CUBIX/6809 updates - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

13 Dec 2005

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Subject: Re: CUBIX/6809 updates
   From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
   Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 12:09:36 -0800 (PST)
     To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org>

On Sun, December 11, 2005 6:57 am, Dave Dunfield wrote:
  Highly recommended as a "fun project"
if you like the idea of building a
 functional and unique computer (note: I mean really building, not "putting
 a PC board in a box").

 If you have questions after all that, I am happy to answer them. If there is
 enough interest, I would also consider putting together a page specifically
 about CUBIX and building a machine to run it 
Building a 6809 CUBIX machine does sound fun. I've been looking for a smaller
project I can work with over time; I keep getting older computers (mostly sun
or macintosh) and fixing them up, but then they're cleaned up and running and
I get bored with them. 
It's why I build too.

...
 I'm not a hardware design guy though, and
wirewrapping is out for me. I can do
board stuffing and soldering, so if anyone else is going to design a
"reference" pcb that people can go in on and order in some quantity to reduce
costs, I'd be up for that. 
Wirewrap is ok to a point.  If the chip count is too high I think harder 
about doing it.  the hands and eyes arent what they used to be.

...
 Dave, are there any areas of CUBIX that you have plans
to improve or features
to add, but don't have time?  If I'm going to build a little system to
softwarily tinker with, I might as well make something useful out of my
tinkering. 
I'd considered it for my self but the cost for boards demands a commitment
in cash up front I cant justify for a one off version.  Marketing a board
requires a stable parts supply so what's layed out can be built by everyone.
That always leads to being in the kitting business which is a remarkably 
time/money consuming process.

You can ask Bob (SparetimeGizmos) about this.  His kitted systems are
nicely done and I suspect there are more than a few hours invested in
getting it all together and supporting it.  If you want a really super 
ELF (COSMAC 1802) or a 6120 (PDP8 in CMOS clothes) he's got two 
winners there.

Allison