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#11
News / Re: Interesting YT video about...
Last post by Petari - 03-08-2025, 14:57:38And as was to expect - deleted. Some just can not stand that they are not in right. And not able to give real answers, so let's delete it. This will make this World better for sure :-(
#12
FAQ / Using proper terminology or ju...
Last post by Petari - 03-08-2025, 14:14:56 Some people claims that in this retro computing hobby we can name SW, HW projects, solutions as we like it, not caring about used words, terms meaning, that name may be misleading ...
Then, lot of retro computer people has problems with terms, terminology . Would it be better if those who work development, on some informative WEB pages would take more care about terminology.
And more: would it be better if those making mistakes and being corrected, would say 'tnanx' and learn something instead getting insulted, reacting harshly, in style 'how you dare to say I'm wrong' . Well, that's even bigger mistake acting like can not make some error/mistake .
I have pretty much experience with such: in 1983 in my small city where I leaved then home computer club was formed - mostly C64, Sinclair Spectrum users/owners. And beginners in it. On first meeting someone mixed terms byte and bit, and when I corrected it he came with 'how you dare' - and I was not surprised as I knew him. Similar cases, just with not so basic terms happened at Atari forums in 21-st Century . And reactions were really miserable in many cases. Moderators/admins did not react properly in many cases.
I guess quantity of posts is more important than quality for them.
Let's see some 'product', SW, HW names:
'HD Driver' (Seimet) - it is just shortage of general term 'hard disk driver' . That self is proper as name, but it should be something unique, not abbrev.
'GemDrive' - should mean something like hard disk driver under GEM . What is GEM ? graphical environment manager. Here some little confusion is done by Atari, I think - better would be to call disk related part of TOS TOSDOS instead GEMDOS - for instance as there is lot of SW not using GEM at all. So, TOSdrive sounds for me better.
'Sidecartridge' - yeah, cartridge goes at side of Atari ST :-) What about naming by what it does ?
Oh yeah - TOS emulator - huh . It is not it at all. See other thread here for more ...
'ULS' - universal loading system - name would be OK, if it would be really universal. Truth is that it is good only for SW what does floppy access with own code, and not TOS functions, and not only disk access - SW what does not using TOS at all after it is started . And percentage of TOS using games is some 65% min.
But what to expect from people who claim that they are best in it. They did not mention that whole concept is takes from Amiga WHDLoad system. Sure, why do it ? I did not see mentioning in Hatari DOCs that their GemDrive concept is same is 'Hard disk' in Steem (2005) .
Then, when we are at games: it was usual that games sold in past as pirate copies were called 'cracks' - as it was needed to 'crack' copy protection. Later came era of hard disks/Flash cards, so some called it 'patches' . What term 'patch' means - fixing some part, doing some correction so it can work in different environment (HW) . Well, that's pretty much OK for ULS . But what about games calling TOS functions ?
It needed much more - among others some TOS v. in RAM, where are some changes for better works, easier making games working in new conditions. And there may be many of it. So, I call my releases adaptations or adapts - and that just includes all needed changes, add-ons ... Then, some call it 'conversions' - very bad and not respectful - it is not conversion, and of course no SW what can do it. And will be not. All it is lot of 'manual' work and biggest help for it is some better Atari ST emulator with trace and debugger functions - yeah Steem Debugger . It makes all searching in machine code way easier, as one of main tasks is to find parts of code responsible for disk access, for input read (keyboard, mouse, joystick), copy protection too - and even if using some crack (what I do only if no other source) may need to remove all remains of floppy access in it - as we want now that it work on machines without floppy drive (or Gotek and like) . And of course there are many special cases, strange programmer's solutions, code ...
Calling it just patch, crack, conversion just does not cover all needed and involved .
But some don't care - 'I will do it as I want, it's my right' - Yeah, it is it. And my right is to openly say that it is just bad, disrespectful, sign of not reading available pages about it, not taking any time to think little about , or maybe just contact author about it ...
Then, lot of retro computer people has problems with terms, terminology . Would it be better if those who work development, on some informative WEB pages would take more care about terminology.
And more: would it be better if those making mistakes and being corrected, would say 'tnanx' and learn something instead getting insulted, reacting harshly, in style 'how you dare to say I'm wrong' . Well, that's even bigger mistake acting like can not make some error/mistake .
