Added FlickerFree to the PCx86 roster of Other Tools
This commit is contained in:
parent
9e149dda6a
commit
2027929148
16 changed files with 411 additions and 28 deletions
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@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ more detail, along with a live demonstration of the software, but that's not yet
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* [Borland Tools](tools/borland/)
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* [Borland Tools](tools/borland/)
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* [IBM Tools](tools/ibm/)
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* [IBM Tools](tools/ibm/)
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* [Microsoft Tools](tools/microsoft/)
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* [Microsoft Tools](tools/microsoft/)
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* [More...](tools/misc/)
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* [More...](tools/other/)
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### Tests
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### Tests
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@ -518,7 +518,8 @@
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/WIN30SDK_DISK08.json">Windows SDK 3.00 (720K Disk 08)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/WIN30SDK_DISK08.json">Windows SDK 3.00 (720K Disk 08)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/WIN30SDK_DISK09.json">Windows SDK 3.00 (720K Disk 09)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/WIN30SDK_DISK09.json">Windows SDK 3.00 (720K Disk 09)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/WIN30SDK_DISK10.json">Windows SDK 3.00 (720K Disk 10)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/WIN30SDK_DISK10.json">Windows SDK 3.00 (720K Disk 10)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/misc/enhdebug/ENHDEBUG.json">Enhanced DEBUG 1.32a</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/other/enhdebug/ENHDEBUG.json">Enhanced DEBUG 1.32a</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/FLICKERFREE.json">FlickerFree 1.0</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/games/id/wolf3d/1WOLF14.json">Wolfenstein 3D 1.4</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/games/id/wolf3d/1WOLF14.json">Wolfenstein 3D 1.4</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1982/FLIGHTSIM-1982.json">MS Flight Simulator (1982)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1982/FLIGHTSIM-1982.json">MS Flight Simulator (1982)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1984/FLIGHTSIM-1984.json">MS Flight Simulator (1984)</disk>
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<disk path="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1984/FLIGHTSIM-1984.json">MS Flight Simulator (1984)</disk>
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@ -101,7 +101,8 @@
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/1.04/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/1.04/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/2.03/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/2.03/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/sdk/3.00/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/misc/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/other/enhdebug/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/games/id/wolf3d/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/games/id/wolf3d/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1982/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1982/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1984/manifest.xml"/>
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<manifest ref="/disks/pcx86/games/microsoft/flightsim/1984/manifest.xml"/>
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@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ Information is available for tools from these vendors:
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* [IBM](ibm/)
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* [IBM](ibm/)
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* [Logitech](logitech/)
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* [Logitech](logitech/)
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* [Microsoft](microsoft/)
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* [Microsoft](microsoft/)
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* [Other](misc/)
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* [Other...](other/)
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@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ redirect_from:
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---
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---
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Microsoft Languages
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Microsoft Languages
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---
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-------------------
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* Microsoft BASIC
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* Microsoft BASIC
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* [Microsoft C Compilers](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/c/)
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* [Microsoft C Compilers](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/c/)
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@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ Microsoft Languages
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* [Microsoft Mouse](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/mouse/)
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* [Microsoft Mouse](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/mouse/)
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Microsoft Development Kits
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Microsoft Development Kits
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---
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--------------------------
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* [Microsoft OS/2 Development Kits](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/)
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* [Microsoft OS/2 Development Kits](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/)
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* [Microsoft Windows Development Kits](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/)
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* [Microsoft Windows Development Kits](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/windows/)
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Microsoft Languages Newsletters
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Microsoft Languages Newsletters
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---
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-------------------------------
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Below are all the "Microsoft Languages NewsLetters" that Microsoft published in
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Below are all the "Microsoft Languages NewsLetters" that Microsoft published in
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[PC Tech Journal](/pubs/pc/magazines/pctj/), before they decided to focus exclusively
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[PC Tech Journal](/pubs/pc/magazines/pctj/), before they decided to focus exclusively
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@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/
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---
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---
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Microsoft OS/2 Development Kits
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Microsoft OS/2 Development Kits
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---
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-------------------------------
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* [Microsoft OS/2 SDK 1.02](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/sdk/1.02/)
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* [Microsoft OS/2 SDK 1.02](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/sdk/1.02/)
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/sdk/1.02/
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---
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---
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Microsoft OS/2 SDK 1.02
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Microsoft OS/2 SDK 1.02
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---
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-----------------------
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This copy of the Microsoft OS/2 SDK (1.02) was obtained from the [WinWorld](https://winworldpc.com/product/os-2-1x/10)
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This copy of the Microsoft OS/2 SDK (1.02) was obtained from the [WinWorld](https://winworldpc.com/product/os-2-1x/10)
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website. Unfortunately, it's missing the **NETWORK** disk, so we've included an empty **NETWORK** disk
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website. Unfortunately, it's missing the **NETWORK** disk, so we've included an empty **NETWORK** disk
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/sdk/
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---
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---
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Microsoft OS/2 SDKs
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Microsoft OS/2 SDKs
