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PLATOTerm 1.0 - For Apple II, Atari, Commodore 64, and Commodore 128 Computers
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@tschak909 tschak909 released this 22 Oct 21:14
· 70 commits to master since this release
PLATOTerm-1.0
0d60ed2

PLATOTerm Version 1.0

What is PLATOTerm?

PLATOTerm is a terminal emulator to access CYBIS services now available
on the Internet utilizing a WIFI Modem, or (soon!) an Ethernet device
supported by a Crynwr Packet Driver.

For the purposes of this documentation. PLATO and CYBIS are interchangeable
names for the same platform.

What services are currently available to access via PLATOTerm?

As of writing this preliminary documentation (October 2018), there are
two major CYBIS systems running. CYBER1.ORG and IRATA.ONLINE.

WHAT IS PLATO? (aka CYBIS?)

(from the PLATO wikipedia page:)

PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations), was the first
generalized computer-asisted instruction system. Starting in 1960, it ran
on the University of Illinois ILLIAC I computer. By the late 1970s, it
supported several thousand graphics terminals distributed worldwide, running
on nearly a dozen different networked mainframe computers. Many modern
concepts in multi-user computing were originally developed on PLATO, including
forums, message boards, online testing, e-mail, chat rooms, picture languages,
instant messaging, remote screen sharing, and multi-player games.

What is CYBER1.ORG?

CYBER1.ORG is a CYBIS system initially set up in 2004, as a haven for
ex-PLATO users to experience a classic PLATO author experience.

CYBER1.ORG is home to many thousands of classic PLATO lessons and
notesfiles which have been restored from various sources, and have
been made available in the interests of preserving PLATO.

What is IRATA.ONLINE?

IRATA.ONLINE is a CYBIS system that has been set up for the benefit of
the greater vintage computing community, in the interest to provide
a unique experience that can be accessed on a wide variety of
vintage computers with a bitmapped graphics display. To this end,
IRATA.ONLINE develops PLATOTerm for dozens of platforms, so that they
can access CYBIS systems, as well as provide a community and learning
infrastructure for vintage computing users of all types, in the hopes
that as a cohesive community, something unique can hopefully
emerge.

What is the connection between IRATA.ONLINE and CYBER1.ORG?

CYBER1.ORG and IRATA.ONLINE are independent of one another. With that said,
the reason IRATA.ONLINE and PLATOTerm exist, are because of the efforts of
CYBER1.ORG to not only preserve a running PLATO system, and provide the
necessary information for interested parties to write terminal software
to access CYBIS systems, but also in their effort to produce a publically
available distribution of CYBIS that others who are interested may also
run their own CYBIS installation. IRATA.ONLINE is a direct result of the
public release of this distribution.

Connecting to IRATA.ONLINE

Once PLATOTerm is started, you can connect to CYBER1.ORG using your WIFI modem,
using a command such as:

ATDTIRATA.ONLINE:8005

Connecting to CYBER1.ORG

Once PLATOTerm is started, you can connect to CYBER1.ORG using your WIFI modem,
using a command such as:

ATDTCYBERSERV.ORG:8005

Apple II Release notes

This version of PLATOTerm can run on any Apple II system with at least 48K of RAM.
The lack of a shift or control key is mitigated by using the ESC key.

Loading PLATOTerm

PLATOTerm automatically loads when the disk is started. There is no need for special
loading instructions.

Files on the disk:

  • PRODOS.SYSTEM - PRODOS 2.4.1 Kernel
  • PLATO.SYSTEM - PLATO program loader.
  • LICENSE.SYSTEM - Load to display GPL license
  • PLATO - PLATO program binary
  • LICENSE - GPL 3.0 program binary
  • A2.SSC.SER - Serial driver for Super Serial Card
  • A2.STDMOU.MOU - Mouse driver for Apple // Mouse Card

Apple II Keyboard

The PLATO keyboard is mapped onto the Apple ][ keyboard. CTRL is used to access the special PLATO keys, with ESC acting as a SHIFT key in combination for shifted combinations.