I have pretty much experience with such: in 1983 in my small city where I leaved then home computer club was formed - mostly C64, Sinclair Spectrum users/owners. And beginners in it. On first meeting someone mixed terms byte and bit, and when I corrected it he came with 'how you dare' - and I was not surprised as I knew him. Similar cases, just with not so basic terms happened at Atari forums in 21-st Century . And reactions were really miserable in many cases. Moderators/admins did not react properly in many cases.
I guess quantity of posts is more important than quality for them.
Let's see some 'product', SW, HW names:
'HD Driver' (Seimet) - it is just shortage of general term 'hard disk driver' . That self is proper as name, but it should be something unique, not abbrev.
'GemDrive' - should mean something like hard disk driver under GEM . What is GEM ? graphical environment manager. Here some little confusion is done by Atari, I think - better would be to call disk related part of TOS TOSDOS instead GEMDOS - for instance as there is lot of SW not using GEM at all. So, TOSdrive sounds for me better.
'Sidecartridge' - yeah, cartridge goes at side of Atari ST :-) What about naming by what it does ?
Oh yeah - TOS emulator - huh . It is not it at all. See other thread here for more ...
'ULS' - universal loading system - name would be OK, if it would be really universal. Truth is that it is good only for SW what does floppy access with own code, and not TOS functions, and not only disk access - SW what does not using TOS at all after it is started . And percentage of TOS using games is some 65% min.
But what to expect from people who claim that they are best in it. They did not mention that whole concept is takes from Amiga WHDLoad system. Sure, why do it ? I did not see mentioning in Hatari DOCs that their GemDrive concept is same is 'Hard disk' in Steem (2005) .
Then, when we are at games: it was usual that games sold in past as pirate copies were called 'cracks' - as it was needed to 'crack' copy protection. Later came era of hard disks/Flash cards, so some called it 'patches' . What term 'patch' means - fixing some part, doing some correction so it can work in different environment (HW) . Well, that's pretty much OK for ULS . But what about games calling TOS functions ?
It needed much more - among others some TOS v. in RAM, where are some changes for better works, easier making games working in new conditions. And there may be many of it. So, I call my releases adaptations or adapts - and that just includes all needed changes, add-ons ... Then, some call it 'conversions' - very bad and not respectful - it is not conversion, and of course no SW what can do it. And will be not. All it is lot of 'manual' work and biggest help for it is some better Atari ST emulator with trace and debugger functions - yeah Steem Debugger . It makes all searching in machine code way easier, as one of main tasks is to find parts of code responsible for disk access, for input read (keyboard, mouse, joystick), copy protection too - and even if using some crack (what I do only if no other source) may need to remove all remains of floppy access in it - as we want now that it work on machines without floppy drive (or Gotek and like) . And of course there are many special cases, strange programmer's solutions, code ...
Calling it just patch, crack, conversion just does not cover all needed and involved .
But some don't care - 'I will do it as I want, it's my right' - Yeah, it is it. And my right is to openly say that it is just bad, disrespectful, sign of not reading available pages about it, not taking any time to think little about , or maybe just contact author about it ...
#13
News / Interesting YT video about "Si...
Last post by Petari - 02-08-2025, 10:23:52Dima Sobolev recommended it to me. I added there comment, but it will be deleted soon most likely.YT video
So, here is my comment:
"Lot of wrong terminology. It is not TOS emulator. There is TOS ROM switch (what I made long time ago - 1992 in my ST and also in my Sinclair Spectrum (of course it is OS ROM switch there) . GemDrive is something done for first time in Steem Atari ST(E) emulator - 2005, called there just 'Hard disk' - it is actually kind of hook/replacement of TOS-es FAT16 filesystem functions - so will access, deal with files on host computers DIR (selected by user) - what will appear as Atari ST logical drive (partition) . But it is not full disk access like it is with usual harddisk drivers and regular TOS usage, No low level disk access, and some SW using that.
And most funny: my integrated driver in iTOS 'does not like other drivers' - haha - it does not need other drivers, as it does basically same thing, so why would start other driver when integrated one is activated ? Plus, if you attach some hard disk/SD card with 'other' driver integrated one will not activate - shame on you 'other drivers' - you don't like my integrated driver ! ??
Well, sarcasm aside: my iTOS (all versions) allow user selection of integrated driver - will work only with DOS FAT16 partitioned media or autoboot driver on media, and usual AHDI type partitioning too, for compatibility. Autoboot can be with DOS type FAT16 - what format integrated partitioner produces. It has some advantage over TOS (AHDI) type FAT16 - for instance much less RAM needed for disk buffers (no large logical sectors).