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---
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-------------------
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* [Microsoft OS/2 SDK 1.02](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/sdk/1.02/)
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* [Microsoft OS/2 SDK 1.02](/disks/pcx86/tools/microsoft/os2/sdk/1.02/)
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@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
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---
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layout: page
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title: Other PC Tools
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permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/misc/
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---
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Other PC Tools
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---
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Information is available for these miscellaneous tools:
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* [Enhanced DEBUG](enhdebug/)
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13
disks/pcx86/tools/other/README.md
Normal file
13
disks/pcx86/tools/other/README.md
Normal file
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@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
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---
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layout: page
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title: Other PC Tools
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permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/other/
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---
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Other PC Tools
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--------------
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Information is available for these additional tools:
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* [Enhanced DEBUG](enhdebug/)
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* [FlickerFree](flickerfree/)
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@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
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---
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---
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layout: page
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layout: page
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title: Enhanced DEBUG for PC DOS and MS-DOS
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title: Enhanced DEBUG for PC-DOS and MS-DOS
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permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/misc/enhdebug/
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permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/other/enhdebug/
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---
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---
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Enhanced DEBUG for PC DOS and MS-DOS
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Enhanced DEBUG for PC-DOS and MS-DOS
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---
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------------------------------------
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The [PC DOS Retro](https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/) website has documentation for
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The [PC DOS Retro](https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/) website has documentation for
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[Enhanced DEBUG](https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/enhdebug).
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[Enhanced DEBUG](https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/enhdebug).
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@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
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<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="/versions/pcx86/1.36.0/manifest.xsl"?>
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<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="/versions/pcx86/1.36.0/manifest.xsl"?>
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<manifest type="software">
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<manifest type="software">
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<title>Enhanced DEBUG</title>
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<title>Enhanced DEBUG</title>
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<version>1.32a</version>
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<source href="https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/enhdebug">PC DOS Retro: Enhanced DEBUG for PC DOS and MS-DOS</source>
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<source href="https://sites.google.com/site/pcdosretro/enhdebug">PC DOS Retro: Enhanced DEBUG for PC DOS and MS-DOS</source>
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<disk id="disk01" size="368640" chs="40:2:9" href="/disks/pcx86/tools/misc/enhdebug/ENHDEBUG.json" md5="6e1456527e463c81bb5c9b4bd3d28bd9" md5json="71a18c0b921741f183cb90c2df1d4d03">
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<disk id="disk01" size="368640" chs="40:2:9" href="/disks/pcx86/tools/other/enhdebug/ENHDEBUG.json" md5="6e1456527e463c81bb5c9b4bd3d28bd9" md5json="71a18c0b921741f183cb90c2df1d4d03">
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<name>Enhanced DEBUG 1.32a</name>
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<file size="20816" time="2016-04-21 09:40:04" attr="0x20" md5="0b9614b461b8287e536bf77bf7e26329">DEBUG.COM</file>
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<file size="20816" time="2016-04-21 09:40:04" attr="0x20" md5="0b9614b461b8287e536bf77bf7e26329">DEBUG.COM</file>
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<file size="26198" time="2016-04-21 09:40:04" attr="0x20" md5="98e9b7fec9e2b5c736fd558114c312db">DEBUGX.COM</file>
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<file size="26198" time="2016-04-21 09:40:04" attr="0x20" md5="98e9b7fec9e2b5c736fd558114c312db">DEBUGX.COM</file>
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<file size="27998" time="2016-04-12 11:44:02" attr="0x20" md5="42dca823821dc915dd94abedc5f19c65">DEBUG.TXT</file>
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<file size="27998" time="2016-04-12 11:44:02" attr="0x20" md5="42dca823821dc915dd94abedc5f19c65">DEBUG.TXT</file>
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1
disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/FLICKERFREE.json
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1
disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/FLICKERFREE.json
Normal file
File diff suppressed because one or more lines are too long
362
disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/README.md
Normal file
362
disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/README.md
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@ -0,0 +1,362 @@
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---
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layout: page
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title: FlickerFree 1.0
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permalink: /disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/
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machines:
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- id: ibm5150
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type: pcx86
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config: /devices/pcx86/machine/5150/cga/256kb/debugger/machine.xml
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autoMount:
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B:
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name: FlickerFree 1.0
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autoStart: true
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---
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FlickerFree 1.0
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---------------
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{% include machine.html id="ibm5150" %}
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### Directory of FlickerFree 1.0
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Volume in drive B is FlickerFree
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Directory of B:\
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FF COM 22330 04-01-86 12:00a
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FPA COM 5438 04-01-86 12:00a
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FFIX COM 3590 04-01-86 12:00a
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FF_HIST 14610 04-01-86 12:00a
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README 859 04-01-86 12:00a
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5 file(s) 46827 bytes
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0 bytes free
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### A Brief History of FlickerFree
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From the file `FF_HIST`:
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-------------------------------------------------------
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A brief history of FlickerFree
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- or -
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A look at the Technology behind "FlickerFreedom".
