In the end, I think David needs to revisit his former self: the one that imagined the "Dream Computer".
Is the X8 that computer? I think he's indicated that it isn't; not quite. It's pretty neat, but is it the Dream?
I think the X16 full version, was, and still is, that dream computer. If so, that should be the focus, everything else is distraction, and when you don't have unlimited time and money, distractions are killers. And it seems they can be even if you do.
David will have to decide if I'm wrong, but focus is needed. What would "Dream Computer" David have wanted at this moment?
This is exactly right.
But Phases 2 and 3 aren't *really* his Dream Computer, either.
I think when they added a micro controller to the X16 there was no point of building it using discrete classical components since it was not that easy to explain what the micro controller did. I think the X8 is more the way to go using only FPGA. Then when the FPGA capacity increases one could have an X8 with IEC, PS/2 ports, SNES joystick ports, and external RAM. I already have an Olimex FPGA that runs Apple I and it can also run Donald Knuth's Mix Computer and then also use the external RAM. Also a Raspberry Pi 4 B can hardly emulate X16 now and could not emulate X8 at 15 MHz, which is an advantage since then there is a reason to buy an X8 - "The modern retro computer that the fastest Raspberry Pi can't emulate in real time". Since FPGAs usually have a lot of connections I hope they can squeeze in a serial port or two in the first X8 since they are useful for debugging and more (the serial port only needs to be 3.3 V and holes you could solder pins to). Also X8 is a better name since 65C02 is an 8-bit CPU. A USB PETSCII keyboard is also useful to have with emulators (and I hope it also supports PS/2 with a passive adapter). I guess you would also need to ship the X8 with two USB SNES controllers or say exactly which chipset is supported by the X8 USB ports. USB mice are hopefully standard enough.
It is of course slightly difficult to explain the special 65C02 that is strongly connected to the graphics card.
I am an embedded software engineer who is much too young to have been part of the 8-bit era of computing, having grown up in the age of the internet. I like writing code and flashing it onto hardware so much that it became my career, so I have been patiently waiting for this hardware to play around with. I have toyed with the idea of putting together my own 6502 computer, and there's even someone on YouTube who shows you how to do it on a breadboard, but I really like the idea that this is a fully designed, mature and tested system with a full kernel and advanced features without the significant drawbacks of real vintage hardware. That said, I don't think an FPGA board really counts as hardware, and I don't think I would personally see any reason to write a program and flash it to an emulation when I can already run an emulation on my computer. What I want is a real 6502 chip, connected with copper to a real memory IC, but I don't want a giant board that takes up my whole desk. I will be sad if phase 2 gets canceled, because that is the most interesting learning tool for me personally. I can see how people might just want to load up games or key in basic on the FPGA version, and other people might want the nostalgia of the big through-hole chips, but I just want an old-school computer I can mess around with in assembly that isn't large just for the sake of being large. I'm happy to assemble it myself, and happy to pay the full price of the big version for the phase 2 version, because while the big version is David's ideal 8-bit computer, the surface mount version is probably mine.
Yeah, I said "full version", but should have said "Phase 1"
Oh! I didn't quite understand your post, although it all read perfectly fine. That's my fault.
12 hours after first reading 8BG's post.... I now think that Phase 2 / 3 / X8 should be all about Ecosystem. I think that means the X8 is a true distraction, Phase 3 is emulation, and Phase 2 *could* boost the ecosystem.
but then you have to address people who may not or not yet have the insight into 8-bit computers ...
that is, appealing software and games, possibilities of the computer in the game and learning area.
In general, even without crowdfunding, these would be points that would contribute to the "success" of this platform.
Yeah, I think that those interested in the success of the Commander X16 can go onto social media and also to our different communities and promote the virtues of the CX16 and encourage interest! I'm very happy to do so myself.