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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Call for interest in MMBasic Challenge 2022
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thwill Guru  Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4311 |
Hi folks, I need another thing to do about as much as I need another hole in my head, but we ought to do something to encourage more activity in the group. I'm not saying it's happening yet but speak now if you would be likely to enter an MMBasic Challenge 2022 happening over the next couple of months. For the sake of this initial query assume the rules would be pretty much the same as last time: https://github.com/thwill1000/cmm2-basic-challenge/tree/main/2021/challenge-2021.pdf with the exception that entries running on MMB4W would be accepted - also IGNORE the bit of that document about Mick providing the prize. Best wishes, Tom Edited 2022-03-11 03:53 by thwill MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| al18 Senior Member  Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 228 |
Since you can't buy a CMM1 or CMM2 new, I think you should expand the contest to include the PicoMiteVGA also. The RPi Pico is still readily available for $4 and Peter's PicoMiteVGA board can be purchased from www.jlcpcb.com for $9.50 plus shipping for 5 boards |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4311 |
Thanks for the input, At the back of my mind when writing the original post was the idea that anything that runs on the PicoMiteVGA will also run on MMB4W with only very minimal tweaking, and it's 99% likely any potential judges will have access to a Windows box, but there is no such guarantee that they have joined the PicoMiteVGA brigade. Best wishes, Tom Edited 2022-03-11 04:23 by thwill MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 5089 |
I will participate. I am currently equiped with CMM1, CMM2, MX170, MMB4W and picomite. Even found a PS2 keyboard. Volhout PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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| TimD Newbie  Joined: 23/02/2021 Location: United KingdomPosts: 27 |
Hi Tom, I'd be interested in having another go  Kind regards, Tim. |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2950 |
Hi Lads, I am still prepared to offer prizes, details to be determined. I realise that PCBs do not meet everyone's needs so maybe cash prizes can be considered, however I would like to limit my liability to $50AU or there about so if we can rope in another 1 or 2 benefactors we can offer real prizes. I also would prefer to NOT be a judge as I really feel I am not qualified to judge programming of which I am not really good at. I also would like to loosen the reins and not restrict program size so we can see what we can really come up with. I think the cross section of devices can be a problem as it will be hard to compare and any prospective judge would need all forms to test the code(s). Maybe smaller prizes but more competition categories?? Anyway I am prepared to throw my hat in the ring for $$ support, providing it can be paid via PayPal or direct deposit if in AUS. Kind regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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Turbo46 Guru Joined: 24/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1642 |
Tom, The offer I made to you still stands. It might be good if Nimue could be involved, it would be nice because she wasn't able to complete her involvement in the first challenge. Bill Keep safe. Live long and prosper. |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4311 |
Mick, Bill, Thanks guys, I'm just seeing whether there is enough potential interest before sinking any time into the details of prizes, judges, rules, etc. Best wishes, Tom MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Turbo46 Guru Joined: 24/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1642 |
Thanks Tom, If you have a section for text adventures, I have an idea to follow up on Blackberry. Given the interest shown I could win that.  Just joking. I would go along with that. It seems that the prize wasn't the main incentive with the first challenge anyway so that may not matter again. Bill Keep safe. Live long and prosper. |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4311 |
I fundamentally disagree with removing the restriction, though I was going to suggest it was just changed to a 4Kb limit. IMO the restriction encourages more participation and creativity. Without it potential participants may either think they don't have enough time, or be intimidated by the huge blank canvas they have to work with, or will simply not complete and submit their opus. YMMV, Tom MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4311 |
... to put it another way. If anyone was going to write an MMBasic program > 4Kb then they were probably going to do it anyway irrespective of their being a competition. Best wishes, Tom MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
TBH I thought the restriction was a very good thing. It encourages the programmer to find alternative, more efficient ways to solve a problem - especially if he/she wants to get some comments in too. How well that would work with a 4k limit I'm not sure. I'm wondering if the PicoMite should have an "El Cheapo Computing" category of it's own. It can't compete with the CMM2 on several levels, but it's very capable and would open up the competition to a lot more people. Maybe a bonus point if your program runs correctly on both platforms? Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4311 |
Actually last time the limit was 50x100 character lines, so of similar size to my proposal. With only 4K to play with I doubt the performance difference will matter that much. In any case at the moment we don't have sufficient interest for one category, nevermind two. Best wishes, Tom MMBasic for Linux, Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
Point taken on the 4k. It wasn't really the performance I was thinking about (although there is a difference). It was graphics facilities - page, sprites etc. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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jirsoft Guru Joined: 18/09/2020 Location: Czech RepublicPosts: 533 |
So I will try to modify my 2 current projects and save full versions for later time (after challenge time)  Jiri Napoleon Commander and SimplEd for CMM2 (GitHub), CMM2.fun |
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| oldhandmixer Newbie Joined: 09/07/2021 Location: DenmarkPosts: 5 |
Im in for a 4K demo on CMM2 Edited 2022-03-13 03:23 by oldhandmixer |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 5089 |
4k is a better limit than 50x100. It allows you to keep structure in the program, better readability. I am in... PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2950 |
Hi All, I am ok with restricting size, but the issue I had last time due to this restriction was the compactness some of the programmers squeezed into their code. I was confronted with basically a full screen of 'gibberish' text and could not have any chance to appraise the code. I really think piling different MM's in the same judging pool is not really fair as there are limitations and advantages of all devices. I would prefer to see different categories all judged in their own group so we don't have a CMM2 and MX170 competing against each other even if that meant less prize pool for each category. I will cede to popular opinion here though. My interest stems to being a small way of paying back what I have made out of the entire Micromite range both financially (not that this was massive) and technically, I love the MM family as even with my lowly programming skills I can make them do more or less exactly what I need for my pet projects. It is a pity that chip shortages around the world are impacting many devices including the CMM2, even screens are getting more expensive as the glass is not being made or has rocketed up in price (see the Eastrising page for more in that). Anyway, I would like to see what interest there is in the competition and also what device you wish to showcase. Kind Regards, Mick (currently getting sunburnt in Mildura for a week) Edited 2022-03-13 08:28 by bigmik Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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vegipete Guru Joined: 29/01/2013 Location: CanadaPosts: 1132 |
4096 characters of program, not including comments and whitespace? (Is the text in a comment accessible to a running program?) C-subs OK if the c-sub source code is included in the character count? (Just kidding.) For reference, GreenHills 3 went from a pleasant 338 lines of nicely commented and spaced code with well named variables and subroutines to a completely opaque block of 48 lines by near 100 character wide. I wrote that block, and looking at it now, a year later, I have little idea how it works. Visit Vegipete's *Mite Library for cool programs. |
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| Turbo46 Guru Joined: 24/12/2017 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1642 |
Vegipete, I just looked at that, Greenhills3 properties for the non expanded version says: 4.58 KB (4,696 bytes). Maybe 4K is too low? It's up to Tom of course but what would you think would be a better maximum file size? Bill Keep safe. Live long and prosper. |
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