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Author Archives: Scali
MartyPC: PC emulation done right
I would like to give a heads-up about the new PC emulator on the block. It is called “MartyPC”, which indeed is a reference to Marty McFly from the Back To The Future movies. And indeed, that is a tribute … Continue reading
Posted in Oldskool/retro programming, Software development, Software news
Tagged 8088 mph, Area 5150, CGA, Composite, cycle exact, DOS, emulator, IBM 5150, IBM 5160, IBM PC, MartyPC, MS-DOS, PC, PC/XT, wait state, XT
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Cartridges for the IBM PC
Cartridges? For the IBM PC? There’s no such thing! Well, there kinda is… The IBM PCjr has two cartridge slots. Now, one may argue about whether the PCjr is actually an IBM PC compatible or not, but let’s look at … Continue reading
Posted in Hardware news, Oldskool/retro programming
Tagged BackBit Pro, BIOS, cartridge, CRC, DOS, EPROM, Extension ROM, IBM, JRC, JRipCart, MS-DOS, PC, PC DOS, PCjr, Raphnet, ROM, SD-card, SHAOS, Tand-Em
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Another adventure in downgrading, part 4: Fixed function
A few months ago, I discussed downgrading a modern codebase to .NET 4 and Windows XP. I managed to get the code working to the point that all functionality worked, aside from web views, given that browsers no longer support … Continue reading
Posted in Direct3D, Oldskool/retro programming, Software development
Tagged .NET 4.0, C, D3D, D3D9, Direct3D, Direct3D9, DirectShow, DirectX, DirectX 9, DirectX Effect, downgrade, Effect file, fixed function pipeline, legacy, NAudio, PixelShader, shader compiler, Shader Model 2.0, shaders, SM2.0, VertexShader, Windows XP, XP
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The DOS SDK
A thing I have been working on, on and off, for many years now, is a set of headers and helper routines for programming DOS machines directly on the hardware in assembly and C. As you may recall, my earliest … Continue reading
A great upgrade for the PCjr: the jr-IDE
Adding a hard drive to a PC was a reasonably standard upgrade even in the 80s. And in today’s world of retro-computing, we have the XT-IDE card, which adds proper IDE support to old PCs. Which also allows you to … Continue reading
Posted in Hardware news, Oldskool/retro programming, Software development
Tagged Alan Hightower, DOS, IBM, James Pearce, jr-IDE, JRCONFIG.SYS, Memory expansion, Mike Brutman, PC DOS, PCjr, retrotronics.org, sidecar, Tandy 1000, TexElec, XT-IDE
2 Comments
When is a PC not a PC? The PC-98
I’ve covered PC compatibility in the past, and tried to explain how just having an x86 CPU and running DOS does not necessarily make your machine compatible with an IBM PC. At the time, this was mainly about the IBM … Continue reading
Posted in Oldskool/retro programming, Software development
Tagged 8086, DOS/V, IBM, MS-DOS, NEC, PC, PC DOS, PC-98, uPD7220, x86, XT
6 Comments
Why I left the 8088 MPH team
In short, it wasn’t my choice. Then who decided? Jim Leonard, aka Trixter. So is Jim able to singlehandedly decide who is and isn’t part of the ‘team’? Yes, apparently. So, it isn’t really a ‘team’ then, is it? No, … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 8088 mph, Area 5150, Enemies of Modernity, Gad Saad, Helen Pluckrose, Jim Leonard, Nomological Network, Parasitic Mind, postmodern, Successor ideology, Trixter, Truth, woke
5 Comments
A new MPU-401 solution: The Music Quest clone
This is a draft that I have kept around since March 16, 2019, so it is about time I finally finish and publish it. This story started somewhere in 2015, when a user named Keropi posted a thread on the … Continue reading
Posted in Hardware news, Oldskool/retro programming
Tagged dumb mode, Intelligent mode, Keropi, MIDI, MIF-IPC, MPU-401, MPU-401AT, MPU-IPC, Music Quest, Roland, Serdashop, UART, Wave Blaster
1 Comment
A new game for DOS/EGA/AdLib: Super Space Fuel Inc.
It seems there has been a boom in Match-3 games. They seem to be a popular target for casual gaming on mobile devices/in browsers. But what’s better than playing Match-3 on your mobile phone? Playing Match-3 under DOS! I say … Continue reading
Posted in Oldskool/retro programming, Software news
Tagged AdLib, DOS, EGA, Match-3, No-XS, sBeam, Super Space Fuel Inc., Turbo C, VisionVortex
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Windows 7: the end is nigh
Windows 7, originally released on October 22, 2009. It’s had a good run of over 13 years so far. At its introduction, I wrote a somewhat cynical piece, given that people were so negative about Windows Vista, and so positive … Continue reading
Posted in Software news
Tagged .NET 4.8.1, .NET 7, End of life, geforce, Microsoft, Security update, Service Pack 1, Visual Studio 2022, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 7 SP1
2 Comments
Scali's OpenBlog™ 