23 December 2023 - 29 December 2023

1. MIT OCW
- 1.1. 18.03sc (differential equations).
  - 1.1.1. Unit IV - Final Review
- 1.2. 18.06sc (Linear Algebra)
2. bwmse
- 2.1. Continuing updates resulting from 18.03 review
3. wood chips
4. SCZ Front Step
5. SCZ Garbage Disposal Replacement
6. SCZ "China Cup Candle" glue job.
7. Various i686
- - 7.0.1. netbsd
  - 7.0.2. buildroot
8. piper
- 8.1. dovecot
  - 8.1.1. Raising apparmor error.
- 8.2. pidgeonhole
  - 8.2.1. procmail replacement.
  - 8.2.2. Considering integration.
- 8.3. httpd
  - 8.3.1. Still stable.
- 8.4. SSL cert
- 8.5. redmine
- 8.6. openvpn
9. Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH
- 9.1. Update
10. SJC weather station
- 10.1. Still having wireless connectivity problems
- 10.2. Really Really should put CPU in a proper enclosure
11. cipher-puzzle
- 11.1. more fixes and tweaks
12. opencl
- 12.1. Studying. Have some examples working.
- 12.2. Need to look at arrayfire as an alternative.
- 12.3. This is a bit of a hammer looking for a nail.
13. EPLDH
- 13.1. MPFI interval arithmetic better alternative
14. wktpqb
- 14.1. needs a new approach
- 14.2. Verifying edge construction (con't.)
- 14.3. 'gcd' algorithm doesn't work
15. Compilers
- 15.1. Started extracting C++ standard grammar
  - 15.1.1. Interesting how the grammar is not completely formal.
  - 15.1.2. Extracting from latex sources.
- 15.2. Started hand written WSN parser
16. Mill Controller #2
- 16.1. Mounted on mill - ready or testing
- 16.2. Need to investigate new HW/SW for eventual replacements
  - 16.2.1. Old crap ain't gonna last forever
  - 16.2.2. Buildroot/Linux 5.15 PREEMPT + latency tools
- 16.3. Alternative architecture
  - 16.3.1. Split off stepper motor controller to separate board
  - 16.3.2. Use emc2 MODBUS/TCP protocol for stepper and other IO
17. Alum Rock Data Center
- 17.1. Need a VPS with static IP
18. CA Root Key Generation
- 18.1. Need to be clear on security properties.
- 18.2. Simple hardware.
  - 18.2.1. Use some modern device TPM
  - 18.2.2. Or something that uses PKCS11 interface
- 18.3. USB Serial interface only but no credentials across USB I/F.
- 18.4. Use Sneakernet
19. Virtual Orchestra
- 19.1. sfz file tests
  - 19.1.1. need tooling to edit sample files
- 19.2. increasingly skeptical whether quality results are possible
- 19.3. maybe should treat as platform for concatinative synthesis
- 19.4. maybe should just accept the limitations and work with it
20. gat
- 20.1. spectrogram done - matches 'octave' output
21. RIOT drivers
- 21.1. WS2801
- 21.2. Velleman KA03
- 21.3. Velleman KA05
22. mcd05 32 button/led box
- 22.1. Recovered schematics.
- 22.2. Planning software.
- 22.3. Received STM32F767 Nucleo144 with Ethernet.
23. AMD 2900 bitslice computing
- 23.1. Probably my oldest uncompleted project
- 23.2. Exploring possibilities for something constructive
24. Hitachi HD68B09E CPU
- 24.1. RAM/UART/IO
- 24.2. Started schematic
  - 24.2.1. Standard peripheral set for 8 bit CPU bringups
- 24.3. Arduino Mega 2560 DMA loader
- 24.4. Generate quadrature clock directly
- 24.5. Full Bus SW Emulation infeasible
25. Rockwell R65F11
- 25.1. Still evaluating.
- 25.2. Dev board
26. PLD programming
27. EPROM Programming
28. POSIT
- 28.1. Use POSITs for YRX?
29. MAME
- 29.1. Subset builds in debug mode
- 29.2. gs6809 serial IO doesn't work right with PTY and other streams
- 29.3. ampro (Z80/Z80SIO) does work with PTY
- 29.4. Evaluating what is needed for other emulators.
30. More project ideas
- 30.1. Zuse Z3 simulation in Verilog
- 30.2. GMPForth ports to simulators
- 30.3. GMPASM assembler
- 30.4. Extracting ISO Superboard Forth ROMS for MAME emulation
- 30.5. 'bwocl' OpenCL tooling
  - 30.5.1. Offline compilation
  - 30.5.2. Standard Kernel Running
- 30.6. hardware support for classic 5V CPUs
- 30.7. Existing 'retro' hardware still working?
31. David Davies
- 31.1. Broadcom BCG? Employee indicted for running a brothel.
- 31.2. New case C1923172, consolidated with 15 Parties.
- 31.3. Next hearing 2/26/2024

