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Application Concept: C64 "App Store"
http://retrohackers.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=614		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Schema [ Thu May 19, 2011 10:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Application Concept: C64 "App Store"
I just got an Android phone (Google Nexus S) and love it. One of the best parts is the Marketplace - searching, browsing for applications and then downloading them instantly with the click of a button.

I've been toying around with this concept in my head for a while, but now I have the Android Marketplace as a concrete example.

What about something similar for the C64 with network card? Have it connect to a server that has access to pokefinder, csdb, gamebase...you can search for games, tools, or demos; or browse what's new since your last visit. Choose one and have it instantly downloaded to your 64 (large storage needed for D64 files). Reboot and play. It wouldn't be the fastest, but probably liveable.

No PC involved locally at all :shock:

I see the similarities with CommodoreServer.com , but you need their hardware, and I was thinking something more marketplace in feel.

I have absolutely no time these days to work on it, but I thought I'd put the idea out there. :D
Author:  jonnosan [ Fri May 20, 2011 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Application Concept: C64 "App Store"
Hey Schema

That's a really neat idea.

I think I have most of the 'infrastructure' to do this already spread throughout the netboot65 / ip65 projects, but nothing like a polished product, i.e.
- the client to browse a list of applications could use either HTTP+HTML/XML or gopher for communicating with the back-end server. HTTP + gopher are both implemented in ip65 + KipperTerm, I don't have a full HTML parser but I do have a rudimentary XML parser
- for delivery of the files (wehther as prgs to execute immediately or D64s to save to disk), either HTTP or TFTP would be appropriate mechanisms. Both are implemented in TFTP

What would need to be done:
- creation of a nice user interface
- creation of a back end server (I have various snippets of ruby code that would help, including a D64 browser, and a TFTP server)
- some optimised disk access routines : KipperTerm takes about 10 minutes to download & write to disk a D64, most of which is spent waiting on disk I/O via the standard kernal routines

I'd be interested in working with anyone who wanted to progress this.

Jonno
Author:  zap [ Sat May 21, 2011 4:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Application Concept: C64 "App Store"
The idea sound great.
You login and search for the app you want then run it from the server or create a disk from an image
from the server to your local 1541. The ability to upload and share would be great too.

If i can help in anyway. ie server space - web resources a bounty etc.

enjoy.
Shane.
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