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- or -
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Software efficiency is MUCH more important
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than raw hardware power!!
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-------------------------------------------------------
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THANKS TO IBM!
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-------------------------------------------------------
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Before I begin, I'd like to take a moment to give
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my sincere, public thanks and appreciation to
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International Business Machines, Inc. (aka IBM) as
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the company which created the IBM PC ... and the
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tidal-wave phenomenon of that product's success.
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FlickerFree, would not exist if the marketplace
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created by IBM was any less vital and wonderful.
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FlickerFree has the benefit of being designed many
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years AFTER the architecture of the PC was cast in
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marketing-hardened concrete ... so I have the
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advantage of hindsight which IBM never enjoyed.
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If here, or elsewhere, I ever appear to be harsh,
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acerbic, or "Holier-than-IBM", please remember that
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I NEVER STOP BEING GRATEFUL for the opportunities
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created by IBM's success with this machine.
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-------------------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------------------
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Phase ONE - discovery
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-------------------------------------------------------
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It began rather innocently.
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Like everyone else, I kept reading about all the things
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which could be purchased to speed up my "old clunker"
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4.77 Mhz 8088 PC. Each passing "enhancement" article
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reminded me that OTHER PEOPLE were computing FASTER
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than I..... Hmmmm.....
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From among all the TURBO Add-In Cards, V20 chips,
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faster clock crystals, new motherboards, weird do-
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hickies, and the like, one product caught my eye: The
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286-EXPRESS CARD from PC Technologies. This excellent
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card is the same one also being sold by Victor,
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Mountain Computer, as well as several other well-known
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companies.
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So one of these beauties found its way into the unused
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slot-8 of my trusty (rusty) old XT.
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WHIZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz . . .. ... (hic!)
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Sure enough, the RAW PROCESSING POWER of my system shot
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up SIGNIFICANTLY, just as I'd hoped, but to my surprise
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and consternation, the SCREEN didn't receive NEARLY the
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same speed boost as raw number-crunching.
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My prior hardware products: The LPS II Light Pen
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System for Apple II computers followed by Koala's
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GIBSON Light Pen System, demonstrate that I'm a *BIG*
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*FAN* of Display Screens. Screens are *REALLY*
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important. They're our only WINDOWS into what's going
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ON in there!! And SCREEN SPEED MATTERS . . . A LOT!!
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I'm also sure that computers should be FAST! I mean
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our EXPERIENCE of them should feel light, responsive,
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and snappy under our fingers.
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A slow screen makes EVERYTHING feel slow ... and dull.
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Something was wrong in IBM screenland.
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Out came my trusty IBM PC Technical Reference manual --
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I hoped to understand where all of my new 80286's
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power-juice was going. After all, the finest hardware
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in the world is POWERLESS to perform in the face of
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inefficient SOFTWARE. . . .
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\ /
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> GULP! <
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/ \
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I couldn't BELIEVE what I found. Did I say inefficient?
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Horrifying would be more accurate. . .
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The original authors of IBM's ROM BIOS could not have
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known just what a phenomenon the IBM PC would become
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... so I suppose that no one spent much (or perhaps
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any) time worrying about the efficiency of the lower-
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level ROM BIOS routines... after all, they WORKED
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didn't they???
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Yeah, sure.
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It's just that no one ever knew HOW MUCH BETTER the
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BIOS might have been or could be. The deeper and closer
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I looked, the more room for "improvement" I found.
