BasicPI

The code snip below is the C# terminal code I just knocked out. As simple serial terminal as you can get:

namespace Terminal
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string portName = "COM15";
            while (true)
            {
                try
                {
                    SerialPort port = new SerialPort(portName, 2000000, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
                    port.Open();
                    Console.WriteLine("Opening port " + portName + " baudrate=2000000");
                    int x = 0;
                    int c = 0;
                    while (true)
                    {
                        if (port.BytesToRead > 0)
                        {
                            String s = port.ReadExisting();
                            if (s.Length > 0)
                            {
                                Console.Write(s);
                            }
                        }
                        else
                            System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(20);
                    }
                }
                catch (Exception e)
                {
                    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(20);
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

I have seen quite a few attempts on making vintage computers, but this “Homebrew Z80 Computer Kit” costing 199.- USD is very cool. This is actually a very cool design. If this had popped up at this price some 40 years ago I would have bought one.

I do however love the modular design concept that is used here. It brings back many good memories from my early days in this science. I am interested to know how many sales these do. It’s not going to be that huge, but still – it is plenty of Z80 enthusiasts out there. Well done! The link is below.

https://www.tindie.com/products/Semachthemonkey/rc2014-pro-homebrew-z80-computer-kit/?utm_source=hackaday&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=fromstore

I have searched for Web Designers a few times and recently found Google Web Designer. This is a full HTML5 designer with  WYSIWYG designer as well as Code Editor. This looks like it could be the answer to my web design needs should I decide to use my own time to dig into this.

Google follow a known Developer scheme where you drag components into the screen and set properties. After that you can manipulate the content with HTML5 which is a mix of HTML, JavaScript and CSS. Google Web Designer is very convincing as it assist a lot in doing the more fancy 3D stuff. It is not straight forward to use, but I can see that this would be worth learning should I decide to pick this up.

What I really would have liked is database aware components. The content you see in this blog is stored in a SQL database, and to create a blog I need to execute a few SQL statements. Delphi/C#/VB all did this through components that made it very easy to get going. But, you can add user components to this, so lets see. I am not sure I actually want to use this or take over editing my sites, but it’s fun to experiment a bit regardless.

I basically keep my notes here in this blog, so to follow a project you just click on the project in the left (obs right) bar as that will filter out entries. This is so far the only real change to this blog as I keep searching for alternative themes.

I actually found one WordPress theme that was better than this, but one of the challenges I face is that they leave to few options open for user control, so I fail to customize the themes into something I like reading. What you read here is a compromise – it Works and it only costed me a few hours of my own time. I would like to avoid spending weeks programming a WordPress theme or my own blog system, but I am starting to wonder if I need to.

As for WordPress – the system itself is free, developed in PHP from what I can tell. Most of the themes are however commercial. TBH you can easily pick up database skills and spend a few weeks to get your own customized web-site. The blog you see in front of you is a retarded compromize compared with some of the stuff you find out there. It is not difficult at all if you have the interest and time.

WordPress is great for someone without time or programming skills to get a blog running. It gives you a base site with a few clicks and the system itself is great. But, it fails greatly on customization options. One example is the post header in this theme – I can’t change the font parameters, so I changed theme and now I can’t Control the right bar etc. 

But, this is what you get then you use someone elses product – you accept their limitations,  quality – or lack of such – and schemes to earn Money. WordPress earn their Money in the customization of themes.