The TI 34010

From: Derek Peschel <dpeschel_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Tue Mar 2 20:15:46 1999

> If you have a decent device to insert arbitrary-sized bitmaps at
> arbitrary postions (Who said 'PERQ rasterop machine'?) then you don't
> really need hardware support for text.

True. Most new machines use that strategy. Occasionally it backfires. I
love Sun's console font but old Suns are slow (especially when inverting the
whole screen) and they have no frills.

> I am in two minds about text (only) modes. On the one hand, I rarely use
> graphics anyway, so a good text display is all I need (heck, I am using a
> clone Hercules card at the moment). On the other hand, the PERQ got it
> right IMHO - a bitmapped display that was as fast as a normal serial
> terminal at displaying text.
>
> I am not sure the PC did get it right. The CGA was something of a cludge,
> what with a hardware text mode _and_ ROM support for displaying text in
> the bitmapped modes.

I should have said I have an end in mind (i.e., good-looking text display,
in several sizes and styles at once, with few GUI extras -- basically a
refined 80's-style intelligent terminal).

I mentioned text modes because they are a convenient means to that end (the
API is simple and memory management is a no-brainer). Also I like the
default text-mode font itself. But the incompatibility of various cards
(AFAIK) and the stubborn stupidity of Windows NT make text modes worthless.

Graphics modes are great but I haven't found a set of fonts that are big,
good-looking, normal/bold/italic/underline, and all the same size. This
applies to Windows NT and X. The exception is Courier which I think is
ugly.

> Are they rare, or something? In the UK, ones with ASICs are _very_
> common, clones of the original Hercules card are pretty easy to find
> (including ones with extra fancy features), and even genuine ones do turn up.

No, I've just never found one or set it up. Having a Mac is a big
disadvantage too.

Does your clone card have color? What about its text modes?

-- Derek
Received on Tue Mar 02 1999 - 20:15:46 GMT