The Wiert Corner – irregular stream of stuff

Jeroen W. Pluimers on .NET, C#, Delphi, databases, and personal interests

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Archive for the ‘History’ Category

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Kylix: The Real Lowdown – I wrote this in 2000 too

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/03/23

A while ago – while researching yesterdays post – I came across the below article that I wrote back in august 2000 for The Delphi (by Pinnacle Publishing – long gone by now) and on-line at http://www.delphidevelopernewsletter.com/dd/DDMag.nsf/WebIndexByIssue/B8FC16D8103A3760852568F600559A83

I found a cached copy first at http://www.txsz.net/xs/delphi/2/%E6%8A%80%E5%B7%A7%E5%8F%8A%E7%BB%8F%E9%AA%8C/KYLIX%EF%BC%9A%20%E7%9C%9F%E7%9B%B8.HTM and back-tracked from there.

Since the wayback machine isn’t indexed, I salvaged the copy below.

On the Delphi Tokyo release yesterday [WayBack] Tokyo is available today! – Martin Sedgewick – Google+: I will only try that after Update 1 is released, but based on the [WayBack] What’s New – RAD Studio:

Like

  • Reintroduction of Linux support. Finally.
  • 64-bit as target: server side, the 32-bit days have been over for a long time
  • one-based strings (boy, I’m glad they didn’t continue on the zero-based strings they did on mobile)

Dislike

  • No openSUSE support where SuSE was the primary partner during Kylix development and launch, just search SuSE kylix; heck the registration guide is still up at [WayBack] SDB:Kylix – openSUSE
  • LLVM compiler as it is way too slow for my development cycles
  • ARC based

Time will tell if it works better for me than the .NET Core for Linux I’ve been using until now.

–jeroen
Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in *nix, Delphi, Development, History, Kylix, Linux, openSuSE, Power User, Software Development, SuSE Linux | 4 Comments »

Kylix: Delphi for Linux is on the Way! – I wrote this in 2000

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/03/22

Last year, when Warren Postma wrote, I started digging for some articles I wrote about Kylix (the Delphi for Linux at the start of this century).

The second article I found (Delphi for Linux is on the Way!) was actually the first one I wrote, so I’ve put the copy below. The second article will be in my blog tomorrow.

The article below first appeared at the Pinnacle Publishing site at http://www.pinpub.com/delphi/kylix1.htm as an article for “Delphi Developers Journal” that went out of business just like “Hardcore Delphi” and “Delphi Informant Magazine” went before (actually Blaise Pascal Magazine is about the only Delphi related magazine left).

I found the title of my article through http://www.newsmth.net/bbsanc.php?path=%2Fgroups%2Fcomp.faq%2FDelphi%2FAboutDelphi%2FKylix%2FM.967808208.A then back-tracked the title via http://www.inner-smile.com/delphin.phtml

–jeroen

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Posted in Delphi, Development, History, Kylix, Software Development | Leave a Comment »

Interesting historic read of notes on end 1970s Apple SSAFE project – how it started and ended

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/02/27

This appeared a few days back: [WayBack] http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/apple/ssafe/Apple_SSAFE_Project.pdf

It’s about “Software and Security from Apple Friends and Enemies” an early exchange of ideas and possibilities for DRM in the Apple ][ and Apple III era.

I got it via my bitsavers.org RSS subscription, but it has been over the net in quite a few other places as well:

I think the most important quote is from the one on reddit, submitted 20170223 by vadermeer  for which I added some WayBack/Archive.is links:

[WayBack] Found Internal Apple Memos about copy protection for Apple II, SARA, LISA(self.VintageApple)

Yesterday at the Seattle Goodwill Outlet, where everything is sold by the pound, I noticed the Apple logo on letterhead sticking out from a bin of books, so I started digging. What I found were the 1979-1980 files of Jack MacDonald, manager of system software for the Apple II and /// at the time

They tell the story of project “SSAFE” or “Software Security from Apples Friends and Enemies.” This was a proposal to bring disk copy protection in-house to sell as a service to outside developers. Inter-office memos, meeting notes and progress reports all give a good idea of what a project lifecycle was like. Different schemes and levels of protection are considered, as well as implementation primarily on the Apple II+ and the upcoming SARA (The Apple ///) and Lisa computers. [WayBack] Randy Wigginton is featured prominently throughout, along with mentions of Woz and many other familiar names.

