NoRecess - Added interview of Bryce

[NewsBot]

Added interview of Bryce
30 October 2011, 3:44 am

Bryce's MegaFlash Bryce, the author of the famous MegaFlash - allowing up to 32 ROMs simultaneously on your Amstrad CPC -,  just got interviewed ! I was very curious to know more about him and his work, and he kindly agreed to spend some time answering my questions. You can read the interview here.




Source: NoRecess the website - News

[SyX]

Wonderful Interview!!!

I love his work desk or i would must say "laboratory" 

[arnoldemu]

I wish I could click the "like" button  more than once.

Great interview. I love the part, where Bryce says that the electonics are made so you can put them in a box with other bits and it will not break.

He's been peeking at my IC collection
An old plastic biscuit box with bits just thrown in.

[MaV]

@Bryce: Is the Atari on the right side the one 800XE that is sent you? Nice to see that it's found a home and gets used.

Excellent interview. And the workbench is a hobbyist's dream come true.

[Bryce]

@MaV, yes that's your 800XE with a SD2SIO connected. But both spaces are multi-functional, the screen on the left is set up (power and video connections) for Amstrad and Spectrum+, the right screen has connections for Atari, C64, C16 and ZX Spectrum. That way I can connect whatever I need depending on what I'm doing The electronics area is rather cramped, but it's just enough to do the stuff I need to do.

@arnoldemu: I'm a user too, so I also have cardboard boxes full of PCBs, so I suspect others do exactly the same thing.

Bryce.

[TFM]

Great interview :-) But...

I don't like this question:
"4/ Still about MegaFlash, you "partnered" with TFM to create a dedicated manager ("The ROM Manager"). Weren't you able to provide your own software ?"

First, Bryce could do that software by himself without a problem. But obviously it's an advantage to share parts of a project to speed up the developpment process.

Second, we are both members of FutureSoft, so working together it the most natural thing in life. And "working together" is my favourite suggestion to the whole CPC scene 

Third (to be nitpicking  ) it's called "ROManager"

Have a good one,
TFM

[Gryzor]

Well, I think that's what Bryce himself said...

[TFM]

Well, I think that's what Bryce himself said...

He is a humble man, you know :-)

[Bryce]

I think my answer was correct because it's the truth, ie: reality: I can program assembly, but definitely not anywhere close to TFMs or other assembly programmers skills, where that is their main focus. I don't try to be good at everything, I would just end up being mediocre at many things. I'll stick to hardware and let the software people make my hardware look even better And I think TFM and others will agree, team work always has advantages, even if it's just a second opinion about how a product should end up. I think the MegaFlash project is a good example of this too.

It's still a valid question though, because many people would want to have done everything themselves. I don't belong to this group: If someone else can do it better, then why should I inflict my assembly efforts on innocent users

Bryce.

[TFM]

Yes, I do agree :-) 100% 

[Gryzor]

Still, there's one thing missing from the Manager: a LOADING SCREEN! Maybe one with a scanned pic of the board

[TFM]

Still, there's one thing missing from the Manager: a LOADING SCREEN! Maybe one with a scanned pic of the board

Okay, ART CONTEST now!!!

Send me what you have! Better post it here! Let the community decide and the winner will be famous!

Actually I'm already working on an ROManager update, but nothing worth being mentioned now.

[rexbeng]

Let the community decide...

It's quite dangerous to use such a term these days 


rb

[Bryce]

What mode should it be? I could scan a 3D Pic of the Megaflash?

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

What mode should it be? I could scan a 3D Pic of the Megaflash?

Bryce.

Why not?

But then, if TFM adds a screen it would add up to 16K to the program...

[TFM]

Well, the screen will probably not be part of the ROM version (except for 464 maybe?). But for the disc version space it not a problem.

I also thought about... adding some more (3-4) screens and load everytime a different one ;-)

[Gryzor]

In that case, I think the photo on the wiki's front page will do nicely if converted...

PS Heck, I'm blacking out. What was that image converter called? - Ah yeah, ConvImgCPC

[Bryce]

Here's what the MegaFlash would look like in mode 1 (Done with ImgConv).

Bryce.

[Gryzor]

...Recognizable I think Markus must make an interlaced version of this. Or maybe one with four colours like in his sig - he's very good at it.

[TFM]

Well, it worth trying that "4 colors are enough" algorithm :-)