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||||||
|
Though I still didn't know it then, the product which
|
||||||
|
would become FlickerFree ... was well on its way!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
Phase TWO - a closer look at the issues
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The Performance Issue:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The original IBM Color Graphics Display Adapter has an
|
||||||
|
intrinsic hardware limitation which places a FIXED LOW
|
||||||
|
RATE on display update speed. However, the CRIME is
|
||||||
|
that the BIOS ROM, which was written with these Color
|
||||||
|
Adapter limitations in mind, treats the Color and
|
||||||
|
Monochrome Display Adapters identically, needlessly
|
||||||
|
reducing the speed of the Monochrome Display output to
|
||||||
|
the slow speed of the Color Display!!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
What's more, many of the newer color display adapters
|
||||||
|
do not suffer under the "screen static" limitations of
|
||||||
|
the original CGA, but they are STILL RUNNING UNDER THE
|
||||||
|
SAME (OLD) BIOS ..... and are therefore not permitted
|
||||||
|
to function as fast as their better designs allow!!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Finally, this FIXED LOW DISPLAY RATE is NOT TIED to the
|
||||||
|
speed and power of your computer's CPU chip ... but is
|
||||||
|
set by the FIXED RASTER SCAN RATE of the display's
|
||||||
|
sweeping beam. The BIOS only permits a single byte or
|
||||||
|
word to be written to the display for each horizontal
|
||||||
|
scan retrace.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Therefore, the addition of more PROCESSING POWER (like
|
||||||
|
my addition of the PC Technologies 80286) does not
|
||||||
|
deliver a proportionate increase in screen performance.
|
||||||
|
Your FASTER MACHINE simply spends a greater percentage
|
||||||
|
of its time WAITING for the ROM BIOS to permit a single
|
||||||
|
character to be written to the display... then waits
|
||||||
|
again for the next one....
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
The FLICKER issue:
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Scrolling the screen image UP by one line normally
|
||||||
|
requires the rapid movement of all 4000 bytes of screen
|
||||||
|
character data. Essentially, EACH CHARACTER on the
|
||||||
|
screen is advanced FORWARD by exactly eighty locations.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
As we've just seen, the Color Adapter's hardware
|
||||||
|
limitation prevents this mass data movement from being
|
||||||
|
performed quickly, so the IBM ROM BIOS simply TURNS THE
|
||||||
|
SCREEN OFF (to black) while the data is all quickly
|
||||||
|
moved up one line. (What you can't see can't hurt you?)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Since I found the Flickering effect to be extremely
|
||||||
|
annoying, and was sure you would too, I decided that it
|
||||||
|
would just have to go. So I invented a completely new
|
||||||
|
technique for scrolling the screen's data ... which
|
||||||
|
results in a effectively INSTANTANEOUS VERTICAL SCROLL.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(If you've seen the INFO page, you've already seen that
|
||||||
|
super-smooth HORIZONTAL SCROLLING can now be done too.)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
The Color Issue:
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
I'm sure I'll NEVER understand how a computer could be
|
||||||
|
sold with a Color Graphics Adapter and Color Monitor
|
||||||
|
... but without any simple, semi-permanent means for
|
||||||
|
choosing and setting the display's default screen
|
||||||
|
colors. That's just unbelievable to me.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
You've already seen how much nicer ANY COLORS OTHER
|
||||||
|
than the PC's default "DimWhite-on-Black" appears ...
|
||||||
|
and you may have already used the on-screen menu to set
|
||||||
|
up your own preferred screen colors. So enough said.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
The Inefficient Code Issue:
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
I don't want to be critical of anyone else's work -
|
||||||
|
especially behind their back, so I'll keep this short,
|
||||||
|
polite, and a bit white washed:
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The video portion (at least) of the standard IBM PC ROM
|
||||||
|
BIOS was not skillfully written. I don't need to stand
|
||||||
|
here in judgment, since FlickerFree is the result of
|
||||||
|
what I consider skillful writing (he said modestly)...
