It's very much where I want(ed) to go with Feersum Beasts. I've been working my way up the tech tree as I learn about the hardware and practicalities of building physical products.
Unfortunately, the current economic situation has massively overtaken my steady progress.
Unfortunately, the current economic situation has massively overtaken my steady progress.
October 26, 2026 at 9:33 AM
It's very much where I want(ed) to go with Feersum Beasts. I've been working my way up the tech tree as I learn about the hardware and practicalities of building physical products.
Unfortunately, the current economic situation has massively overtaken my steady progress.
Unfortunately, the current economic situation has massively overtaken my steady progress.
The Internet of the future may end up like the Cryptosphere in Iain M. Banks' "Feersum Endjinn", running hundreds of times slower than its nominal speed because of the overhead of various non-human entities and the resources dedicated to keeping them in check. Or we could fix software engineering?
Cloud Rats and Software Roaches (Idle Words)
Cloud Rats and Software Roaches
idlewords.com
October 22, 2026 at 4:25 PM
The Internet of the future may end up like the Cryptosphere in Iain M. Banks' "Feersum Endjinn", running hundreds of times slower than its nominal speed because of the overhead of various non-human entities and the resources dedicated to keeping them in check. Or we could fix software engineering?
I built an audio line out interface for my* Feersum NanoBeast out of scrap, and tested it with some classic one-bit beeping ("PhaseF" by utz of Irrlicht Project).
[* @lockfarm.bsky.social 's]
blog.ant.org/line-out-for...
#retrocomputing #z80
[* @lockfarm.bsky.social 's]
blog.ant.org/line-out-for...
#retrocomputing #z80
Line out for NanoBeast
Recently I was doing some one-bit beeping on my borrowed NanoBeast and comparing it to my MicroBeast. An unfair comparison because the MicroBeast has been modified to provide a line output, which is c...
blog.ant.org
October 20, 2026 at 2:53 PM
I built an audio line out interface for my* Feersum NanoBeast out of scrap, and tested it with some classic one-bit beeping ("PhaseF" by utz of Irrlicht Project).
[* @lockfarm.bsky.social 's]
blog.ant.org/line-out-for...
#retrocomputing #z80
[* @lockfarm.bsky.social 's]
blog.ant.org/line-out-for...
#retrocomputing #z80
if we are talking IMB, I think Feersum Endjinn can be included too
October 16, 2026 at 4:11 PM
if we are talking IMB, I think Feersum Endjinn can be included too
Quazar has a slot expansion for the Microbeast to add further hardware, and has had some nice work with his Rc2014 sound cards
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKDK...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKDK...
Feersum MicroBeast with Quazar hardware (2 x Soundchip Interfaces, plus MicroBeast Expansion Card)
YouTube video by QuazarSamCoupe
www.youtube.com
October 14, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Quazar has a slot expansion for the Microbeast to add further hardware, and has had some nice work with his Rc2014 sound cards
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKDK...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKDK...
If you're wondering what this wonderful machine is, it's one of a handful of creations by the fabulous @lockfarm.bsky.social.
More details here.
More details here.
October 13, 2026 at 6:14 AM
If you're wondering what this wonderful machine is, it's one of a handful of creations by the fabulous @lockfarm.bsky.social.
More details here.
More details here.
The Nerf Guns of Navarone
Melted Ice Station Zebra
Not Far From the Madding Crowd
The Squashed Wasp Factory
Pronouncing Feersum Endjinn
(I had too long in the car earlier...)
Melted Ice Station Zebra
Not Far From the Madding Crowd
The Squashed Wasp Factory
Pronouncing Feersum Endjinn
(I had too long in the car earlier...)
October 13, 2026 at 4:58 PM
The Nerf Guns of Navarone
Melted Ice Station Zebra
Not Far From the Madding Crowd
The Squashed Wasp Factory
Pronouncing Feersum Endjinn
(I had too long in the car earlier...)
Melted Ice Station Zebra
Not Far From the Madding Crowd
The Squashed Wasp Factory
Pronouncing Feersum Endjinn
(I had too long in the car earlier...)
Cool and feersum Newbrain-like display!
Next time, think of telling the Bluesky pals. I would have bought a round. 🍻
Next time, think of telling the Bluesky pals. I would have bought a round. 🍻
October 12, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Cool and feersum Newbrain-like display!
Next time, think of telling the Bluesky pals. I would have bought a round. 🍻
Next time, think of telling the Bluesky pals. I would have bought a round. 🍻
Some more eBay offers...
➡️ £10 off Trinity Interface bundle for #SAMCoupe
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11746024...
➡️ £5 off SAA1099 Soundchip Interface for #RC2014 / #RCbus / compatibles
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11744144...
➡️ £2 off 3 Slot Expansion Card for #MicroBeast
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11741115...
➡️ £10 off Trinity Interface bundle for #SAMCoupe
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11746024...
➡️ £5 off SAA1099 Soundchip Interface for #RC2014 / #RCbus / compatibles
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11744144...
➡️ £2 off 3 Slot Expansion Card for #MicroBeast
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11741115...