The documents were all a jumble so I’ve put them in chronological order and scanned the collection, please enjoy. [Archive.is]

The reddit thread is very nice reading as it explains how close we are now to this Level 1:

Level 1. Totally secure. Absolutely no method of stealing the software. 100% effective. Note that the ideal, level 1, is achievable only through disallowing any access of any kind to the software and the computer. Not very practical in our circumstances.

and this one from boingboing:

It’s so neatly packaged and well-documented it could be a Harvard Business Review case-study.

Edit 20240819: the above Googl links pointed to [Wayback/Archive] Apple SSAFE Project.pdf – Google Drive.

--jeroen

Posted in 6502, Apple, Apple ][, History, Power User | Leave a Comment »

Ultimate Micro Releases the Universal PSU Kit and Upgrade – Call-A.P.P.L.E.

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/02/24

I might buy this as a preventive measure: Ultimate Micro Releases the Universal PSU Kit and Upgrade – Call-A.P.P.L.E. [WayBack]

Videos of how to install are below.

–jeroen

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Posted in //e, 6502, Apple, History, Power User | Leave a Comment »

Apple ][ history – Nibble magazine

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/02/16

I recently found some old magazine issues of my early programming escapades. It reminded me of the really old days where – as a school kid – I tried to buy Nibble magazine at a regular base. It was expensive (I think it was around 8 Dutch Guilders (or NLG) – close to EUR 4 – which was a lot for me, though less expensive than diskettes that were like NLG 10 each).

But it was fun as the magazine focussed at computer programs and programming transitioned my life. From Integer Basic via AppleSoft Basic (and various smaller attempts in FORTH, MuSimp, LISA Assembler and LOGO) to Turbo Pascal on CP/M.

Recently I learned that all issues (16k pages total!) have been scanned and OCR-ed and can be obtained on DVD for a modest price. Even better: all their software is available for free.

Just follow these links:

For some history:

–jeroen

Posted in //e, 6502, Apple, Apple ][, Development, History, Pascal, Power User, Software Development, Turbo Pascal | Leave a Comment »

Want for birthday or X-mas: “The Lamp” and “BBS: The documentary”

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/02/13

Via KansasFest 2009 Keynote with Jason Scott | KansasFest [WayBack] I bumped into these documentaries by Jason Scott Sadofsky:

The BBS Documentary DVDs are No Longer for Sale [WayBack] though “There will be digital copies sold in the future!” and there is “BBS The.Documentary Part 1 – Baud – YouTube”

There are upcoming documentaries as well, including one on the 6502.

–jeroen

Posted in 6502, History | Leave a Comment »

Lots of new Apple related scans at BitSavers

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/01/22

New scans at BitSavers

Sun Remarketing MFM controller:

Sony disk drive OA-D34V-22 pictures

Service documentation:

 

–jeroen

Posted in Apple, Apple ][, Classic Macintosh, History, Power User | Leave a Comment »

The Chernobyl Story [Updated & Expanded] – Album on Imgur

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/01/16

From the author of [WayBack] The Chernobyl Story [Updated & Expanded] – Album on Imgur:

I’ve assembled this collection of images surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to help people gain a better understanding of what happened. It is a very brief, but complete(ish) retelling of what happened, using edited text from a book I’ve written called “Chernobyl 01:23:40”. The book can be bought from Amazon, if anyone’s interested.

The book is even more impressive: “Chernobyl 01:23:40”

–jeroen

via: [WayBack] #insightful The story of #Chernobyl in pictures. – Jan Wildeboer – Google+

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Posted in History | 2 Comments »

History on line: Client Access/400 API Planning Guide Document Number GG24-4422-00 October 1994

Posted by jpluimers on 2017/01/04

About 12 years ago, I did some Client Access/400 work. When cleaning up “the attic”, I bumped into a paper copy of the below manual. To my surprise that document is still available on-line: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/gg244422.pdf

