Coding with Culp

This is a pretty good video about AI induced depression among developers. Not only are software developers not really developing software anymore and are being let go, AI developers themselves are now no longer developing code because AI itself is developing its own code. Let that one sink in. I've been going through this in a way. The last video I produced on 6502 was simply language programming was way back in May and I had planned on really hitting it hard during my summer vacation. But then something that had been nagging in the back of my mind crept up on me. Why do it when AI is good enough now that you can just type in a prompt and produce an entire game. Is coding a dead skill? I had to realize that I don't code as a means to an end I code because it is my creative outlet. It is how I express myself. I enjoy the process of coding and problem-solving. In fact, I probably enjoy coding more when I hit a problem that takes me a while to solve. To me having a machine write the code for me would be like a painter having a Robot paint the painting for them. I'm sure there are many other people out there that would still rather directly write their code then have a machine do it for them. Because of the rise of AI I'm starting to delve further and further into retro coding. AI is the single most disruptive technology ever released into the wild youtu.be/wEcpzfWgxOE?is=TRj_…

Working on old computers is like working on cars or doing a job around the house - nothing ever seems to go right. I am building a superfast 486 system built around a Tomato 4DPS and an AMD Am5x86-P100 @ 160Mhz that I plan to overclock to 200 MHz along with 64MB of RAM and a full 512K of cache. The case I got is cracked and rusted in a few places. No big deal, I was going to remove the front bezel, apply some epoxy to fix the small crack and paint it. It is riveted in place... I purchased a new Antec AT power supply to replace the old one. It turns out the old power supply has some type of weird proprietary power switch on it with strange hole spacings. In addition, the screws are incredibly difficult to get to. By incredibly difficult I mean almost, but not quite, impossible. When I went to install the motherboard, I realized that all but one motherboard standoff hole is the type where you slide the plastic standoff in place, of which I have none. LOL. The CPU is glued to the heatsink. Sigh.... Anyways, I sanded the case down, fixed the rust spots and have it painted, and I have some standoffs on the way.

This video really sums up my feelings and I need to get over it. I haven't really written a line of code since the end of May. I was doing a series of videos on assembly language programming on the #Commodore64 and I stopped those. I'm just a hobby #coder, my degree is in science education with a minor in #compsci. I've never really done it professionally unless you count teaching kids to code and me and a friend of mine put together a couple of websites and back ends in the late 90's for a couple people. I've been coding since around 1979/80 and coding has always been part of my life since my first computer. I code because it is my creative outlet and always has been. I absolutely enjoy the creativity and problem solving. To me, coding is personal, I actually enjoy getting stuck on something and spending the time effort and energy to figure out a creative solution. The other day in a teacher training, we were shown how to use Gemini in order to "code" science lab simulations for class. I was absolutely stunned by what Gemini popped out with just a few sentences of description. It was almost mind numbing. A full on entire app that worked perfectly, in less than a paragraph of description. Everyone was so amazed with what they had created, but I sat there thinking "I didn't create anything", I just told the box what I wanted, and it spit it out. I have no idea how it works underneath. I had an idea for something I wanted to do on the Commodore 64 ultimate and I had talked about it in a post on a Commodore 64 group. Someone basically took my idea and used AI to make it in a couple days. Why should I put effort into doing things the old-fashioned way when somebody can code something with just a few sentences? I need to get over that feeling and get back to work. youtu.be/gIvVjepvdMg?is=KSlX…

I will admit, when @commodoreofcl announced the Callback 8020 phone, I was disappointed. I also was afraid it was going to be a huge mistake and maybe jeopardize the company. I am glad I am turning out to be wrong. I will admit that I'm still not interested in the phone, it's simply not a product for me. However, as I've said before I have softened my view and my stance on it and I hope they sell a ton of them!

After a lot of thought, deliberation and research I have softened my stance on the #Commodore Callback phone from @commodoreofcl. I'm still disappointed by what they decided to come out with. But at the same time I also have to realize that not every product is going to be aimed at me. I've done some research and there's a big movement towards less tech enabled and distraction free phones and tech and they are becoming popular. I hope Commodore sells a million of them - so they have the money to give us the Amiga Ultimate!

I truly wish #Commodore International lots of luck and success with their announcement of their "Callback" phone. I will admit I was severely disappointed in the announcement and it seems most others were also. I do wonder who is in the market for a $500 semi-smart flip phone. Hopefully a lot of people as I do want to see Commodore successful and bring us a new Amiga and maybe a next-gen Commodore 8 bit system.

I finished video 3 in my series on modern beginning assembly language programmin for the #commodore64 last night. The series is aimed at beginners and in part 3 we modify the "hello world" program to be able to move the text around on screen with the cursor keys, and change the text color, border color and background color using the keyboard. Next step, in part 4 we start putting Sprites on the screen. youtu.be/4N_544lQ6IE?si=WF-I…

A lazy Saturday spent working on video 3 in my beginning assembly language on the #Commodore64 series, then watching the mighty Oklahoma Sooners softball team win another game towards getting to the World Series. Now it's time to bust some ghosts. The Commodore 64 Ultimate is amazing!

Was going to do some #coding on my Commodore 64 Ultimate tonight. Got side tracked....

I got a new #Amiga in the mail today. It's an Apollo Vampire A6000. I can't wait to tear into it, but sadly, it might be 4-5 days before I can really get to it. This will go great next to my Commodore Amiga 1200! #CommodoreAmiga

I've seen a few questions about how to transfer files over the network on the new Commodore 64 Ultimate , especially via FTP so I made a little short video about it. youtu.be/2t04m99PFL0?si=Mgza…

The release of the #commodore64 Ultimate from @commodoreofcl has really increased the interest in programming these old computers in both BASIC and assembly language. Here is part 2 of a series I'm working on which is geared toward beginners wanting to learn assembly language on the Commodore 64. I use some of the Ultimates unique features while doing so. Part two picks up right where part one left off, we're going to learn to examine the memory inside of the Commodore 64 and disassemble memory inside of the Commodore 64 using the ultimate and then we are going to learn a little bit about null terminated strings, loops and branching. youtu.be/7sLTaVWV0c8?si=AeI2…

I was thinking of replacing my aging Prusa #3Dprinters with @BambulabGlobal printers. Not anymore, I'll stick with Prusa. youtu.be/0tdZ5Z7nRDY?si=dGVU…

I had left the commodore world by then and was fully into the PC gaming and programming world. I was in the Army by then and I was surprised in 1993 when I walked into the base PX and saw a pallet of Commodore 64's for sale. However the announcement of the bankruptcy did strike me pretty hard, like a ton of bricks, and made me sad. I had used my C64 nearly daily from 1983 through to joining the Army in 1992. It still remains my favorite computer of all time.

I really have to say, the C64 Ultimate is amazing!

Wow! It looks like @commodoreofcl has released 3 new models of the #Commodore64 Ultimate in the C64C case! Despite my extreme love for the original breadbin C64 because of nostalgia, the C64C was a superior case. The founders edition is limited to 640 units. checkout.commodore.net/categ…

If you are into the #Commodore64 or the 6502 there is a new website dedicated to the 6502 called 6502ish. They are having a sweepstakes to win a Commodore 64 Ultimate or 1581 clone. No purchase of any sort is required at all. The sweepstakes is US only due to regulatory/legal issues. I am not affiliated in any way with the website: 6502ish.com/sweepstakes

Tindie appears to be back: tindie.com

Thanks you @commodoreofcl! This really was the right decision. It is very refreshing to see a company listen to feedback from its customers and act on it!