FreeBASIC is a free and open-source, 32-bit and 64-bit BASIC compiler available for Windows, Linux, and DOS. It supports a modern, extended BASIC syntax with features like pointers, object-oriented programming, operator overloading, and inline assembly, while maintaining compatibility with QuickBASIC. FreeBASIC boasts a large standard library, offering built-in support for graphics, sound, and networking, as well as providing bindings to popular libraries like OpenGL, SDL, and GTK+. It's suitable for developing everything from console applications and games to GUI applications and libraries.
Code page 437, the original character set for the IBM PC, includes a small house character (⌂) because it was intended for general business use, not just programming. Inspired by the pre-existing PETSCII character set, IBM included symbols useful for forms, diagrams, and even simple games. The house, specifically, was likely included to represent "home" in directory structures or for drawing simple diagrams, similar to how other box-drawing characters are utilized. This practicality over pure programming focus explains many of 437's seemingly unusual choices.
HN commenters discuss various aspects of Code Page 437. Some recall using it in early PC gaming and the limitations it imposed on game design. Others delve into the history of character sets and code pages, including the inclusion of box-drawing characters for creating UI elements in text-based environments. Several speculate about the specific inclusion of the "house" character (⌂), suggesting it might be a remnant of a planned but never implemented feature, potentially related to home banking or smart home technologies nascent at the time. A few commenters point out its resemblance to Japanese family crests (kamon) or stylized depictions of Shinto shrines. The impracticality of representing a real house address with a single character is also mentioned.
Win98-quickinstall is a project that streamlines the installation of Windows 98SE. It provides a pre-configured virtual machine image and a framework for automating the installation process, significantly reducing the time and effort required for setup. The project includes pre-installed drivers, essential utilities, and tweaks for improved performance and stability in a virtualized environment. This allows users to quickly deploy a functional Windows 98SE instance for testing, development, or nostalgia.
Hacker News users discussed the practicality and nostalgia of the Win98-quickinstall project. Some questioned its usefulness in a modern context, while others praised its potential for retro gaming or specific hardware configurations. Several commenters shared their own experiences and challenges with setting up Windows 98, highlighting driver compatibility issues and the tediousness of the original installation process. The project's use of QEMU for virtualized installs was also a point of interest, with some users suggesting alternative approaches. A few comments focused on the technical aspects of the installer, including its scripting and modular design. Overall, the sentiment leaned towards appreciation for the project's ingenuity and its ability to simplify a complex process, even if its real-world applications are limited.
FastDoom achieves its speed primarily through optimizing data access patterns. The original Doom wastes cycles retrieving small pieces of data scattered throughout memory. FastDoom restructures data, grouping related elements together (like vertices for a single wall) for contiguous access. This significantly reduces cache misses, allowing the CPU to fetch the necessary information much faster. Further optimizations include precalculating commonly used values, eliminating redundant calculations, and streamlining inner loops, ultimately leading to a dramatic performance boost even on modern hardware.
The Hacker News comments discuss various technical aspects contributing to FastDoom's speed. Several users point to the simplicity of the original Doom rendering engine and its reliance on fixed-point arithmetic as key factors. Some highlight the minimal processing demands placed on the original hardware, comparing it favorably to the more complex graphics pipelines of modern games. Others delve into specific optimizations like precalculated lookup tables for trigonometry and the use of binary space partitioning (BSP) for efficient rendering. The small size of the game's assets and levels are also noted as contributing to its quick loading times and performance. One commenter mentions that Carmack's careful attention to performance, combined with his deep understanding of the hardware, resulted in a game that pushed the limits of what was possible at the time. Another user expresses appreciation for the clean and understandable nature of the original source code, making it a great learning resource for aspiring game developers.
