Update README
Signed-off-by: Horst Günther Burkhardt <horst@burkhardt.com.au>
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README.md
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README.md
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# NuXT1-MultiIO
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a WIP Multi-I/O card for the NuXT 1.2 XT clone from Monotech.
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Features: Parallel Port (Printer Port), Serial Port, TimeKeeper (Real Time Clock), and probably an extra internal serial port for the sole purpose of serving `pppd` to allow internet connection.
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The hardware for this is licenced under the [CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 – Strongly Reciprocal](https://opensource.org/license/cern-ohl-s)
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in line with the original licences from open hardware projects from which this project is
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derived.
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## Features
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- a TimeKeeper - a battery-backed Real Time Clock and nonvolatile storage, cribbed from [Aitor Gómez García's](https://www.aitorgomez.net) [RTC8088](https://github.com/spark2k06/RTC8088/tree/main) project.
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- a Printer Interface, or Parallel Port - probably based off the original Printer Interface Card at this point, or possibly the IBM Serial/Parallel Card
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- two Serial ports, corresponding to COM2 and COM3 - using the 16550 UART for higher-speed links, but based either on application notes or the IBM Serial/Parallel Card.
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- one of the above Serial ports may connect directly to a RasPi Zero, either to provide a slightly more modern machine to `minicom` to, or to serve a `ppp` link for internet access.
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## Purpose
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The v1.2 NuXT is an excellent computer with just a few missing features for convenience. The NuXT v2
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has improved on this, but there is still an installed base of NuXT v1 devices that can benefit from
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a semi-modern multi-I/O solution; existing multi-I/O cards may also have features that are superfluous
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or conflict with onboard peripherals.
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I (Horst Burkhardt) determined that what I primarily needed from an expansion card was a method of network
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connectivity, (best served by a serial link), a parallel port, and that I would like a Real Time Clock.
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If I can find documentation on the original IBM XMA (Expanded Memory Adaptor) or a similar card, I would
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also be willing to add RAM on this card, in order to provide enough space for a RAMdisk.
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## Questions
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### Why not Ethernet?
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An 8088 or an NEC V20 with half a megabyte of memory just doesn't need ethernet. Quite frankly, a 10Mbps
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link will often work poorly on a modern Gigabit-capable switch. And I don't really relish making CAT5
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cross-over cables.
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A serial link at 115200 baud, which is roughly where a 16550 tops out, is more than fast enough to
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transfer files to an 8088. It's also a lot computationally simpler than managing an ethernet link, so
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despite the potential for higher transfer speeds from an ethernet NIC, the real-world gains are dubious.
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### Why aren't you taking advantage of $(the hot new thing)?
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Because I don't care. It's not important. This device must be reliable, simple to troubleshoot, and
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most importantly, I have to understand it.
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If a new device is compelling enough, I'm happy to try and work with it, but I'm not putting my name
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on something untested and unproven.
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### Why are you like this?
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Some very clever people have tried to work that one out, and failed. For now, you're stuck with me.
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