Client Access/400 API Planning Guide

Document Number GG24-4422-00 October 1994

International Technical Support Organization Rochester Center

Then there is ” This table lists the AS/400 Version 3, Release 7 books that are available in Portable Document Format (PDF).”: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/html/as400/online/V3R7PDF.HTM which contains a link to SC41-3513-01 “AS/400 Client Access for Windows 95/NT API and Technical Reference V3” which I also used: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/pubs/pdfs/as400/V3R7PDF/QBKACO01.PDF

These were (for me back then) the most important chapters of the first book:

12.2 Typical Usage of the API

An application using the Remote Command/Distributed Program Call function will make use of two objects. Each of these objects are identified to the application through a handle. The objects are:

  • System object – This represents the AS/400 system. Commands can be run and programs can be called on this object.
  • Program object – This represents the AS/400 program. Parameters can be added and the program sent to the system to run the program.

There is not a separate object for commands. The command string is sent directly to the system object.

Table 16 shows how these API functions would be typically used.

Table 16. Remote Command / Distributed Program Call – Typical Usage Examples

Action

Start the host server and program.

Create a program object.

Add parameter 1 (input) to the program object.

Add parameter 2 (input/output) to the program object.

Add parameter 3 (output) to the program object.

Call the program with parameters in the same order that they were added to the program object with the cwbRC_AddParameter() calls.

API Function Call an AS/400 program

cwbRC_StartSys(′′SYS01′′, &hSystemHandle)

cwbRC_CreatePgm(′′PROG01′′, ′′LIB01′′,

&hPgmHandle)

cwbRC_AddParm(hPgmHandle, CWBRC_INPUT ,

uParm1Length, pchBuffer1)

cwbRC_AddParm(hPgmHandle, CWBRC_INOUT,

uParm2Length, pchBuffer2)

cwbRC_AddParm(hPgmHandle, CWBRC_OUTPUT,

uParm3Length, pchBuffer3)

cwbRC_CallPgm(hSystemHandle, hPgmHandle,

&hMsgHandle)

Run a CL command on the AS/400

cwbRC_RunCmd(hSystemHandle, pszCommandString,

&hMsgHandle)

Clean up at the end

cwbRC_DeletePgm(hPgmHandle) cwbRC_StopSys(hSystemHandle)

Run a command.

Delete the program object.

Terminate the conversation with the AS/400 server.

12.3 Remote Command / Distributed Program Call API Functions

Table 17 lists the API functions. For a complete list with parameters see the Client Access/400 Optimized for OS/2 API and Technical Reference, SC41-3511.

Table 17. Remote Command / Distributed Program Call – List of API Functions

API Function

cwbRC_StartSys()

cwbRC_GetSysName()

cwbRC_StopSys()

cwbRC_RunCmd()

cwbRC_CreatePgm() cwbRC_AddParm()

cwbRC_CallPgm()

cwbRC_GetParmCount()

cwbRC_GetParm()

cwbRC_GetPgmName()

cwbRC_GetLibName()

cwbRC_DeletePgm()

Description Original API

Starts a conversation with the – specified system.

Gets the name of the system for this – conversation.

Stops the current conversation with EHNSRSTC() the AS/400 system.

Issues the command on the system EHNSRSBM() identified by the handle.

Creates a program object. –

Adds a parameter to the program – object identified by the handle.

Calls the program identified by the – handle.

Gets the number of parameters for – this program object.

Retrieves the parameter identified by – the index (index value for the first parameter is 1).

Gets the name of the program that – was used when creating this program object.

Gets the name of the library that was – used when creating this program
object.

Deletes the program object identified – by the supplied handle (the AS/400
program object is NOT deleted).

–jeroen

Posted in Development, History, Software Development | Leave a Comment »

Bye, bye ADSL…

Posted by jpluimers on 2016/12/27

As I got rid of some final hard coded IPv4 stuff, earlier this month I said good-bye to Ziggo cable internet.

Today, the xs4all ADSL line finally got disconnected as well:

My old trusty Fritz!Box 7340 showing ADSL got disconnected for good on 20161217

My old trusty Fritz!Box 7340 showing ADSL got disconnected for good on 20161217

Which means that the years of running an xs4all DSL connection over mxStream, KPN FAST ADSL and xs4all ONLY are over. Oh the days:

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in ADSL, fiber, History, Internet, ISP, KPN, Power User, xs4all, Ziggo/UPC/A2000 | Leave a Comment »

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