The author meticulously debugged a mysterious issue where transferring Apple DOS 3.3 system files to a blank diskette sometimes resulted in a bootable disk, and sometimes a non-bootable one, despite seemingly identical procedures. Through painstaking analysis of the DOS 3.3 source code and assembly-level debugging, they discovered the culprit: a timing-sensitive bug within the SYS.COM program related to how it handled track zero formatting. Specifically, SYS.COM occasionally failed to wait for the drive head to settle after seeking to track zero before writing, resulting in corrupted data on the disk. This timing issue was sensitive to drive mechanics and environmental factors, explaining the intermittent nature of the problem. The author's fix involved adding a small delay within SYS.COM to ensure the drive head had stabilized before writing, resolving the frustrating bug and guaranteeing consistent creation of bootable disks.
Several Hacker News commenters praised the author's clear and detailed write-up of the bug hunt, appreciating the methodical approach and the insights into early DOS development. Some shared their own experiences with similar bugs and debugging processes in other systems. One commenter pointed out the historical significance of relying on undocumented behavior, a common practice at the time due to limited documentation. Others discussed the challenges of working with older hardware and software, and the satisfaction of successfully solving such intricate problems. The overall sentiment reflects admiration for the detective work involved and nostalgia for the era of simpler, yet more opaque, computing.
Ultima VII: Revisited is a fan-made enhancement project aimed at modernizing and improving the classic RPG Ultima VII: The Black Gate and its expansion, Forge of Virtue. It utilizes the Exult engine to deliver a smoother, more consistent experience with higher resolutions, bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and optional restored content. The project focuses on refining the existing game rather than radically altering it, aiming to preserve the original feel while making it more accessible and enjoyable for modern players. It features enhanced visuals, UI improvements, modernized controls, and various tweaks to gameplay mechanics.
Hacker News users discussing the Ultima VII: Revisited project generally expressed enthusiasm and nostalgia for the original game. Several commenters praised the improvements offered by the project, particularly the bug fixes, enhanced UI, and higher resolution. Some discussed the technical challenges involved in such an undertaking, with one user detailing the process of reverse-engineering the game's engine. A few expressed skepticism about playing older RPGs, questioning if they hold up to modern standards, but were countered by others who argued for the enduring quality of Ultima VII's story and gameplay. The conversation also touched upon the limitations of the project, including the inability to improve the game's dated pathfinding. Overall, the comments reflect a positive reception of the revisited project, viewed as a valuable way to experience a classic RPG.
Spice86 is an open-source x86 emulator specifically designed for reverse engineering real-mode DOS programs. It translates original x86 code to C# and dynamically recompiles it, allowing for easy code injection, debugging, and modification. This approach enables stepping through original assembly code while simultaneously observing the corresponding C# code. Spice86 supports running original DOS binaries and offers features like memory inspection, breakpoints, and code patching directly within the emulated environment, making it a powerful tool for understanding and analyzing legacy software. It focuses on achieving high accuracy in emulation rather than speed, aiming to facilitate deep analysis of the original code's behavior.
Hacker News users discussed Spice86's unique approach to x86 emulation, focusing on its dynamic recompilation for real mode and its use in reverse engineering. Some praised its ability to handle complex scenarios like self-modifying code and TSR programs, features often lacking in other emulators. The project's open-source nature and stated goal of aiding reverse engineering efforts were also seen as positives. Several commenters expressed interest in trying Spice86 for analyzing older DOS programs and games. There was also discussion comparing it to existing tools like DOSBox and QEMU, with some suggesting Spice86's targeted focus on real mode might offer advantages for specific reverse engineering tasks. The ability to integrate custom C# code for dynamic analysis was highlighted as a potentially powerful feature.
DOS APPEND, similar to the PATH command, allows you to specify directories where DOS should search for data files, not just executable files. This lets programs access data in various locations without needing full path specifications. It supports both drive letters and network paths, and offers options to search appended directories before the current directory or to treat appended directories as subdirectories of the current one. APPEND also provides commands to display the current appended directories and to remove them. This expands the functionality beyond the simple executable search of PATH, making data access more flexible.
