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Message: 6064
Author: Daniel
Date: 20/02/2007
Subject: Re: JSW '96 Remix - a bit of historical curiosity / TZX format
--- In manicminerandjetsetwilly@yahoogroups.com, "equin0x80"
wrote:
> If you'd like to include the original demo as a bonus feature in
Thanks a lot for this, Paul! :-)
> JSW Megamix, you're welcome, of course. It's yours now :)
--- In manicminerandjetsetwilly@yahoogroups.com, "equin0x80"
wrote:
> WoS says "Missing In Action! (only demo version available)". This
"Only demo version available" is correct, of course. However,
> is true: there is only a demo version available. Of course, there
> never *was* a full game, but I don't think WoS has a category for
> that, and for them to list the demo as a full version would be even
> less accurate.
logically "Missing in Action!" is not true, because by that WoS
understands an existing file which they have not been able to locate
or acquire ("programs that the team is aware of no copy at all has
been found yet" - from the WoS FAQ); it existed, and it has been
lost. Something that never existed cannot be missing in this sense.
If the purpose of their preservation effort is to include all of the
existing programs, including demos, "JSW '96 Remix" should have its
rightful place among other products (demo as it is) and the
information that is is missing should be eliminated, IMHO. Still, I'm
not quite sure what their policy is exactly.
The WoS FAQ actually explains (regarding the TZX project):
"Its goal is no less than converting every single piece of software
commercially written for the Speccy to a digital format".
If someone were to go strictly by this definition, almost all of JSW
and MM remakes would have no place on WoS - because they are not
commercially written! Fortunately, WoS does not seem to mind that our
products are home-made :-) .
What's more, in WoS FAQ they also mention the site being
a "collection of everything that has anything to do with the
Spectrum" - so that would probably include demos of games where no
final product has ever existed as well.
--- In manicminerandjetsetwilly@yahoogroups.com, "equin0x80"
wrote:
> It doesn't belong on the TZX Vault, because it is a Z80 snapshot.
You are right - technically.
> There is no original cassette to be preserved!
Still...
I know that Steve Brown was wondering whether to convert the emulator-
created JSW and MM files to the TZX format, since they never existed
on tape.
I am *very happy* that in the end he decided to do it, since the TZX
format is considered to be the best format for preservation of ZX
Spectrum programs - as WoS explains in their FAQ: "When a game is
archived in this TZX format, it's finished and it will no longer be
necessary to look out for better versions (there can't be)". So,
firstly, it would be a shame if all (or most) of the other programs
were available from the general Spectrum archives (such as WoS or TZX
Vault) as TZX files, and MM/JSW games were an exception. And
secondly, if I understand the situation correctly, a TZX file can be
dumped onto a real tape and loaded into a real Spectrum (or it could
be done directly from the PC via the soundcard). So I think that with
MM/JSW games stored in TZX, it is possible to transfer them "back" to
a real Spectrum - so in a sense they acquire the same status as all
of the other games (even though they were not created on tape or on
the original hardware) - which is great!
In fact, I am planning to do just that - try to transfer some of the
JSW remakes to tape and load them into the "real" machine - when I
get back to the place where my old Timex 48K is having its long (but
hopefully not eternal) rest - and see if it is possible :-) .
Daniel
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