Another Year Gone!

1. MIT OCW

1.1. 18.03sc (differential equations).

1.1.1. Unit IV - Final Review

Still ongoing.

1.2. 18.06sc (Linear Algebra)

Textbook arriving soon.

2. bwmse

2.1. Continuing updates resulting from 18.03 review

3. wood chips

No progress. Rainy…

4. SCZ Front Step

No progress. Rainy…

5. SCZ Garbage Disposal Replacement

done

6. SCZ "China Cup Candle" glue job.

Interesting how a FedEx driver packing job and FexEx shipment resulted in broken china.

7. Various i686

7.0.1. netbsd

installed.

7.0.2. buildroot

builds complete.

8. piper

8.1. dovecot

8.1.1. Raising apparmor error.

Not sure how to resolve.

8.2. pidgeonhole

8.2.1. procmail replacement.

8.2.2. Considering integration.

8.3. httpd

8.3.1. Still stable.

8.4. SSL cert

Trying letsencrypt with certbot. http problem above may be interfering.

8.5. redmine

Still not sure I want to go down this rabbit hole.

8.6. openvpn

Need to consider cert construction.

9. Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH

9.1. Update

Sometime next year.

10. SJC weather station

10.1. Still having wireless connectivity problems

Need 20m cable.

10.2. Really Really should put CPU in a proper enclosure

11. cipher-puzzle

11.1. more fixes and tweaks

12. opencl

12.1. Studying. Have some examples working.

12.2. Need to look at arrayfire as an alternative.

12.3. This is a bit of a hammer looking for a nail.

13. EPLDH

13.1. MPFI interval arithmetic better alternative

14. wktpqb

14.1. needs a new approach

14.2. Verifying edge construction (con't.)

14.3. 'gcd' algorithm doesn't work

15. Compilers

15.1. Started extracting C++ standard grammar

15.1.1. Interesting how the grammar is not completely formal.

15.1.2. Extracting from latex sources.

15.2. Started hand written WSN parser

16. Mill Controller #2

16.1. Mounted on mill - ready or testing

16.2. Need to investigate new HW/SW for eventual replacements

16.2.1. Old crap ain't gonna last forever

16.2.2. Buildroot/Linux 5.15 PREEMPT + latency tools

First pass done - boots on real hardware

16.3. Alternative architecture

16.3.1. Split off stepper motor controller to separate board

Increase latency tolerance on controller

16.3.2. Use emc2 MODBUS/TCP protocol for stepper and other IO

17. Alum Rock Data Center

17.1. Need a VPS with static IP

17.1.1. OpenVPN to tie it all together

17.1.2. Gandi VPS datacenter in France so connection crosses international border

What are the data security and privacy tradeoffs?

17.1.3. Prototype VPS on existing hardware

OpenStack?

18. CA Root Key Generation

Nice to have an appliance that manages keys. Need to make this simple. Really don't have time for a science project. Could just buy something from nitrokey https://www.nitrokey.com/ But I really don't want to spend money on it of I have hardware already.

18.1. Need to be clear on security properties.

Definitely protect against remote access to private keys. How strong does the protection against local access need to be?

18.2. Simple hardware.

18.2.1. Use some modern device TPM

Need to export data for backup.

18.2.2. Or something that uses PKCS11 interface

18.3. USB Serial interface only but no credentials across USB I/F.

But this potentially exposes the hardware to remote access via the USB I/F when connected.

