Posted By
JamesD
on 2016-09-19
16:28:34
|  Re: What would I do differently in the Plus/4
This was more of a what they should have done different without redesigning the TED.
I'm operating under the assumption that pitching it as a business system came after the TED was pretty much done. I'm pretty much focusing on things to pitch it for small business or home business, but certainly not everything needs to focus on that, and other than the RAM expansion header, are mostly software
Engineers had a fixed number of gates to work with to fit on a certain size die, which was required to meet the price point. If they had space and time, I think they would have implemented some of what you suggest.
I thought all the timers were just count down one shot from the page I read. I probably just skimmed over the details. I haven't personally programmed it so I didn't know.
If I were designing the TED from scratch, knowing it would be pitched in a business system, I'd probably throw in a hardware 80 column mode, or maybe a 2 color 640x200 graphics mode for use with a software 80 column driver. All the other stuff is nice, but this is a clear advantage over the C64 and can go toe to toe with the Apple and TRS-80 in almost every way. Monitor issues begin to be a problem though.
The software 80 column driver I originally pitched was an alternative to hardware since the TED was already complete and it serves two purposes. The first, is so Commodore can say it can display 80 columns, admittedly with limitations. They would get criticized for readability, but you can clearly see a page layout and is it $600+ important for a complete system? The second, was so you could establish APIs for printing in 80 columns. Then if the machine is a success, follow it up with an enhanced TED that can display 80 columns better and software could already support it.
As for other changes that can happen after the silicon is set, I see that as ok.
Just remember that part of the reason for the new connectors was to squeeze everything into the 116.
If you change connectors, there is a size & cost impact. I already saw the 116 not being fully expandable like the Plus/4.
The C116 probably isn't large enough for a larger expansion connector or Atari style joysticks.
An internal header for a RAM expansion is at least doable on the C16 and probably the Plus/4 though it might be a squeeze or might need a slightly taller case.
The other problem with RAM expansion on the external port, is then you can't have the IEE interface MMS suggested.
I suggested an internal header for RAM expansion on the Plus/4 so the external port would be free for something else.
*edit*
The more I think about it, the more I think a 364 would have been the best chance of differentiating the TED from the C64, especially as a business system.
There's room for Atari style joystick connectors, 128K, 256K, etc...
And more importantly, it looks very different.
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