Re: Hello - and where to begin?

Quoting Nick Maroudas <[email protected]>:

> Nick here: MPE (MicroProcessor Engineering, UK) is
> still in business - and has been as long as I can
> remember. [snip]
> their ... DOS Forth which I bought years ago (and have
now transferred happily to a 3GHz Pentium D) ...

ADDED TODAY 28 FEB: ... illustrates that my new 64bit
Pentium D on Intel 945 motherboard is compatible with
an old 16bit ANSI Forth, even though its hard disc has
no OS installed yet - only the bare Intel BIOS.  (I use
a modified WIN98 rescue floppy to set up a  4meg RAM
disc with DOS then install 16 bit Forth from the
original MPE CD).  On the other hand, when I try to set
up CFO1 from DOS, the PC hangs up or shows a barred
screen. (I use Howerd Oakford's CFDOS4 , either on
floppy or its John Comeau transfer to CD - both will
boot on my 32bit ASUS P2). 

I post these tedious details to show that even DOS gives
no guarantee of a good boot. "It has to find the video
memory, and there may be some floppies it doesn't like"
- Charles Moore, about booting native CF01.  Now I find
the same applies to booting from DOS.  No disrespect to
Howerd or Comeau - the devil is in the details: probably
hardware, the  mains supply here is filthy with
electrical pollution. 

Caritas,

NickM