CUBIX/6809 updates

[Allison]

>
>Subject: Re: CUBIX/6809 updates
>   From: "Jeff Davis" <jdaviscl2 at soupwizard.com>
>   Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 12:09:36 -0800 (PST)
>     To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
>
>On Sun, December 11, 2005 6:57 am, Dave Dunfield wrote:
>> Highly recommended as a "fun project" if you like the idea of building a
>> functional and unique computer (note: I mean really building, not "putting
>> a PC board in a box").
>>
>> If you have questions after all that, I am happy to answer them. If there is
>> enough interest, I would also consider putting together a page specifically
>> about CUBIX and building a machine to run it
>
>Building a 6809 CUBIX machine does sound fun. I've been looking for a smaller
>project I can work with over time; I keep getting older computers (mostly sun
>or macintosh) and fixing them up, but then they're cleaned up and running and
>I get bored with them.

It's why I build too.

>I'm not a hardware design guy though, and wirewrapping is out for me. I can do
>board stuffing and soldering, so if anyone else is going to design a
>"reference" pcb that people can go in on and order in some quantity to reduce
>costs, I'd be up for that.

Wirewrap is ok to a point.  If the chip count is too high I think harder 
about doing it.  the hands and eyes arent what they used to be.

>Dave, are there any areas of CUBIX that you have plans to improve or features
>to add, but don't have time?  If I'm going to build a little system to
>softwarily tinker with, I might as well make something useful out of my
>tinkering.

I'd considered it for my self but the cost for boards demands a commitment
in cash up front I cant justify for a one off version.  Marketing a board
requires a stable parts supply so what's layed out can be built by everyone.
That always leads to being in the kitting business which is a remarkably 
time/money consuming process.

You can ask Bob (SparetimeGizmos) about this.  His kitted systems are
nicely done and I suspect there are more than a few hours invested in
getting it all together and supporting it.  If you want a really super 
ELF (COSMAC 1802) or a 6120 (PDP8 in CMOS clothes) he's got two 
winners there.


Allison