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Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 16th 04, 03:07 AM
Regina Roper
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Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers

Dear observing friends:

For years I've had the telescope observers'/astrophotographers'
computer program "Eyepiece" on one of my websites for free download
and totally free use, but because it is so old I was about to take it
off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU
speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland
compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the
software.)

But recently I discovered a useful utility that will make it work on
faster machines; rather than dispose of "Eyepiece" as "abandonware"
perhaps I'll keep it on our site for a while if people would like to
have a copy and try it out (I recommend the double star section of the
program, and the visibility calculator to advanced observers;
beginners will find many other sections useful.)

The utility is called "Mo'Slo" and many gamers are using it to
accommodate old software on modern fast machines - we aren't gamers so
it took a while to discover this software, which has a free evaluation
copy (with a 15 day trial that doesn't seem to expire past that date)
on the web at:
http://www.hpaa.com/MoSlo/moslotry.asp

You just put Mo'Slo's com file in your path, and execute it with a
speed parameter and the path of the program you want to run. With our
600 MHz Pentium III the program worked fine at a speed setting of 40%.

The documentation about that is included in the Mo'Slo program.

This program may be useful if you have any ancient DOS astronomy
pograms that won't start on a modern fast system: as long as the
problem is related to the speed of a too-fast CPU clock rate.

So, for at least a reasonable amount of time in the future, you may
still download Eyepiece 2.0 for free (and use it forever, free) at:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~steve_waldee/index.html

We put in some advice for the adventuresome who might even try
"looking thru the wrong end of the telescope" by using this old c.1992
program in Windows XP. But it works best on a machine booted to DOS.

It wasn't originally written as shareware or freeware; this is the
actual commercial edition that Steve & Ron sold for a few years. But
you may now consider it freeware.

So, perhaps we won't be clobbered by people complaining that by
mentioning the software we're abusing the newsgroup! Hey: IT'S FREE!
FREE!! We take gratification in knowing that some people may find it
helpful.

Best.
Regina Roper
(Lick Observatory Volunteer, Music of the Spheres Concerts)
My Lick Concert Page:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~regin...ic/concert.htm
Viewing the Leonids:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~steve.../leonid-rr.htm
2003 Mars Opposition:
http://home.earthlink.net/~steve_waldee/mars/mars.htm
Eyepiece Software Download:
http://home.earthlink.net/~steve_waldee/index.html
Regina's Home Page:
http://home.earthlink.net/~regina-r/index.html

  #2  
Old January 16th 04, 03:19 AM
Michael A. Covington
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Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers

Dear Regina,

There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a
simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that
there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast.

I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free.


--
Clear skies,

Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com
Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur
and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope




  #3  
Old January 16th 04, 03:19 AM
Michael A. Covington
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers

Dear Regina,

There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a
simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that
there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast.

I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free.


--
Clear skies,

Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com
Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur
and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope




  #4  
Old January 16th 04, 03:19 AM
Michael A. Covington
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers

Dear Regina,

There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a
simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that
there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast.

I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free.


--
Clear skies,

Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com
Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur
and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope




  #5  
Old January 16th 04, 03:19 AM
Michael A. Covington
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers

Dear Regina,

There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a
simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that
there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast.

I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free.


--
Clear skies,

Michael Covington -- www.covingtoninnovations.com
Author, Astrophotography for the Amateur
and (new) How to Use a Computerized Telescope




  #6  
Old January 16th 04, 03:41 AM
Trane Francks
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers

On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:

off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU
speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland
compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the
software.)


The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during
initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without
the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and
recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes
available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was
distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail
and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and
while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to
find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just
recompile the executables and things run fine again. No
source-code changes are required.

trane
--
//------------------------------------------------------------
// Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan
// Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

  #7  
Old January 16th 04, 03:41 AM
Trane Francks
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers

On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:

off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU
speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland
compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the
software.)


The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during
initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without
the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and
recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes
available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was
distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail
and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and
while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to
find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just
recompile the executables and things run fine again. No
source-code changes are required.

trane
--
//------------------------------------------------------------
// Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan
// Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

  #8  
Old January 16th 04, 03:41 AM
Trane Francks
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers

On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:

off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU
speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland
compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the
software.)


The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during
initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without
the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and
recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes
available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was
distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail
and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and
while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to
find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just
recompile the executables and things run fine again. No
source-code changes are required.

trane
--
//------------------------------------------------------------
// Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan
// Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

  #9  
Old January 16th 04, 03:41 AM
Trane Francks
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer programwork on fast computers

On 01/16/04 11:07 +0900, Regina Roper wrote:

off the net: I had discovered that it won't run on machines with CPU
speeds of about 400 MHz or faster (due to the age of the Borland
compilers we used to compile the Pascal and C modules of the
software.)


The problem comes from the delay-loop calibration during
initialization of the CRT unit. If your apps can operate without
the CRT unit, simply remove it from the uses statement and
recompile. If that doesn't do the trick, there are CRT fixes
available. My favourite is the drop-in replacement that was
distributed by TurboPower. If you'd like it, drop me an e-mail
and I'll forward it to you. (TurboPower has closed its doors and
while the files are still available via http, it's difficult to
find 'em.) With the TurboPower CRT replacement, you just
recompile the executables and things run fine again. No
source-code changes are required.

trane
--
//------------------------------------------------------------
// Trane Francks Tokyo, Japan
// Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

  #10  
Old January 16th 04, 03:51 AM
Regina Roper
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Utility we found that makes our old Telescope Observer program work on fast computers

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 21:19:16 -0500, "Michael A. Covington"
wrote:

Dear Regina,

There's a simpler solution, though you'll have to Google for it. There is a
simple patch for older compiled Turbo Pascal programs. The problem is that
there's a timing routine in the startup routine, and it runs too fast.

I simply don't remember where I found it or what it's called, but it's free.


Thanks, and thanks too for your wonderful books!

Do you happen to remember if this patch is required BEFORE recompiling
the program, or if it can be applied to any compiled and existing
executable?

I haven't the foggiest idea where the compilers are...we've moved and
they may be in storage. Stephen hasn't written any code since 1996.

RR
 




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