Hacker News users discuss the DOS APPEND command, primarily focusing on its obscure nature and surprising functionality. Several commenters recall struggling with APPEND's unexpected behavior, particularly its ability to make files appear in directories where they don't physically exist. The discussion highlights the command's similarity to environment variables like PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH, with one user pointing out that it effectively extends the file search path for specific programs. Some comments mention the utility of APPEND for accessing data files across drives or directories without hardcoding paths, while others express their preference for more modern solutions. The overall sentiment suggests APPEND was a powerful but complex tool, often misunderstood and potentially problematic.
A 19-year-old, Zachary Lee Morgenstern, pleaded guilty to swatting-for-hire charges, potentially facing up to 20 years in prison. He admitted to placing hoax emergency calls to schools, businesses, and individuals across the US between 2020 and 2022, sometimes receiving payment for these actions through online platforms. Morgenstern's activities disrupted communities and triggered large-scale law enforcement responses, including a SWAT team deployment to a university. He is scheduled for sentencing in March 2025.
Hacker News commenters generally express disgust at the swatter's actions, noting the potential for tragedy and wasted resources. Some discuss the apparent ease with which swatting is carried out and question the 20-year potential sentence, suggesting it seems excessive compared to other crimes. A few highlight the absurdity of swatting stemming from online gaming disputes, and the immaturity of those involved. Several users point out the role of readily available personal information online, enabling such harassment, and question the security practices of the targeted individuals. There's also some debate about the practicality and effectiveness of legal deterrents like harsh sentencing in preventing this type of crime.
Summary of Comments ( 12 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44017592
Hacker News commenters on the FreeBASIC post express a mix of nostalgia and cautious optimism. Some fondly recall using QuickBASIC and see FreeBASIC as a worthy successor, praising its ease of use and suitability for beginners. Others are more critical, pointing out its limitations compared to modern languages and questioning its relevance in today's programming landscape. Several users suggest it might find a niche in game development or embedded systems due to its performance and ease of integration with C libraries. Concerns are raised about the project's apparent slow development and limited community size. Overall, the sentiment is that while FreeBASIC isn't a cutting-edge tool, it serves a purpose for certain tasks and holds value for those seeking a simple, accessible programming experience reminiscent of classic BASIC.
The Hacker News post titled "FreeBASIC is a free/open source BASIC compiler for Windows DOS and Linux" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44017592) has several comments discussing FreeBASIC, its features, and comparisons to other BASIC implementations.
One commenter highlights the surprisingly active and helpful community surrounding FreeBASIC, stating that it's a good choice for those looking for a modern BASIC compiler. They also praise its support for creating games and graphical applications using libraries like Allegro and SDL.
Another commenter reminisces about their experience with QuickBASIC 4.5, noting how it stood out among other BASIC dialects. They see FreeBASIC as a spiritual successor that captures a similar feel, even if it doesn't have an IDE as good as QB's. They also appreciate the support for object-oriented programming and the substantial compatibility with QB code.
A discussion emerges regarding the differences between QB and FreeBASIC's handling of graphics, particularly in the context of game development. One commenter suggests that the move away from direct hardware access in newer BASICs towards libraries makes things more portable but potentially less efficient for specific tasks. They point out the advantages QB had with direct access for simple game development. Others counter that modern hardware and software abstractions generally make the library approach preferable, with performance penalties often being negligible.
Some commenters mention other BASIC dialects like PureBasic and QB64. One points out that PureBasic, while commercially licensed, offers excellent performance and cross-platform compatibility. They also express a preference for QB64's closer adherence to the original QuickBASIC syntax.
The ease of use and quick learning curve of FreeBASIC, particularly for beginners, is also a recurring theme. One commenter describes FreeBASIC as being ideal for getting things done quickly, compared to more complex languages like C++.
Finally, one commenter notes the relative obscurity of FreeBASIC despite its qualities, speculating that the "BASIC" moniker might carry a stigma among some developers, even though it's a powerful and modern language. They also express a wish for more visible projects using FreeBASIC to showcase its capabilities.