Do we Need Extra Memory?
Good question, especially now that disk drives are on the scene for the TS-2068. A Disk Drive is actually a “box of extra memory”. The problem is, one has to place the data from disk INTO the TS-2068 memory chips for it to be used. So, that means that we are limited by the FREE memory of the TS-2068 as to the LENGTH of the program that it can handle. FREE MEMORY is 38652 bytes. Now if we fill up that memory with a program, there is no space left for DATA to be stored, so we have to reserve an amount of FREE to handle data that will be generated by the program. Usually the trade off is about 50-50. Then a program will take up about 19K and there will be an equal amount of space reserved to store and manage data.
19K of memory is OK for games and trivia but lacking to store extensive software programs. Also, 19K is a bothersome limit upon the amount of data that can be stored. There should be a way of “stretching” FREE memory so that longer and more useful programs can be operated and still have enough FREE memory for data. THERE IS! We can use the DOCK BANK for programs and the HOME BANK for DATA. We can put a 64K program in the Dock Bank, and keep almost all of the 38K of FREE memory for data storage and management. This capability of the TS-2068 has been neglected and few realize the increase in power that the use of EXTRA MEMORY BANKS offer. Let me put it this way. If you give me twice as much memory storage to store PROGRAMMING, I can give you TEN times as much software power.
A software program is built with “kernel routines”, packages of programming that are used over and over by different elements of the program. As program length increases there is less need to create new kernel routines, and the programming becomes quite cryptic, using mostly “GO TO and GO SUB” within the program lines. Also, it is not necessary to create new variables. Then one more “K” of programming can produce functions that would require as much a 5 or 6K of programming to produce without the kernel cells. So then, picture the increased capability that results from using 64K of memory for a program in the dock bank, as versas the ordinary limit of 19K! Then, the FREE memory of 38652 bytes is available for DATA management and storage.
THE LONESOME DOCK: In the beginning Timex started producing Dock Cartridges with programs. These were mostly games like “Flight Simulator”, good games but soon tiring. Since then few Industries have produced software in cartridges. As a result, the Dock Door is hardly ever lifted, and the capability has languished. One reason for that is the cost of producing both the cartridge and the software in EPROM. A reasonable price for a good Dock Cartridge software would be around $60.00, too expensive for our tastes, and the reason for our ignoring the Extra Memory functions. One other reason is the trickiness of programming required for using extra memory. But, IS it all that tricky? And, CAN WE LEARN HOW?
Ordinarily, publications must reserve their page space to cover many subjects, and the detailed continuous coverage of one subject cannot be attempted. UP-DATE will undertake to bring you detailed and continuous coverage of EXTRA MEMORY in this section. We start in this issue with The Concepts Of EXTRA MEMORY PROGRAMMING. We will progress through the details of programming in extra memory banks, Non Volatile Ram, the use of EPROM Cartridges, Programming EPROMS, the use of RAM DISK, and the use of Disk Drive to support extra memory programs. This issue also brings an article in the Technical Section about converting a TS-1000 64K RAM to a DOCK Memory board. Programming will be given in both BASIC and in Machine Code, starting in easy to understand basics.
There are people who are intensely interested in this subject and have done some fantastic things. Mr. Craig Davis is engaged in transferring the Smart Text software to run in Dock Bank EPROM, coordinating disk drive for both screens and memory storage. Hopefully he will tell us about it in a future article. I will be discussing the use of RAM in Extra memory. Mr. Larry Kenny (Larken Electronics) can tell us things about RAM DISK. And, Mr. Eric Johnson has promised [illegible] a construction article on Extra Memory RAM. If you have done any work in this area, UP-DATE will publish your articles. New user interest will bring new product development. Lets take extra memory “to the limit”!