 Agnus, 512KB…
Valentino Miazzo
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