HIMEM here refers to a control mechanism for switching out the mapping of the C64 kernal (the ROM “OS”) to access more RAM.
The C64 is called that because it has 64k of memory and the 6502 is a 16 wide address bus so 64k of memory requires bank switching since there is no room for anything else. This was baked into the design of the system from day 1.
Anyway, I also really have a hard time understanding how an old DOS driver to overcome the limitations of PC architecture when it was pushed into service well past its sell by date is or should be relevant to anyone except hobbyist tinkerers with old hardware. Most people won’t be able to start a Model A Ford, either. I don’t think forgotten knowledge of DOS/PC shittiness is somehow such a great loss of domain knowledge.
> Ask a new hot shot programmer to do dip-switches and IRQs etc... if they are <40 years old... they may not know what youre even talking about
Meanwhile, for those that are interested it’s never been easier to get into low level development. I do not fucking miss the days of etching PCBs in my basement and always cursed the cost of small run manufacturing. The types of things the home hobbyist can work on/solve is far beyond the frankly waste of time futzing with IRQ and blech DMA on IBMs steaming POS. Home hobbyists have the tools for free to design their own multilayer PCBs or “just” integrate the myriad embedded hardware devices available to them. More young people are involved in robotics then ever, a far more interesting endeavor to me then moving jumpers around to make a crappy machine produce 8 bit audio cassette quality sound.
> PIN switch on a mobo for IRQ settings (PRE IPv4)
Yeah even I’m fucking totally lost on this one.