PLATO KEY Apple Key
ANS CTRL-A
BACK CTRL-B
SHIFT-BACK ESC CTRL-B
COPY CTRL-C
SHIFT-COPY ESC CTRL-C
DATA CTRL-D
SHIFT-DATA ESC CTRL-D
EDIT CTRL-E
SHIFT-EDIT ESC CTRL-E
FONT CTRL-F
÷ CTRL-G
HELP CTRL-I
SHIFT-HELP ESC CTRL-H
LAB CTRL-L
SHIFT-LAB ESC CTRL-L
SUPER CTRL-P
SHIFT-SUPER ESC CTRL-P
SQUARE CTRL-Q
ACCESS ESC CTRL-Q
STOP CTRL-S
SHIFT-STOP ESC CTRL-S
TERM CTRL-T
× CTRL-X
SUB CTRL-Y
SHIFT-SUB ESC CTRL-Y
Setup CTRL-Z
Shift Lock (for Apple ][+ ESC ESC
--

For Apple ][+ systems, you can press ESC ESC to toggle and access the lowercase characters.

TBD: Map access keys (lots of special printable characters) onto Apple2 keyboard directly.

Apple2 Default Configuration

  • Super Serial Card in Slot 2
  • 1200 bps

Atari Release Notes

Files on the Disk

  • ATRAMI.MOU - The Amiga Mouse driver
  • ATRJOY.MOU - The Joystick Mouse driver
  • ATRRDEV.SER - The R: device serial driver
  • ATRST.MOU - The Atari ST mouse driver
  • ATRTRK.MOU - The Atari Trackball mouse driver
  • TRKTT.MOU - The Atari Touch Tablet mouse driver
  • AUTORUN.SYS - By default, the Atari 850 R: Handler.
  • DOS.SYS - Atari DOS 2.5 FMS
  • DUP.SYS - Atari DOS 2.5 DUP
  • GPL.COM - Program to read/print GPL 3.0 license
  • GPL.DOC - The License text
  • INSTALL.COM - Program to install PLATOTerm to a Hard Disk
  • MEM.SAV - Memory save file
  • PLATO.COM - PLATOTerm itself. Load this.
  • README.COM - Program Documentation
  • README.DOC - The Documentation text
  • RHND850.COM - The R: Handler for the Atari 850
  • RHNDBB.COM - The R: Handler for CSS Blackbox (Hyperspeed)
  • RHNDMIO.COM - The R: Handler for the ICD MIO (Hyperspeed)
  • RHNDRVER.COM - The R: Handler for the R-Verter

Loading PLATOTerm

PLATOTerm can be loaded by the BINARY LOAD option in DOS 2.5, simply load
PLATO.COM.

'''Note:''' If you need a different R: handler, it should be loaded before PLATO.COM loads.

Touch Devices, and R-Verter Users

Touch (mouse/joystick) support is set to NONE, initially. This is so that R-Verter users can use the software without it crashing. You can not use an R-Verter and a touch, mouse, or joystick device for now. I am looking for a solution to this problem.

850 and other users can press OPTION and select T)ouch, followed by one of the touch drivers, without a problem.

PLATO Keyboard

The PLATO keyboard is mapped to the Atari keys, like so:

PLATO KEY Atari Key
ANS CTRL-A
BACK CTRL-B
SHIFT-BACK CTRL- + (left arrow)
COPY CTRL-C
SHIFT-COPY CTRL- - (up arrow)
DATA CTRL-D
SHIFT-DATA SHIFT-CTRL-D
EDIT CTRL-E
SHIFT-EDIT SHIFT-CTRL-E
FONT CTRL-F
÷ CTRL-G
HELP CTRL-I
SHIFT-HELP SHIFT CTRL-H
LAB CTRL-L
SHIFT-LAB CTRL-= (down arrow)
SUPER CTRL-P
SHIFT-SUPER SHIFT CTRL-P
SQUARE CTRL-Q
ACCESS SHIFT CTRL-Q
STOP CTRL-S
SHIFT-STOP SHIFT CTRL-S
TERM CTRL-T
× CTRL-X
SUB CTRL-Y
SHIFT-SUB SHIFT CTRL-Y
Setup OPTION
Exit SELECT X
Color up SELECT -
Color down SELECT =
Bright up Select *
Bright down Select +
CR and LF Select RETURN

