Thomas Frieden has posted an update to the status of porting Firefox to Amiga OS 4.1.

Quote from Thomas Frieden
I'm aware that we have been quiet lately, but don't worry, there's been work going on, and Timberwolf is making progress. The 4.0 code base of Firefox now fully builds and a prototype implementation of the new rendering code was implemented, based on the old rendering code.

Instead of "fixing" the old code, though, we opted for a complete rewrite, for a couple of reasons. First of all, the old code became really bad with time (the usual thing that happens with experimental code). Secondly, re-implementing it all would get rid of any artefacts in the code that were still necessary in the 3.5 source tree. Basically, it's a clean start.

With the information gathered in the previous effort, it only took me some few hours to rewrite the skeleton for the widgets module. This does not include
the rendering code yet. This will be up next, right after fixing a few outstanding bugs that cause crashes on exit.

In the process of porting the 4.0 base, we also ported a new version of
sqlite. We'll release that in the near future (when I find the time, if you need it up front, drop me a mail). I'm usually quite bad at predicting how
long things will take (Actually, precisely "when it's done", of course), but I hope to have the rendering code in the course of the next two to three weeks (depending on how much time I have for working on the project). We will
release a new pre-release version as soon as we have something that can be remotely used.

We also wish to take the opportunity to thank all of those that supported us, and apologize for the long stretches of silence. We're still at work, and although progress is slow, we'll eventually get there.
Created by: tfrieden


**********************
Sidplay64 v0.7 released
**********************

A new and better version of Sidplay64 is out. Now with directory browsing for these devices:

* CMD HD, CMD FD, CMD RAMLINK
* IDE64 ( + PCLink )
* 1541u (in native standalone/IEC mode)
* Netdrive+TFR
* UIEC/IEC-ATA
* sd2iec (with d64, d71, d81, dnp support)

( Works best with JiffyDOS and/or a fastload cartridge. )

Grab it here:
http://csdb.dk/release/?id=101736


*******************
XSidplay 2.1.1 21:27
*******************

XSidplay version 2.1.1 is now available for Linux system:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/xsidplay2/

The 2.1.x version was a big step over the previous one as now we passed from QT3 to QT4. only ALSA and SDL audio library are supported. Next versions will have multiple run-time sid library support (so you can use the best you
prefer) and even PSID v3 support.


******************
DRUMSTUDIO
*******************

NOT NEWS but found this while looking for something else

http://m.matrixsynth.com/2011/08/drum-studio-on-commodore-64.html?utm_source
=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Matrixsynth+%28MATRIXSYNTH
+Atom%29

Drum Studio (Aka Drumstudio) - Version v2.80A - 1990
Copyright (c) 1990 Mark Wilson - Credits Mark Wilson [code] - Gez [DigiBoost
consultant]

Quite an unusual job for the SID: samples.

Drum Studio is a simple step sequencer based on 32 steps patterns. All
classics functions are here : copy/paste to easily duplicate patterns, clear a voice or the whole voices, tempo in BPM (would be nice to compare this BPM cycles to a classic Drum Machine like Roland TR-505...) and a simple but effective song mode where you can chain patterns.

7 sampled sounds are ready to bang : kick, snare, 4 basses and a vocal sample! http://www.mycommodore64.com/2011/08/25/drum-studio/

Keys :
F1 Stop sequence
F3 Change sequence
F5 Record sequence
F7 Play song
<- Disc operations
R/S Clear both voices
C= Clear only record voice
SPC Delete real time event
RETURN Output through: SID/SFX
+/- Tempo
, Copy into the copy buffer
. Copy out of the copy buffer

Link to D64 image http://www.mycommodore64.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/drum_studio.player. TSM+IKARI+TALENT.zip


**************************
COMMODORE FREE INTERVIEW WITH Chris (Kisiel)
DEVELOPER OF THE TURBO CARD
****************************

Q. Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m mechanical engineer with interesting hobby: Commodore C64 ;)

Q. Can you give a little history about yourself and how you came across the Commodore brand of machines?

I received a Commodore C64 in 1991, but my love story started earlier.
I’ve been a ham club member (SP2ZBE) and I used C64 for rtty and sstv.
During this time the commodore c64 was an expensive item and so was the 1541 disk drive. I bought a drive in 1993 and this is really where my story with
c64 hardware began.

First I made an 8-bit digitiser, after that I made a 256KB DRAM expansion clone, IDE (16-bit) connector and SRAM based Basic/Kernal expansion. All of these projects I call my C64+, it’s actually a modded C64 with some extra features; such as a Compact Flash reader, 12bit PWM sound. Sadly I gave up c64 programming and developing in 1998! However I’ve now gone back “into business”
so to speak ; starting in 2004 with an Action Replay clone in ATF1502.

Q. Can you explain the TURBO CARD and what you envisaged for the project?

TDC is simple it’s a turbo card with some additions such as covox and dual sid. In contrast to the SuperCPU this card tweaks the c64 board not only CPU. The main difference is of course speed, in TDC you can tweak the CPU for maximal 4MHz but the efficiency of this tweaking is better than the SCPU. In the SuperCPU you have a CPU running with 20MHz but FSB (front side Bus) speed of C64 is 1MHz, in TDC the FSB is four times faster! If you compare 20Mhz timings in 3d library’s on this page:
http://www.ffd2.com/fridge/lib3d/index.html
you will see what that efficiency means to the machines speed. For example if one small object takes 7,7 fps (frames per Second)in 1Mhz mode, on the SCPU it should run 20 times faster; so it would be about 154fps ,but the result is
only about 91fps. In TDC the CPU runs in bad lines. In 1Mhz mode the VIC takes 40 cycles in every bad lines, but you have 126 cycles in each line in 2Mhz mode. I think its good news for coders ;)

Q. When was the project started, and who was involved in the project?

The project was started in 2010 with a little help from my friends. For the
TDC project I asked for the help from Data/Tropyx and Raf/VTE. Data helped me with testing and over clocking of the Commodore motherboard. Testing was very simple; and was achieved by changing a crystal on Mother Board. Raf gave me information about C128 in turbo mode with some testing (e.g. how works SID in this mode)

Q. With the project were you looking at compatibility or more looking for what NEW software would use the card for?

Actually it was Both! TDC can work with new and old software. All software
that uses a C128 in C64 mode can be used in TDC “native” mode. The second option is turbo switch; with this option set you can speed up any programs (demos, games) by simply pressing the “TURBO" button.

Q. Do you have a working version now? Is there a demo of t
--- CrashWrite 2.0
* Origin: --:)---- Dragon's Lair BBS ---(:-- (39:901/281)