Re: Microsoft Softcard and IIgs

[vladitx <vladitx@nucleusys.com>]

On Mar 12, 1:18 pm, Alex Freed <alex_n...@mirrow.com> wrote:

> Maybe it does, but it doesn't have to. In fact I think it could be made
> to work much faster than with the shared memory.
> Suppose the whole "terminal emulator" is implemented on 6502 - maybe
> just the ROM routines are used. Then the z80 will only issue a (single
> byte?) command "scroll the screen" and continue whatever it was doing
> while the 6502 does the scrolling at the same time. It will finish and
> signal "ready" to z80 to process the next request.

Definitely the proper way to do terminal emulation. To extend it
further, a single bit in "commands" may indicate whether they need
synchronisation at every transaction (e.g. allow buffering).

> >Another guess is that
> > probably GBASIC doesn't work on Applicard?
>
> I think I read that some trick allows MS basic to work but no graphics.

This could be the text-only MBASIC.