Setup

Pressing OPTION will show the setup menu, where you can select the following parameters:

  • I)NTERFACE - Select desired interface (currently only serial)
  • B)AUD - Set baud rate
  • D)RIVER - Set the desired serial driver (currently only R:)
  • T)OUCH - Set the desired touch driver (mouse/joystick/trackball/etc.)
  • S)AVE - Save preferences to disk as a file called CONFIG.
  • E)XIT - Exit preferences, and if changed, apply them.

A note about colors

Your desired background color and text brightness can be selected, and subsequently saved by selecting S)AVE in the setup menu.

Pressing the color up/down or bright up/down will cycle through all possible color values.

Commodore 64/128 Release Notes

Files on the Disk:

  • PLATOTERM - The main program.
  • GPL-3.0 - A runnable viewable copy of the GPL 3.0 license.
  • MOU-1351 - The Commodore 1351 mouse driver
  • MOU-INKWELL - The Inkwell light pen mouse driver
  • MOU-JOY - The joystick (or commodore 1350) mouse driver
  • MOU-POT - The paddle (or Koala Pad) mouse driver
  • SER-SWLINK - The CMD Swiftlink-232 Serial Driver
  • SER-UP2400 - The User-Port 2400 Baud Serial Driver (C64 Only)

Loading PLATOTerm

PLATOTerm can be loaded in the usual way:

LOAD"*",8,1

PLATO Keyboard

The PLATO keyboard is mapped to the Commodore keys, like so:

PLATO KEY C= Key
ANS COMMODORE-A
BACK COMMODORE-B
SHIFT-BACK COMMODORE-SHIFT-B
COPY COMMODORE-C
SHIFT-COPY COMMODORE-SHIFT-C
DATA COMMODORE-D
SHIFT-DATA SHIFT-COMMODORE-D
EDIT COMMODORE-E
SHIFT-EDIT SHIFT-COMMODORE-E
FONT COMMODORE-F
÷ COMMODORE-G
HELP COMMODORE-I
SHIFT-HELP SHIFT COMMODORE-H
LAB COMMODORE-L
SHIFT-LAB SHIFT-COMMODORE-L
SUPER COMMODORE-P
SHIFT-SUPER SHIFT COMMODORE-P
SQUARE COMMODORE-Q
ACCESS SHIFT COMMODORE-Q
STOP COMMODORE-S
SHIFT-STOP SHIFT COMMODORE-S
TERM COMMODORE-T
× COMMODORE-X
SUB COMMODORE-Y
SHIFT-SUB SHIFT COMMODORE-Y
  • Background Color - F1
  • Border Color - COMMODORE-F1
  • Text Color - F2
  • Setup - F3

A note about colors

Your desired background color, text color, and border color can be selected, and subsequently saved by selecting S)AVE in the setup menu.

Pressing the function keys will cycle through all possible color values.

Credits

  • '''Thomas Cherryhomes''' - Terminal coding, sleepless nights.
  • '''Steve Peltz''' - original PAD protocol decoder from MacPAD.
  • '''Christian Groessler''' - multiply funcs for Atari, lots of testing
  • '''Jon Halliday''' - Fast text output routines for Atari
  • '''Ron Klein''' - Testing, testing, and more testing
    ' '''Sijmen Schouten''' - Testing, testing, and more testing.
  • '''Michael Sternberg''' - Apple2 testing, showing off at Kansasfest 2018
  • '''The.Doctor''' - Help tuning XON/XOFF parameters.
  • '''John Buell''' - Testing
  • '''John Manterola''' - Testing
  • '''Jasmaz''' - Commodore 64 testing
  • '''Paul Rickards''' - Commodore 64 testing
  • '''Glenn Wiorek''' - Commodore 64 testing.
  • '''Rory McMahon''' - Testing
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