18.4. Use Sneakernet

Doesn't scale. Should use something so cert updates are automatable. But that's a science project it seems.

19. Virtual Orchestra

19.1. sfz file tests

19.1.1. need tooling to edit sample files

19.2. increasingly skeptical whether quality results are possible

19.3. maybe should treat as platform for concatinative synthesis

19.4. maybe should just accept the limitations and work with it

One should not be disappointed that a guitar can't sound like a flute.

20. gat

20.1. spectrogram done - matches 'octave' output

21. RIOT drivers

Implemented - needs testing.

21.1. WS2801

21.2. Velleman KA03

21.3. Velleman KA05

22. mcd05 32 button/led box

22.1. Recovered schematics.

22.2. Planning software.

22.3. Received STM32F767 Nucleo144 with Ethernet.

22.3.1. Test program running.

22.3.2. Need to consider CoAP multicast discovery.

22.3.3. Consider simpler architecture with STM32F767 as a 'hub'.

22.3.4. Consider CAN interface to hub.

23. AMD 2900 bitslice computing

23.1. Probably my oldest uncompleted project

23.2. Exploring possibilities for something constructive

Create verilog models for 2903/2910 and verify against hardware?

24. Hitachi HD68B09E CPU

24.1. RAM/UART/IO

24.2. Started schematic

24.2.1. Standard peripheral set for 8 bit CPU bringups

Board schematic planned - need Kicad symbols

24.3. Arduino Mega 2560 DMA loader

…Along with standard 8 bit loader

24.4. Generate quadrature clock directly

24.5. Full Bus SW Emulation infeasible

6809 1000ns maximum cycle time too short

25. Rockwell R65F11

25.1. Still evaluating.

25.2. Dev board

Reverse engineered some of a mostly fully built development board with one part missing. As near as I can tell, that one part is some sort of programmable address decoder with a pinout that does not correspond to any part I can find. Kind of like a GAL but with inputs on top and outputs on bottom (as opposed to left and right in a standard GAL). I have no idea what the provenance of this board is and if it ever worked.

26. PLD programming

Looks like Atmel 16V8 is the last 5V PLD part left standing. Maybe not surprising that there still doesn't appear to be a fully open source tool chain for programming. How hard could it be? (!) Could next-pnr generic help? Might be easier to use espresso for logic array and program output logic bits directly for simple stuff.

27. EPROM Programming

Found some software for Needham programmer. Need to check electrolytic caps on ISA board.

28. POSIT

28.1. Use POSITs for YRX?

No. Existing library is fine.

29. MAME

29.1. Subset builds in debug mode

Full debug fails - not enough disk or memory.

29.2. gs6809 serial IO doesn't work right with PTY and other streams

29.3. ampro (Z80/Z80SIO) does work with PTY

29.4. Evaluating what is needed for other emulators.

30. More project ideas

30.1. Zuse Z3 simulation in Verilog

Good excuse for floating point ALU design. Try posit format?

30.2. GMPForth ports to simulators

30.2.1. SIMH for some targets (vax)

30.2.2. MAME looks interesting for microprocessor system emulations

How to support ersatz systems?

30.2.3. Ports to classic figFORTH targets

30.3. GMPASM assembler

May be useful for handbuilt and rare systems (DMX1000?).

30.4. Extracting ISO Superboard Forth ROMS for MAME emulation

30.5. 'bwocl' OpenCL tooling

30.5.1. Offline compilation

30.5.2. Standard Kernel Running

30.6. hardware support for classic 5V CPUs

30.6.1. RTX2000, CDP1802 still available!

30.6.2. 6502, 68000, 320C30, others on hand

30.6.3. CPUs with totally async bus may be supportable without RAM

30.6.4. Could use small footprint monitor in asm (gmpmon?)

30.7. Existing 'retro' hardware still working?

30.7.1. OSI Superboard

Unknown. Composite to VGA adapter didn't seem to work. Needs analysis. Found OSI model 610 board underneath!

30.7.2. Super Jolt

No output. Needs analysis.

30.7.3. Ampro Little Board

Not booting. Needs analysis.

30.7.4. Rockwell R65F11 Demo board

UART sending "NO ROM" at 2400 7N1 as expected with 2MHz xtal. MAME emulator possibilities?