Difference between revisions of "Mark 1"

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The '''Mark I''' is a computer hardware platform in production by [[Sei Computing]]. It features a wide variety of software and realistic, immersive operation.
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The '''Mark 1''' (previously '''Mark I''') is a computer hardware platform in development by [[NBS]]. It is the first and only fully-functional graphical computer capable of operating entirely on LSL.
  
 
[[File:COMPUTER_OF_1986_wiki.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]
 
[[File:COMPUTER_OF_1986_wiki.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]
  
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[[File:Mk1-OriginalDisplay.png|thumb|300px|left]]
 
==Origins==
 
==Origins==
[[File:Mk1-OriginalDisplay.png|thumb|300px|left]]
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The Mark 1 was first spawned in December 2011 by [[Nelson Jenkins]] with assistance from [[Will Szymborska]]. The idea of an individual-character display was thrown around for years, but wasn't technically feasible until recently due to newer LSL functions and mesh construction possibilities. [[Adel Button]] assisted by designing the character display object, which was scripted in only a few hours late at night. The first design ever displayed on the Mark I display was a green SeiOS dialog box with a drop shadow. The casing and peripherals were made in the following weeks, along with the core of SeiOS.
The Mark I was first spawned in December 2011 by [[Nelson Jenkins]] with assistance from [[Will Szymborska]]. The idea of an individual-character display was thrown around for years, but wasn't technically feasible until recently due to newer LSL functions and mesh construction possibilities. [[Adel Button]] assisted by designing the character display object, which was scripted in only a few hours late at night. The first design ever displayed on the Mark I display was a green SeiOS dialog box with a drop shadow. The casing and peripherals were made in the following weeks, along with the core of SeiOS.
 
 
 
 
 
==Hardware==
 
The Mark I's hardware is as follows ([[Mark I System Calls|system calls]]):
 
* 480-character 16-color display w/ multi-tile sprite support & 8-layer underlay
 
** 256-color mode available with high-color display driver available with some programs
 
* 22 kB hard disk
 
* 22 kB hot-swappable floppy disk drive
 
* 10 MHz optimum processor clock rate
 
* 256 kB of RAM
 
* Dual 9-pin serial ports (although up to 9 component connections are supported)
 
* 87-key keyboard with direct (gesture) and indirect (touch) input support
 
* 10 Mbit/s Ethernet local network card (same-region communications only)
 
Additionally, add-on components provide the following hardware:
 
* 60 cps / 60 dpi dot-matrix printer
 
* Dual 40 kB floppy disk drives + dual 40 kB hard disk "databox" external drive
 
* 14.4 kbit/s modem compatible with [[SeiNet Protocols]] gridwide
 
The [[DS/200 Server]] also provides a 40 kB hard disk and 40 kB floppy disk drive for network use.
 
  
==Software==
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Originally the display was going to be [[Media:Mk1-DisplayDesign.png|40x20 characters]], which would have been 50 prims land impact. However, the display was sized down to 32x15 characters, which reduced the land impact cost considerably. However, after [[Sei Computing]] was transferred to [[NBS]], the display driver was redesigned which allowed for 48x20 characters, as well as foreground and background colors for each character cell. The new display driver, named "TrueColor", also sharpened the display characters and added the capability for monochrome displays. This display driver was made possible by the use of an attachment for the display object, which also reduced the prim count of the computer dramatically.
There are three types of software supported by the Mark I:
 
* SeiOS system software
 
** Provides core functionality of the SeiOS system
 
** Cannot be modified or removed, except by System Core Upgrade Disk (SCUD)
 
** Does not take up space on disk
 
* SeiOS programs
 
** Installable by the user using a general floppy disk (or pre-installed)
 
** Direct access to system components and large memory use
 
** Can only be created by developers enrolled in the [[Mark I Developer Affiliate Program|Developer Affiliate Program]]
 
** Does not take up space on disk
 
* SeiBASIC programs
 
** Run directly from hard disk or general floppy disk
 
** Limited/slower access to system through [[SeiBASIC:General|SeiBASIC]] functions
 
** Can be created and distributed by anyone
 
** Limited memory use
 
** Takes up space on disk
 
  
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As of 2016, the Mark 1 is being redesigned with a new case and a new operating system. The operating system will implement a more adaptable program manager so that the computer operates much more realistically.
  
{{MarkI}}
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{{NBS}}

Latest revision as of 22:33, 30 September 2016

The Mark 1 (previously Mark I) is a computer hardware platform in development by NBS. It is the first and only fully-functional graphical computer capable of operating entirely on LSL.

COMPUTER OF 1986 wiki.jpg
Mk1-OriginalDisplay.png

Origins

The Mark 1 was first spawned in December 2011 by Nelson Jenkins with assistance from Will Szymborska. The idea of an individual-character display was thrown around for years, but wasn't technically feasible until recently due to newer LSL functions and mesh construction possibilities. Adel Button assisted by designing the character display object, which was scripted in only a few hours late at night. The first design ever displayed on the Mark I display was a green SeiOS dialog box with a drop shadow. The casing and peripherals were made in the following weeks, along with the core of SeiOS.

Originally the display was going to be 40x20 characters, which would have been 50 prims land impact. However, the display was sized down to 32x15 characters, which reduced the land impact cost considerably. However, after Sei Computing was transferred to NBS, the display driver was redesigned which allowed for 48x20 characters, as well as foreground and background colors for each character cell. The new display driver, named "TrueColor", also sharpened the display characters and added the capability for monochrome displays. This display driver was made possible by the use of an attachment for the display object, which also reduced the prim count of the computer dramatically.

As of 2016, the Mark 1 is being redesigned with a new case and a new operating system. The operating system will implement a more adaptable program manager so that the computer operates much more realistically.