Visit my site, e-mail me for more details about my SW, about TOS generally. "
So, here is my comment:
"Lot of wrong terminology. It is not TOS emulator. There is TOS ROM switch (what I made long time ago - 1992 in my ST and also in my Sinclair Spectrum (of course it is OS ROM switch there) . GemDrive is something done for first time in Steem Atari ST(E) emulator - 2005, called there just 'Hard disk' - it is actually kind of hook/replacement of TOS-es FAT16 filesystem functions - so will access, deal with files on host computers DIR (selected by user) - what will appear as Atari ST logical drive (partition) . But it is not full disk access like it is with usual harddisk drivers and regular TOS usage, No low level disk access, and some SW using that.
And most funny: my integrated driver in iTOS 'does not like other drivers' - haha - it does not need other drivers, as it does basically same thing, so why would start other driver when integrated one is activated ? Plus, if you attach some hard disk/SD card with 'other' driver integrated one will not activate - shame on you 'other drivers' - you don't like my integrated driver ! ??
Well, sarcasm aside: my iTOS (all versions) allow user selection of integrated driver - will work only with DOS FAT16 partitioned media or autoboot driver on media, and usual AHDI type partitioning too, for compatibility. Autoboot can be with DOS type FAT16 - what format integrated partitioner produces. It has some advantage over TOS (AHDI) type FAT16 - for instance much less RAM needed for disk buffers (no large logical sectors).
Visit my site, e-mail me for more details about my SW, about TOS generally. "
#14
Software / Re: Voodoo Nightmare incompati...
Last post by Official Ninja - 31-07-2025, 01:27:35Quote from: Petari on 30-07-2025, 07:27:13Of course I checked it after upload. It seems that somewhere that file is cached and it is not updated, so you still DL old version. Or some other problem.
Get it here: Updated VoodooNM
All better. Works great. Thank you, again.
#15
Software / Re: Voodoo Nightmare incompati...
Last post by Petari - 30-07-2025, 07:27:13Of course I checked it after upload. It seems that somewhere that file is cached and it is not updated, so you still DL old version. Or some other problem.
Get it here: Updated VoodooNM
Get it here: Updated VoodooNM
#16
Software / Re: Voodoo Nightmare incompati...
Last post by Official Ninja - 30-07-2025, 00:43:06Maybe a problem with download link? VNLA is 56130
https://1drv.ms/i/c/194a97230faf874a/EWk6b5-gYpdFuXoUYTFTRtsBUs2Udra3kvQ7dy_pl2ITkw?e=e9Q5Qg
Also, I've since switched to my STe with USA TOS1.62
I can test on both if needed.
https://1drv.ms/i/c/194a97230faf874a/EWk6b5-gYpdFuXoUYTFTRtsBUs2Udra3kvQ7dy_pl2ITkw?e=e9Q5Qg
Also, I've since switched to my STe with USA TOS1.62
I can test on both if needed.
#17
Software / Re: Voodoo Nightmare incompati...
Last post by Petari - 29-07-2025, 09:55:21It worked well in Steem with US TOS 1.04 .
I made different fix - now no need to set 50 Hz refresh rate, I corrected game's refresh rate test in it's code.
And it works good at 60 Hz refresh rate too, as I see . So, DL it again at same place.
File VNLA in subdir FILES is now 56006 bytes .
I made different fix - now no need to set 50 Hz refresh rate, I corrected game's refresh rate test in it's code.
And it works good at 60 Hz refresh rate too, as I see . So, DL it again at same place.
File VNLA in subdir FILES is now 56006 bytes .
#18
Software / Re: Voodoo Nightmare incompati...
Last post by Official Ninja - 29-07-2025, 03:26:30Quote from: Petari on 26-07-2025, 09:44:03I did put updated v. on game DL page. It is now on top of list because update.
Adapted games DL table
I just tried it out. It still has the problem. I have to run a program to set 50hz before launching the game for it to take joystick input.
Thanks!
#19
Software / Re: Future Game Adaptions Sugg...
Last post by Ronald J. Hall - 28-07-2025, 15:23:49Okay, good advice - thanks! 
#20
Software / Re: Future Game Adaptions Sugg...
Last post by Petari - 28-07-2025, 14:21:29You can copy file GAMELIST.TXT from root of C: to your PC/MAC and can open it with usual text viewer, Notepad or like. Then can search for title, or just go over alphabetically .