Entry 0809: Blog: 1

Eric W Schwartz

Click to start download of 'Jugglette' animations

 


A few words from Eric

'The Amiga is also a testament to having advantages that double 
as disadvantages. The Amiga has custom-made graphic and sound 
chips that are heavily interdependent with the main processor 
and the OS. This means graphics, animation, video, and multimedia
 
applications are very powerful, fast, and capable regardless of 
the processor speed. It also means it's not so simple to set up a 
retargetable display (it's easier now than it used to be) or 
change the system over to a faster processor type such as PowerPC.
The Amiga has a very efficient graphic operating system with 
preemptive multitasking that uses little memory (under 1 meg)
and disk space (a minimal system can run from a DD floppy). 
It doesn't take much imagination to guess the benefits of 
such a system, considering the Mac and PC can't match it's 
efficiency, and probably never will. Unfortunately, a lightweight
 system doesn't match the other's feature set and polish, such 
as built in networking, virtual memory, and a Minesweeper game.
There are other examples in this vein, but you get the idea.
The Amiga is far from a perfect computer platform, but nothing
else is either. I prefer the Amiga, pure and simple. I admit,
you have to work to get the stuff you want for it, but I look 
at it as a classic car sorta thing. It's a lot easier to live 
with a new overpriced Toyota fatass car, if I didn't have any 
pride or spirit in me, but I'll stick it out for as long as
it takes with my Amiga Mustang with the rust spots in the rear
fender and laugh at you all. A lot of you might be saying
"It's only a computer!", to which my response is "It's only a car. 
It's only a college. It's only a religion." There's a lot less
difference from your own causes than you might think, so don't 
bug me about being an Amiga advocate until you can tie a name 
to your computer, and 'Packard Bell' doesn't count.'

Eric W. Schwartz 


For those that do not have 'MoviePlayer' on their Amiga
then click the images below to download the two LHA
files containing the required files... You will need
MoviePlayer to play the Jugglette animation

CUAmiga disk 40A and CUAmiga disk 40B

[ recent work ' Still Alive ' ]

Eric Schwartz recent interview on the AROS Show

[ quote ]

It all started with the song "Still Alive" written by Jonathan 
Coulton for the ending sequence of the game "Portal". (ironically, 
I don't own or play the game, though I did buy the music) The 
lyrics are by a computer (the enemy in the game) singing about itself 
being defeated, but still very passive-aggressive and defiant about it, 
which seemed to fit the attitude behind the Amiga and its users. I 
started thinking more and more about how an Amiga-themed animation 
might work to that song, until it became an idea that would not rest 
until I had produced it.

I went through a lot of experimentation and trial-and-error to 
design the method of the animation. The main thing was I wanted to 
be able to work quickly, as three minutes of full animation with l
ip-synced vocals could take months if not years to complete if you 
don't have a staff working for you. The result was a mix of 3D and 
drawn animation designed to make the most of black and white line 
work. It could have looked more refined, but I was able to put the 
whole thing together in a little under two months.

[ end quote ]

The Eric Schwartz ' Still Alive ' video on YouTube

scuzz



Codename Natami

Entry 0809: Blog: 2


The Native Amiga Project



The NatAmi Project

This hardware project is dedicated to the Amiga's still innovative 
system architecture. 

The basic concept is straight: Get the Amiga up-to-date. 

The concept is to archieve this by hardware only means. NO software 
emulation of the hardware parts. The concept is the project name: 
Native Amiga 

Our aim is not to get the old A500/A4000 back. You can buy those at 
rather reasonable prices at eBay or get the Minimig, that has an 
attractive pricing and implements an OCS/ECS Amiga. 

Our goal is to build a succeeding Amiga model using high performance 
components and keeping the original philosophy - but not the limitations. 

The NatAmi is an AMIGA compatible machine, allowing you to natively run 
original software. 

Our belief is that the NATAMI is the next generation AMIGA that 
Commodore would have brought out if they would not went belly up. 






