TheBackShed.com

Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : (MM) Maximite, Linux, Minicom and Xmodem.

Page 2 of 2

Author

Message

Greg Fordyce
Senior Member

Joined: 16/09/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 153

Posted: 12:43pm 31 Aug 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Great link vasi, I'll refrain from anymore off topic posts in this thread. Apologies to ColinT for the small hijack.

Greg

ColinT

Newbie

Joined: 26/08/2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 10

Posted: 11:53am 01 Sep 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

> Apologies to ColinT for the small hijack.

Not at all; have enjoyed the exchanges. Was planning to get in a keg.

Re vasi's link, the elephant in the room there can perhaps best be introduced with a short anecdote. A few years back I was webmaster for a small political party. Of the many interesting items to come my way was a list of responses to a Government mandate to install the latest version of Windows, generously provided FREE by M$, on all school computers. All school principals insisted that most of their current hardware could not run the new OS, and was effectively worthless. Furthermore, a condition of the deal was that the Education Department (here in Qld Au) would purchase only M$ software for the next four years, and it went ahead in spite of all objections. One can only wonder at the cause of such determined motivation by public servants.

I've also noted that lots of script-kiddie types get a real kick out of pirating M$ stuff, and love to offer it around as proof of their technical accomplishments. And the average suburbanite simply can't be bothered learning anything new, especially when the only ones they know promoting it appear to be borderline nutcases - geeks at best.

BTW, if a definitive answer to my OP does appear, I'll post it as a new topic for casual visitors, and hereinafter regard this thread as a subforum for exchanges of the type thusfar posted, since they represent a broad interpretation of my original query.Edited by ColinT 2012-09-03

And some they will, and some they won't; but with some it's just as well.

ColinT

Newbie

Joined: 26/08/2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 10

Posted: 08:49pm 01 Sep 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

I offer what follows by way of broadening this thread, in spite of the customary admonitions to "stay on topic". Those unfamiliar with the '80s may need to seek additional perspective. One of the most useful features of Intel's Control BASIC was its ability to idenify baud rates via the simple expedient of hitting the [SPACE] key. At boot, the code would wait for a serial-line input of a single character, and assume that it was ASCII 20h. Given a maximum expected baud rate, reiterated division immediately identified the Sender's baud rate of the character, and reliable communication then ensued.

Modern serial comms protocols render the above exchange invisible, but they MUST occur in one form or another for the overall protocol to remain viable. I'm new here, and wouldn't want to impose my own long-held prejudices upon those who have undoubtedly acquired their own. Howsoever, in the the interests of the Greater Good (whatever that may be) I'll add this note for whomsoever may be inclined to respond. We're in a new era that is, publicly and forcefully, defined by the TransNational Coporations and their subjugate media, political and "civil service" personnel.

Even what we once regarded as our own sacrosanct enclaves of disciplined technical standards have now been invaded by political and other agents. If our Art is to proceed and develop as we would wish, these key areas must be adjudicated within a closely-guarded forum. Those who understand the portent of the preceding may feel inclined to respond.

And some they will, and some they won't; but with some it's just as well.

Page 2 of 2

Print this page

To reply to this topic, you need to log in.