On Wed, 3 Aug 2005, Dave Dunfield wrote:
lots of other arguments snipped.
Ok - I don't need to get dumped on anymore. Consider the idea dropped...
Although there is substantial overlap,
EVERYBODY has different goals or desires.
No matter what you build, SOMEBODY will want MORE.
"Why not include Z80/6502/6800/6809/68000 emulation,
keyboard and video, and have it capable of RUNNING
everything that it sees?"
An external WD style disk controller sounds wonderful!
Build YOUR device; and put me down for one!
Once it is available, somebody else can be saddled with
making an external flux transition unit.
With IDE, serial, parallel, ethernet, SA400, AND USB interfaces!
... and software compatible with Catweasel AND COPYII-PC
... and 40 pin DIP plug to plug-in in place of stock FDC chip
... and PLCC? PGA?
... and enough RAM to hold multiple complete disk images
... and CF, SD, SM, etc. card memory
... and capability of operating stand-alone (without PC)
... and "drivers" to use as primary disk controller
... and software to interpret the file systems of every OS,
... and full selection of "deleted data" address marks for TRS-80
... and software to defeat copy protection
... and damaged sector/track recovery
... and compatability to run on any/all classic platforms
... and Windoze NT/2k,XP compatability
... and software to have it look like a "normal" drive to Windoze
... and drive indexed off of spindle, instead of index hole
... and 1M data tranfer rate for 2.8M (IBM, Next)
... and floptical
... and capability of also handling ST506 hard drives
... MFM, RLL, ESDI, IDE, SASI, SCSI, . . .
... ZIP, LS120, Bernoulli, cartridge drive, tape drives, . . .
Yeah, I want that! But in the meantime,
I'd be very happy to see Dave's device.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin at
xenosoft.com