John's Wiki

John Newcombe - Software developer and author of the Genetic Algorithm Framework for .Net, with an interest in the development of Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks. John also has an interest in 8 bit computers and is the developer and maintainer of the Telstar videotex system.

Just a place to store and share stuff. Enjoy!

Latest

• The Gemini 80-Bus Saga - Part 1
• The Gemini 80-Bus Saga - Part 2
• The Altair 8800 Experience
• Patching WordStar for use with a VT-100 Terminal
• Grant Serle's Z80 SBC using Tom Szolyga's SBC-Z80 Board

more articles...

The TELSTAR Videotex System

The TELSTAR Viewdata System is a modern application that provides a simple Viewdata platform in the style of Prestel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestel). For more details see The_TELSTAR_Videotex_System

Genetic Algorithm Framework for .Net

Please Note that the documentation and example code for the The Genetic Algorithm Framework for .Net (GAF) has been moved to a dedicated wiki at https://bitbucket.org/johnnewcombe/gaf/wiki/Home. For an introduction to the topic using the GAF see the associated https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/873559/Implementing-Genetic-Algorithms-in-Csharp article for details.

Cluster Computing

A Raspberry Pi based 'Bramble' Cluster for Docker Swarm

This Article describes all of the steps to create a 'Beowulf' compute cluster using Raspberry Pi 3s. In this example 7 Raspberry Pis are used to give 28 cores of ARM processing with Docker Swarm. In addition, it is shown how Portainer can be used in order to monitor and manage the swarm.

See A Raspberry Pi based 'Bramble' Cluster for Docker Swarm

A Raspberry Pi based Cluster for use with ipyparallel and MPI

This article describes how a cluster can be configured for Scientific parallel computing with the aid of tool such as Jupyter', ipyparallel and MPI.

See A Raspberry Pi based Cluster for use with ipyparallel and MPI

GeoUK and GeoUK.OSTN

This is a simple to use Geodetic Library for .Net that will allow simple transformation to and from British National Grid. GeoUK.OSTN http://www.nuget.org/packages/GeoUK.OSTN/ is an extension to GeoUK that provides OSTN02 transfiormations, see the NuGet project page (http://www.nuget.org/packages/GeoUK/) and the associated CodeProject article (https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/1007147/Converting-Latitude-and-Longitude-to-British-Natio) for details on how to use these packages.

Source code is available here https://bitbucket.org/johnnewcombe/geouk/src

GPS Library for .Net

The GPS Library is a single .Net 4.0 Assembly designed to provide a simple object based interface to both the Garmin and Magellan range of GPS devices. In addition the GPS Library will support NMEA devices.

The GPS Library was originally sold as the Waymex GPS Library for .Net. Waymex IT Ltd no longer exists and the rights to this software now lie with me, the original author.

Whilst the original code is available at (https://gpslibrary.codeplex.com/), please note that the code has been forked by Nerzhul and is available as a NuGet package at https://www.nuget.org/packages/GPS.Net/.

Articles

The list below shows popular articles but is not an exhaustive list.

• The Gemini 80-Bus Saga
• Patching WordStar for use with a VT-100 Terminal
• Grant Serle's Z80 SBC using Tom Szolyga's SBC-Z80 Board
• Creating CP/M Disk Images using MAME, Socat and Kermit
• Patching WordStar for the Acorn Z80 Second Processor
• Patching dBaseII for the Acorn Z80 Second Processor
• Transferring files to Acorn CP/M Disks
• A Raspberry Pi based 'Bramble' Cluster for Docker Swarm
• A Raspberry Pi based Cluster for use with ipyparallel and MPI
• Using the Videx Videoterm with Assembly Language
• Sending and Receiving Files with Kermit
• 6502 Cross Assembly for the Apple II using MacOS
• Apple IIe RAM Swap the Easy Way
• Installing MediaWiki on Arch Linux with Nginx and SQLite.
• Installing Mutt with iCloud on Arch Linux.
• Setting up Node-RED for use with Arduino and MacOS
• Converting Latitude and Longitude to British National Grid in .Net/Mono
• Taming the Twitter API in .Net/Mono
• Removing the Bounce from a Rotary Encoder in C++
• Resizing a VirtualBox Disk (vdi)
• Building an Arduino Based TELSTAR Modem
• Using a Genetic Algorithm To Solve the ‘Perfect Matching’ Problem
• Using a GA in Intelligent Software Defined Radio
• Using MAME to Emulate the Apple II+
• Installing Dropbox on Arch Linux
• Installing Arch Linux on a Raspberry Pi 3
• Installing Arch Linux on Wireless Only EFI Laptop
• Installing Arch Linux on a Precision 690
• Installing Arch Linux on Virtual Box
• Installing Virtual Box on Arch Linux
• Installing AUR Packages
• Installing Telnet on Arch Linux
• Printing with CUPS (Arch Linux)
• Installing Bluetooth (Arch Linux)
• Creating an Arch Linux (ARMv7) Docker Image