Click link for natami.net






Who invented the GUI

Entry 0809: Blog: 3


CopyCATS



Claim One: XEROX

[ quote ]

In 1979, the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center developed the first prototype
for a GUI. A young man named Steve Jobs, looking for new ideas to work into
future iterations of the Apple computer, traded US $1 million in stock
options to Xerox for a detailed tour of their facilities and current
projects. One of the things Xerox showed Jobs was the Alto, which sported a
GUI and a three-button mouse. When Jobs saw this prototype, he had an
epiphany and set out to bring the GUI to the public.

Claim Two: ENGLEBART

[ quote ]

The roots of the system go back still further. Every computer history
website will tell you that Doug Englebart, hired by the US Defense
Department to find new ways of harnessing the computer, invented the mouse
in 1963.

Claim Three: CRANSTON

[ quote ]

Two engineers came up with a trackball, the innards of the mouse, a full 11
years before Englebart unveiled his device. Moreover, it was used to select
a position on a screen to convey information to a processor, which is the
fundamental operation of a GUI. One of the engineers, 80-year-old Tom
Cranston, is still alive and living in Scotland.

Cranston's early career nicely mirrors the shift the electronics industry
went through in the 1940s and 1950s. Pre-war electronics was overwhelmingly
analog, using thermionic valves as amplifiers, oscillators and detectors.

[ enter Longstaff and the wheel thing ]

Cranston, while on a visit to a naval establishment, had seen someone using
a wheel on a stick, like a miniature pedometer, to measure distances on a
chart. "We need something like that which works simultaneously in two
dimensions," he said to Longstaff.

Longstaff then came up with the idea of two follower wheels resting at right
angles to a ball that was free to roll in any direction. The prototype
actually used two pairs of wheels driven by a standard 4in Canadian bowling
ball resting on an air bearing, a feature that is simpler to make than it
sounds.

[ ball resolvers ]

Ball resolvers were not new. They had appeared in navigational and ballistic
control mechanisms. The achievement of Longstaff and Cranston was to see how
one could be used in conjunction with an electronic display. It was,
Cranston says, a generation before its time.

Cranston was project engineer with a team working on a system for the
Canadian Navy called Datar, an attempt to marry radar to digital computers
which was way ahead of its time when it started in 1949.

[ Where Datar went ]

The Datar experience went into a programmable computer called the FP-6000
which was launched in 1961 by Ferranti Packard - the original company merged
in 1958 with Packard Electric.

The FP-6000 was one of the first to use an operating system and was ahead of
IBM rivals in its ability to multi-task. Its chief architect was Longstaff.
He ended his career as a comms guru with Motorola and died five years ago.

[ end  history lesson ]

As to interesting early machines, the Xerox Alto looks
an interesting beast, with A4 style monitor. Evidently
Apple deserves credit for the GUI.




scuzz





Back to 1993

Entry 0809: Blog: 4


Happy Days



Back to 1993

I'd been down into Bournemouth as ever and struggling with getting a
computer. The PCW9512 had gone pop and with it all my written work
including a couple of longer stories which technically I guess could
have become novels. The prob with  the 9512 was the disk drive, and
I had spent the last nighttrying to get disks read... Anyway it was
a quiet afternoon and so I bought Amiga Format Issue 48 for July in
the sum of £3.95. I knew the Amiga well. My sister had a 500 and a
600, my dad had two 500s, and my other sister also had a 500
I had contemplated getting one, but work dictated a word processor 
and the 9512 had fit the bill. Anyway I thumbed the pages of this 
magazine and cus of what I saw I determined to get one. So why... ? 

Was it the very attractive young lady on the front of the mag 
announcing the Sound and Vision Spectacular with the 16 page 
step-by-step tutorial. Was it the oodles of Amiga games and software 
plus images of sexy joysticks on pagestwo and three..Was it Marcus 
Dyson welcoming me to Amiga Format telling us of the joys of writing 
PD disks...Was it the two page mindblowing advert for Syndicate 
and the even better tempting cover disk with it on...Maybe it was 
the informative section on Adorage and the equally useful cover disk
...Or maybe it was the animation tutorial.. Or possibly the review 
of Amiga Format Live 93... I struggle to recall exactly what captured 
my imaginationthat day, but certainly by the afternoon I had decided 
to start saving my pennies. 

