WS BASIC for the Georam (notes) 11-10-97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back in 93 or 94, my 1764 REU got zapped by a faulty Ramlink power supply. So I dug the Georam I had out of my closet and as the months went by, I studied and experimented with it because it was frustrating not to have a ram expander. To make a long story short, what I wound up doing with it was to adapt my BASIC so I could use the Georam just like a Commodore REU. This version of WS Basic can use a Georam for STASH, FETCH and SWAP, as well as TALK mode and speech. However, since the processor is used in any memory transfers instead of a Vic DMA, a noticable delay in transfer time makes using the Georam somewhat slower and therefore a bit tedious. My routines divide the Georam into eight banks of 64K each. No changes in the command syntaxes are neccessary. Be aware that when you load and run this file, WS Basic is stashed into the last bank of the Georam, as is the case with any C= REU. This is partly because when you issue any speech command, C64 memory from $7d00 to $bfff is swapped with Sam Speaker (so he can put his two cents in) and afterwards swapped back. Otherwise every time you enter a "sys 64738", WS Basic captures the reset and uses it to refresh itself out of the REU. (FYI) Only one file is needed to load and RUN WS Basic for the Georam. No DOC file or any other goodies are included. If you wish to view the DOC file for WS Basic, you must download "wsbasic.spy" (in SPYNE format) and then dissolve the archive where a program file entitled "ws basic.info" can be found, along with an F-key editor and a small demo file of the "object" command. You won't need the "install" or "ws basic.boot" programs when using the Georam version of WS Basic. I used a C128D to make this program in C64 mode. It is unknown to me whether a C64 power supply will be strong enough- I trust that you know what you are doing. :) I don't use this version anymore, it has served it's purpose for me. I now have a different Ramlink and a 1750 clone so I don't need it. But it did run any program I had written under the older 1992 version of WS Basic. Feel free to share, copy, or upload this program to whoever or wherever you choose. It's FREE, a gift from me to anyone who wants to use thier Georam for a bit more than just Geos. Sid (WSoft) Compuserve: 102541,420 Internet: sid@thevision.net gerpsnot@aol.com
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