Chap creates Slack client for Commodore 64

[Robert]

A Kiwi chap named Jeff Harris has created a Slack client for the Commodore 64.

Harris has no explanation for why he thinks the world needs a Slack client for the Commodore 64, but built one anyway. As he writes, he just felt like it was a good idea to write one. So he did.

To do so, he wrote a NodeJS app for the Raspberry Pi. That app talks to Slack's real-time messaging API, the basis for all Slack clients. The Commodore 64 makes a remote procedure call to the Pi, over what Harris calls an “artisanal, locally sourced, homemade cable” with a Commodore C64 Userport plug on one and and USB on the other. On the Commodore end, the code's all 6502 assembly language.

Once everything's running and plugged in – hey, presto! - grandad's on Slack, albeit in a limited way because the 64-to-Pi connection tops out at just 1200 baud

 

[redrumloa]

I read this and while interesting, the way to go about it is odd. If using a rpi to begin with, why not install a CLI based Slack client like yifton and be done with it? Instead of a weird homebrew user port to USB, just do a standard serial null modem connection (currently up to 56.7K). Instead of a self written program, just use a terminal program and log into via getty. It seems this guy wrote this just to be different. He wanted a kind of sort of stand alone program, but still relied on a Linux box so it isn't really stand alone.

Now what would be more impressive is a true stand alone. There are ethernet solutions for the C64 and basic native stacks available. Would be cool to see a true stand alone client.