I look back at the magazine now and realise that life on the computer 
has never been quite the same... A truly magical time. And I guess 
Amiga Format for that period represented for me a wonderful world 
of fun and yet serious computing. A world where I was invited in 
to join the magical world of the Amiga. Everyone in this magazine 
had a smile on their face. And they were filled with enthusiasm 
and passion. This magazine represented for me a new unexplored world, 
and onewhich I discovered never, but never disappointed.

Back to today... Well computing has just got really reallyboring 
in modern speak. The PC World nightmare... ofsuits and spam. It is 
a far cry  from those misty almostforgotten images of 1993 and the 
Amiga... And yet I guess I can still live the dream through retro, 
and joyat the fact that at least one wonderful element of that period 
still lives on some 15 years later... This Amiga.My beloved A1200. 
Still clicking away, still as friendly and trustworthy as aver. Me 
and this Amiga have livedthe adventure... Like Indianna Jones we 
travelled to thefurthest corners in search of our Holy Grail and I 
for onecertainly touched the moon... I am still as happy today with 
this Amiga as I ever was. I cannot think of a time when I would be 
without her.

Happy days....1993 to now and beyond. The Amiga lives.

scuzz
Amiga1200 WB3 Blizzard 1230 IV 32MB RAM Miami YAM

[ trivia ]

Hi

Just found my very first post ever on a Yahoo Group from
March 2002.... The Crypt

[ quote ]

Hey you guys.... get this.

Tonight I went out in search of booty in the form of a accelerator 
and hd and for just £80 came back with an A500, two boxes of mags 
and cover disks, an accelerator, hd and a cd player with rodent 
attached... magic! Nothing like a floor full of new stuff to take 
away the pain of working. Guess what I'm doing tonight.

[ end quote ]

So there you go... Nothing changes.

scuzz 

[ PS .... and not the magazine in question, but you get the idea ]









How could I say no

Entry 0809: Blog: 5


Centre for Computing History


Hi

Mail just received....

[ quote ]

The Centre for Computing History has been established to create a 
permanent public exhibition that tells the story of the Information 
Age.

As a computer museum the centre preserves and presents a collection 
of important computers and related artefacts. It spotlights the 
people behind the inventions and records the information necessary 
to inspire and enthuse future generations.

Based in Suffolk, we believe the Centre for Computing History is 
the only museum dedicated to computers and their social impact in 
the United Kingdom.

Is it possible to use some of the information and images on your website?

We are a non-profit organisation as can be seen from our website
www.computinghistory.org.uk and we are dedicated to ...

[ end quote ]




Click for the Computing History website


Not a problem

scuzz




And thats me spent

Entry 0809: Blog: 6


Just the ' Next Build ' I guess



Hi

Just had the very last item arrive for the collection this session and 
it kinda finished off where I started really... A whole bunch of demo 
disks for the Amiga. What is interesting is that I think this was set 
of disks sent to a seller or magazine, cus they are demo disks not just 
of games but of software from the original creators. Promotional disks 
I guess....

AMOS Demo Disk - The Game Creator
Amiga Time Bandit - Microdeal Demo
Amivision Software - WordPower v1.3
ASL - Exterminator Amiga Demo
BattleChess Amiga Demonstration Diskette Interplay
Caztec - The C for Amiga Debugger
Central Coast Software - Demo Disk
Cle 2 - Geology
C-Light - Demo
Diskovery - Ed Comp 5
Diskovery - Ed Comp 6
Diskovery - Ed Comp 10
Diskovery - Math Drill
Eye of Horis - Retail Demo Logotron
Ham Graphics - AmigaDEX
Ham Graphics - Catalogue
Interactive Softworks - Lions CalligraFonts
JDK Images - Interative Demo Pro Video Plus
Mindware International Inc - Pagerender3D Static Images
Mindware International Inc - Pagerender3D Special Constructs
New Wave - Demo Disk
Ooops Up Demo
PD-Soft - BBase v5.5
PD-Soft Education Disk - V584
Psygnosis - Nevermind Amiga Preview
Public Domain Nationwide - AmigaFox DTP
Redlaw PD Services - Catalogue
Shadow of the Beast - Psygnosis Amiga Demo
Syndesis - Interfont
System Dealer - ProWrite
True BASIC - Demonstration System

Anyway... as Austin Powers would say ' I'm spent 'That's that for this session. 
I have closed the inbox. Next stop pictures... Starts this weekend.

going now

scuzz

[ update ]

' Houston we may have a problem ' ....

