Date   : Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:17:14 -0000
From   : mark@... (Mark Usher)
Subject: Beeb Networking - Was: No wonder CompSci graduates

> > Now that's an interesting concept!
> Thanks.  :)

I've had something like that in the back of my mind for a while. A few
things occur to me though...
1) With Econet enabled there is a lot of software that will no longer run
2) Econet is not one of the most robust or secure networks (security in the
sense that it is easy to hack and delete files)
3) The linux resembling package idea is a great concept. Doesn't MAME have
something like this already? That would be a far better way to do the
download/install of games / roms / software as packages. Fairly simple to
do. Just bundle them up in XML. Even with the load addresses etc.

<TITLE>ELITE<TITLE>
<DISC FORMAT>DFS<DISC FORMAT>
<OPTION>EXEC</OPTION>
<COMPATABILITY>F L A G S</COMPATABILITY>
<FILE>
   !BOOT<LOAD><EXEC></FILENAME>
</FILE>
<FILE>
   LOADER<LOAD><EXEC></FILENAME>
</FILE>

etc etc description, screen shot, comments, instructions, manuals etc

This could work at the file level, disc level, package level. Either read
into the emulator by a .dll library interfacing to the standard DFS or other
such magic. Easier to distribute from an internet server.

-M