|
||||||
|
and you have seen the difference for yourself.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
Phase THREE - implementation of a product
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
So I began dabbling here and there, counting each and
|
||||||
|
every single "thought" cycle of the PC's 8088 micro-
|
||||||
|
processor. Even though each "tick" of its clockwork
|
||||||
|
brain would make a difference of only 210 Billionths of
|
||||||
|
a second, I knew how quickly they tend to all add up.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(Having waited for your display screen, you know too!)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Every part of this project HAD to be hand-written in
|
||||||
|
100% machine language. Fortunately (and happily) I'm
|
||||||
|
one of that dying breed who eats and breathes (and
|
||||||
|
loves) machine language. I've never been comfortable
|
||||||
|
tolerating the inevitable performance loss of higher
|
||||||
|
level languages. I prefer the experience of that
|
||||||
|
special hand-crafted feeling ... the power, and control
|
||||||
|
which comes with machine language.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
I was gaining ground.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
With the new FlickerFree technologies up, working, and
|
||||||
|
tightly hand-coded for maximum speed and power, I had
|
||||||
|
two major aspects remaining: User Interface and
|
||||||
|
Software Compatibility.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
I decided to go all out on the user interface. I've
|
||||||
|
always felt that little things make big differences.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Like the diagonal on-screen wipe.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
I didn't just want *MY* menus to explode onto the
|
||||||
|
screen like so many other products. I wanted something
|
||||||
|
smoother. After hand-coding about ten "special-
|
||||||
|
effects" I settled upon the diagonal wipe.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
But it wasn't right yet.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
The EASY WAY for the menu to operate would have been to
|
||||||
|
let it "wipe-on" first, WITHOUT the inverse highlight
|
||||||
|
bars ... and add them AFTERWARD. That would have been
|
||||||
|
easy. I tried it, and knew it was wrong. The wipe
|
||||||
|
phase was so smooth and "proper" that the subsequent
|
||||||
|
sudden appearance of the inverse highlights carried the
|
||||||
|
impression of an afterthought. So, I did it the hard
|
||||||
|
way. The menu is completely built (WITH the inverse
|
||||||
|
highlight bars) "off stage", and only then wiped onto
|
||||||
|
the screen, complete.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
I wouldn't ship it any other way.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
What about the horizontal smooth-scroll?? Well I guess
|
||||||
|
I was just showing off ... but I never get tired of
|
||||||
|
seeing it slide by!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
Software Compatibility
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Boy... there is a nightmare! But I don't suppose I have
|
||||||
|
to tell you about the mish-mash of today's software
|
||||||
|
compatibility problems. It's all so technical and
|
||||||
|
uninteresting that I won't waste your time further,
|
||||||
|
except to say that fully one third of my time (and two-
|
||||||
|
thirds of my anxiety!) was devoted to developing the
|
||||||
|
resident technology behind FlickerFree. Again, I'm
|
||||||
|
proud of the result and know that it speaks for itself.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
*******************************************************
|
||||||
|
-------------------------------------------------------
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
So, What's next???
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Well, I'm at work on product number two (code name: P-2)
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
As a paid, registered, owner of FlickerFree, you'll be
|
||||||
|
receiving early notification of P-2's availability.
|
||||||
|
I'm as excited about it as I was about FlickerFree ...
|
||||||
|
and I know you will be too!!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
In the mean time, enjoy being FlickerFreed, and thanks
|
||||||
|
again for you support and your purchase!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Steve Gibson
|
||||||
|
April, 1986
|
||||||
|
Irvine, CA, USA
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
- End Of File -
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
17
disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/manifest.xml
Normal file
17
disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/manifest.xml
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
|
||||||
|
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
|
||||||
|
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="/versions/pcx86/1.36.0/manifest.xsl"?>
|
||||||
|
<manifest type="software">
|
||||||
|
<title>FlickerFree</title>
|
||||||
|
<version>1.0</version>
|
||||||
|
<type>Utility</type>
|
||||||
|
<category>Enhancement</category>
|
||||||
|
<author>Steve Gibson</author>
|
||||||
|
<releaseDate>1986</releaseDate>
|
||||||
|
<disk id="disk01" size="184320" chs="40:1:9" img="archive/FLICKERFREE.img" href="/disks/pcx86/tools/other/flickerfree/FLICKERFREE.json" md5="f4d6055fa14adffc754c2fadee04ac82" md5json="b9f60250d63a162c2b65c884c4bcba40">
|
||||||
|
<file size="22330" time="1986-03-31 23:00:00" attr="0x20">FF.COM</file>
|
||||||
|
<file size="3590" time="1986-03-31 23:00:00" attr="0x20">FFIX.COM</file>
|
||||||
|
<file size="14610" time="1986-03-31 23:00:00" attr="0x20">FF_HIST</file>
|
||||||
|
<file size="5438" time="1986-03-31 23:00:00" attr="0x20">FPA.COM</file>
|
||||||
|
<file size="859" time="1986-03-31 23:00:00" attr="0x20">README</file>
|
||||||
|
</disk>
|
||||||
|
</manifest>
|
||||||
Loading…
Reference in a new issue