My camera is bust... [ loud cheers ] Not funny OK. The sprung 
door at the base that holds in the  batteries has broken. 
Consequently there is no feed to the camera as the batteries 
don't connect. Sad that... Spent all day putting everything in 
packing boxes, collated, ready to be dragged one at a time into 
the workshop. Anyway just checked the camera to upload to mobo 
images taken today, and she wouldn`t come on. :-(

Never mind... I will do a retro fix no doubt involving a large 
rubber band... Which I don't have. I'll get some tomorrow. I 
am so annoyed, cus I have another exact same camera, but that 
turns out to be totally **cked... 

Just a slight delay then till next week before I get started on 
the next gallery update. Will take a few weeks no doubt. Planning 
on updating end of May...

10 packing boxes full and that doesn`t include the computers 
laying around the place..




scuzz




Micro Mart 

Entry 0809: Blog: 7


1000th Edition Anniversary



Hi

Well it's here... the 1000th edition of MicroMart and inside Mark 
Pickavance takes us on a long and winding journey through the age 
of computing as seen by him. It really is a magical read. What
stands out though is the gulf that opens up toward the end of his 
story... from 2001 onwards. Not sure if that was deliberate but 
his final message is a call to arms for all those that still believe 
they can make a difference... I think its that kinda belief that 
fueled computing for so long, and sadly seems missing with todays 
generation...

[ quote ]

The world of computing is full of people who nearly wrote a game, 
or invented a piece of technology but never patented it.... and 
in that respect I am glad of even the failures, because at least  
I tried and failed in preference to never actually attempting. So 
go and do something extraordinary today. You never know where it 
might take you....[mm]

[ end quote ]



MicroMart celebrate their 1000th and happily it would appear that 
Sven Harvey writing every week about the Amiga retains his job... 
...phew 

[ quote ]

his being the 1000th issue of the magazine, I think it is safe to 
say there will be a chunk of the readership of this issue who not 
only had their eye caught by its front cover but due to the momentous 
occasion of a computer mag reaching such a mountainous number of 
issues.

You have now reached my little dingy corner and the world of Amiga 
has affronted your senses, and you have probably checked the date 
on the cover to ensure the mag hasn`t dropped twenty years out of 
time. 

Quite why this column is still being printed is a mystery to many, 
almost as big a question as what the term ' Amiga ' even means in 
computing terms. To most who haven't heard the term ' Amiga '  
since 1994, your minds eye probably contains the image of an Amiga 
500 or even an A1200. Stick around and you'll find out that this is 
only the tip of a huge iceberg .. !!

[ end quote ]

Well done to Sven. I'll raise an Amiga in celebration to you....  
Here is to the 2000th issue. 

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com





THIS WEEKS FAVOURITE LINK

Entry 0809: Blog: 8


That Amiga Resource... and more


Hi

Just had an email from Joerg at Amiga Resource to say he
has uploaded the PDF of my scanned pages for the MegaMidget
for the A500... Looks really good. Was really worth the effort.
He has given me a long list of other manuals he wants so
looks like I am going to be busy. Quite useful cus he has 
been giving me the heads up on some rare kit in Germany.


Click for The PDF of the MegaMideget

He hasn`t updated the page yet though. He just let me know 
he had completed the pdf work.


Click for The Amiga Resource page for the MegaMidget

scuzz

[ next ]


Magic couple of links these if your in the hunt for demos. The 
bottom link is following a search for lsd and grapevine.. Loads to 
pilfer here. All legit.



Click for The Amiga Scne Site


Click for Kestro Exotica Demos

also... Spaceballs was quite interesting


Click for Kestro Exotica Index

scuzz








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Last updated 11th May 2008


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