PDXCUG Meeting Highlights
Vol. 3, No. 2 - February 9, 2012 - Meeting Highlights
Feature: Commodore 16
Shortly after we got this set up, it appears that the TED chip got fried somehow. It just goes to show that with this typical problem in Commodore 16s and Plus/4s, it's possibly one reason why "The World's Learning Machine" never really took off. It's really sad because I got this C16 in mint condition - I don't even think it was ever used since it still had all of the wire ties in perfect order and everything packed so nicely inside.
PDXCUG.org Virtual Meeting and 80s Trivia
We had a very active virtual meeting this month - Daytona400F provided the group with some excellent 80s trivia, which was a smashing success. The winner of the event was E-Doo with his vast knowledge of nostalgic information. Congratulations, E-Doo!
Presentation: Big Blue Reader
Richard gave us a demo of how to use Big Blue Reader on the Commodore 128. He started with a CP/M version of Microsoft Multiplan, in IBM DOS format (360K floppy). Using Big Blue Reader, he copied it to a 1571-formatted disk in a second 1571 drive and then successfully ran the copy on the C128.
Presentation: C64List 3.0 - Now with an Assembler
C64List is a great cross-development tool for writing BASIC programs without line numbers.
Now with the release of v3.0, you can add assembly code at the end and make calls into the ML code from BASIC using the symbols in the assembly code. C64List will automatically generate the BASIC PRG file, along with assembling the ML - all in the same file so you only need to load one program.
The author, Jeff Hoag, gives us a little demonstration of all the newest features. See the Bit 64 Blog for more information about C64List.
Commodore Flyer
For kicks, we set up the Flyer on the Vic-Switch to see how well it worked. The Vic-Switch allows many computers to access the same device on the Serial port. If the device is in use, it will block all other computers from accessing that device. This means that we were able to access the Internet with more than one computer with a single Flyer. According to Brandon, the Flyer's designer, this is the first time the Flyer was tested with a Vic-Switch. It worked smoothly and perfectly, without a hitch.
Demo: Two New Online Games
Two new head-to-head games are in the works for online, multi-player gaming on CommodoreServer.com. Both of these games were shown and both are nearly complete. Just a bit more polishing and they should become available soon.
Goog is nearing completion of Head On, a game he wrote in 1984. This game was going to be submitted to Compute!'s Gazette back in the day, but he never sent it in. Today, he is converting it to be a 2-player game over the Internet.
Likewise, Agent Friday has been working on converting an old modem-to-modem game called Telechess to be played over the Internet instead. Very little modifications were needed to make it work using CommodoreServer's gaming server service.
Print Shop
We were all set up to make Valentine's day cards, using Print Shop and a Star NX-1000C printer.
We also had a paint program and desktop publishing program to use. Here is Jeff, trying to get this silly Swift Paint program to work.
SID Music
Had a nice little SID music station where members could create their own songs. Both Jeff and Motato took a stab at it and made some cool jams.
Free Stuff
There were several items at the Free Stuff table this time, including 2 monitors, several books and magazines, and disk holders.
Commodore 128
Here is Richard's C128 along with some fun software and books that he acquired at the Free Stuff table.
Original Nintendo Entertainment System
Brittney brought her original NES so that we could compare some of the games with similar titles on the Commodore 64. Brittney had never heard of the Commodore 64 until she hooked up with the Portland Commodore Users Group and she is very excited about this new world of retro gaming.
Member Snapshots
Here's Dan donating some items to the free stuff table.
Motato and Kris having a good laugh over smoothies.
Agent Friday setting up for a cool demo of his Telechess project on CommodoreServer
Show & Tell
This is Dr. QSO, a morse code training program. With it, you can type on the keyboard and hear the dot patterns for each letter as you type. You can also tune the on-screen radio to different frequencies to hear the morse code being broadcast. Do you have the skills to decipher what is being sent?
Gaming Time
Had some fun this month with Activision's Countdown to Shutdown. Yes, you also see an original copy of Spy vs. Spy next to the boxed Countdown to Shutdown in the photo, but we did not play it.
We also played some Tapper for the Commodore 64 (not shown).
