From
Stephen Walsh@39:901/280 to
All on Thu Aug 15 17:11:00 2013
AREA:NEWS_AMY
for fresh ideas. "The Ledger" is a database of information that can be changed at the user's whim. Here the database holds names, addresses, phone numbers, and websites, as well as amounts owed, paid, and due. The data in each sequential file can be arranged from two different points in the program for quick access. Files can be saved in order or from month to month by simply saving the data under a new file name like "house.jan" or "house.1/13," etc.
- - - - - - - - - -
Q: Any improvements that you can see for "The Ledger" now as to when you first released it?
A: "The Ledger" was the easiest program for me to write and the hardest
program for me to debug and improve on. Even after all the alpha and beta testing done by me and other local Commodore users, bugs still persisted. To
my embarrassment, during a demonstration at the 2012 Las Vegas CommVEx, bugs popped up during the showing leaving me with egg on my face. Still, attendees were nice enough to buy a few copies with the bugs and probably worked them out during their spare time at the Commodore. As for improvements, I'm sure that I can make some upgrades to the original code (it's obvious that it needs it!), and I'm also sure that I've mentioned a few of them in some articles I've written, so when time permits I'll sit down with the program and go through it again to see what I can see and definitely get something done.
- - - - - - - - - -
Q: Any future projects that you have in mind?
A: Well, I think I've taken my bill paying and accounting series as far as I know how. I would like to sit down with some of those game construction sets that are available for the Commodore and take a crack at making some games. I was quite the pinball wizard back in my younger years and I would enjoy building my own pinball game. My son is a big car fanatic, so a racing construction set may help out there, plus, if there are other varieties I
would like to try them, too.
- - - - - - - - - -
Q: Just as a side note, you mentioned a comedy career. How is that doing here in the 21st century?
A: I basically write comedy skits for churches now, teaching the Bible and the Christian life to younger people with a twist of humor to keep it interesting. I find that children learn better when information is mixed with a little humor. From what I write for churches, I sit down just after New Years, choose the best skits from the previous year, and compile them into my next book.
- - - - - - - - - -
Q: What would you like to leave our readers with in this, part of your interview?
A: Always continue to dream and to achieve. Never stop doing either. Commodore and other like devices wouldn't be here today if someone didn't come up with
an idea to achieve such things.
- - - - - - - - - -
Q: Thank you again, Lenard, for taking time out to talk shop with us. Will you keep us posted on any future endeavors you have with the Commodore?
A: Absolutely.
*************************************
WHO OR WHAT WERE CMD
Creative Micro Designs
*************************************
Creative Micro Designs Inc was incorporated on the 1st of December 1987, evolving from a company called Fellows Inc.
In 1986 Mark Fellows, a degree student with a major in computers, started working on a project called JiffyDOS version 1. This would be a speed-loader system and toolkit for the Commodore 64 range of computers; the product was developed out of a necessity of Mark's more than anything else. He was writing a Commodore sequencer program, but it proved painful to load. Mark thought he could re-write the Commodore's Kernal (note the spelling of kernel, see references) and DOS (disk operating system) routines to make them more efficient. The product was honed for nearly 2 years, making it very compatible and of course faster than Commodore's version. It also featured a DOS wedge, adding keyboard shortcuts amongst other things for common functions. Mark stopped working on the sequencer and put all his efforts into the JiffyDOS product, even advertising it for sale.
Mark then met Charles Christianson, who had graduated with a degree in
business marketing, and was itching to promote a real business. Mark and Charles loaded games on a real Commodore machine, each taking about 2 to 3 minutes, then Mark turned on the JiffyDOS - and the same games took less than 20 seconds to load from the same Commodore system and 1541 disk drive! The
pair worked together on the product.
Both had full time jobs at the time, but in October they decided to make this
a real business. Charles secured investment of $10,000 from his father, and
set up a phone line at their home. Charles was told it was the MBA or the investment, so he took the investment ,and thus created CMD with 3 partners.
In March 1988, Mark was now working full-time for CMD while Charles worked three quarters of the time for CMD. The company grew quickly in the first four years, developing other products, including JiffyDOS version updates, the CMD HD series, and of course the RAMLink. CMD grew to a company with a million dollar turnover and over 300 products, securing the distribution rights for
the GEOS operating system. The company was also a Commodore repair, service
and refurbishment centre.
Later CMD would develop the SuperCPU for the Commodore 64, with plans for an upgraded version for the 128. It was an accelerator card, speeding up processing (to a maximum of 20MHz) on the Commodore machines. Not only were these products fast, they were also reliable and highly compatible with the Commodore 64 and its software - most notably with GEOS, which CMD was now distributing. While GEOS users experienced slicker performance, coders were also excited. Not only could they still code on the native machine, but compilation times were greatly reduced. In 1989 CMD also began working on a SCSI based hard disk system that would incorporate JiffyDOS. The CMD HD
started selling in 1990 and was very compatible with the c64 and its software, featuring disk partitions that emulated a real disk to help compatibility.
In 1991, CMD took over the development of the Swiftlink serial port adapter
and the SID Symphony cartridge. Dr Evil Labs had originally developed the products. The Sid Symphony added a second SID chip, and the Swiftlink was a high-speed RS-232 interface allowing the use of faster modems.
In 1992, CMD developed the FD-2000 floppy disk drive. This was compatible with the Commodore 1581 drive, but could also use 1.6-megabyte disks. Coupled with the JiffyDOS chip, not only was the drive highly compatible, it was also extremely fast. That same year CMD opened an office in Austria named CMD
Direkt to promote CMD products in Europe, and provide lower prices (bypassing import tax). Rick Gaudet translated many of the CMD products into German. Unfortunately the office was closed in 1997 due to high operating costs.
CMD developed the SmartMouse in 1993, a mouse compatible with the Commodore 1351 mouse with an extra button and the inclusion of a real-time clock.
Maurice Randall, a Commodore programmer and CMD fan, could not find a backer
to sponsor his racecar. So he promoted CMD himself by putting stickers on his Chrysler LeBaron Coupe to advertise CMD, JiffyDOS and the FD series of drives.
In 1994, CMD purchased the rights to produce the Skyles Electric works 2+1 expansion cartridge, allowing multiple cartridges to be attached to the C64. The Commodore World magazine, published by CMD, acted as both a catalogue and promotional tool for new products. Legendary programmer Jim Butterfield was among those who provided articles. The bankruptcy of Commodore and the long drawn out take-over that followed was chronicled in the pages of Commodore World.
In 1995, CMD brought out the revised EX3 cartridge expander, which replaced
the 2+1, which was becoming too expensive to manufacture. Later the EX3 was modified to include a horizontal port, and named the EX2+1, because the 2+1
had featured a similar horizontal port
In 1997, CMD produced the Super
--- FMail-W32-1.64-B20111120
* Origin: Dragon's Lair BBS, Telnet: bbs.vk3heg.net (39:901/280)