October 11, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Some more eBay offers...
➡️ £10 off Trinity Interface bundle for #SAMCoupe
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11746024...
➡️ £5 off SAA1099 Soundchip Interface for #RC2014 / #RCbus / compatibles
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11744144...
➡️ £2 off 3 Slot Expansion Card for #MicroBeast
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11741115...
➡️ £10 off Trinity Interface bundle for #SAMCoupe
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11746024...
➡️ £5 off SAA1099 Soundchip Interface for #RC2014 / #RCbus / compatibles
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11744144...
➡️ £2 off 3 Slot Expansion Card for #MicroBeast
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/11741115...
MicroBeast and @samcoupe.com 's excellent SAA1099P interface - sounds fantastic!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OGq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OGq...
Music by Commander Supreme, playing via my SAA1099P interface for RC2014 on a Feersum MicroBeast.
YouTube video by QuazarSamCoupe
www.youtube.com
September 29, 2026 at 8:06 PM
MicroBeast and @samcoupe.com 's excellent SAA1099P interface - sounds fantastic!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OGq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OGq...
The first thing that comes to mind is (christ, autocorrect is about to have a Bad Time) Feersum Endjinn, but it's been a long time - I can't remember if the actual language was different or if it was just the phonetic spelling
September 28, 2026 at 11:23 AM
The first thing that comes to mind is (christ, autocorrect is about to have a Bad Time) Feersum Endjinn, but it's been a long time - I can't remember if the actual language was different or if it was just the phonetic spelling
On the other hand, Player of Games is good, but not as good as Consider Phlebas, Use Of Weapons, Excession, or even Feersum Endjin.
September 19, 2026 at 11:45 PM
On the other hand, Player of Games is good, but not as good as Consider Phlebas, Use Of Weapons, Excession, or even Feersum Endjin.
Iain M Banks called a port city Oubliette in his book Feersum Endjinn. I hadn't realised until just now that Bodrum, Türkiye, is a real life case of such a toponym: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bodrum
September 19, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Iain M Banks called a port city Oubliette in his book Feersum Endjinn. I hadn't realised until just now that Bodrum, Türkiye, is a real life case of such a toponym: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bodrum
More info on them on my dedicated website for my peripherals for the #RC2014 / RCbus / Compatibles (including the Feersum #MicroBeast, or even the #ZXSpectrum via my ZX-RC Bus Adapter)
2014.samcoupe.com
(currently 10% off just about everything, I'll keep that active for another week!)
2014.samcoupe.com
(currently 10% off just about everything, I'll keep that active for another week!)
September 17, 2026 at 7:25 PM
More info on them on my dedicated website for my peripherals for the #RC2014 / RCbus / Compatibles (including the Feersum #MicroBeast, or even the #ZXSpectrum via my ZX-RC Bus Adapter)
2014.samcoupe.com
(currently 10% off just about everything, I'll keep that active for another week!)
2014.samcoupe.com
(currently 10% off just about everything, I'll keep that active for another week!)
TWENTY Years Ago Today: Mercury goes GRAAAAARGH and practices all-important bitieness skills GRAAAGH am feersum
September 15, 2026 at 4:13 AM
TWENTY Years Ago Today: Mercury goes GRAAAAARGH and practices all-important bitieness skills GRAAAGH am feersum
I was going to say "Tough intro" to his books, then remembered I started with Feersum Endjinn, which is tough in a very different way 😂
September 14, 2026 at 4:37 PM
I was going to say "Tough intro" to his books, then remembered I started with Feersum Endjinn, which is tough in a very different way 😂
check out feersum endjinn, it rules
September 6, 2026 at 7:54 AM
check out feersum endjinn, it rules
Trying to get Cowgol running on the Feersum MicroBeast: blog.ant.org/adventures-w...
#feersum #microbeast #z80 #retrocomputing #cowgol
#feersum #microbeast #z80 #retrocomputing #cowgol
Adventures with Cowgol
I've written two languages so far for the MicroBeast: AntForth, which I use heavily every day for experimentation, and another Lua-like language which is part of a super-secret future project that is ...
blog.ant.org
September 4, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Trying to get Cowgol running on the Feersum MicroBeast: blog.ant.org/adventures-w...
#feersum #microbeast #z80 #retrocomputing #cowgol
#feersum #microbeast #z80 #retrocomputing #cowgol
Made a quick Snake game in AntForth to test out my new joystick interface: vimeo.com/1222194736?s...
Repo: github.com/blowback/for...
#retrocomputing #feersum #microbeast #forth
Repo: github.com/blowback/for...
#retrocomputing #feersum #microbeast #forth
Forth Snake
This is "Forth Snake" by Ant Skelton on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
vimeo.com
August 28, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Made a quick Snake game in AntForth to test out my new joystick interface: vimeo.com/1222194736?s...
Repo: github.com/blowback/for...
#retrocomputing #feersum #microbeast #forth
Repo: github.com/blowback/for...
#retrocomputing #feersum #microbeast #forth
I just read Feersum Endjinn by Ian Banks & it was very good. I think it provides another good discussion of AI systems.
August 28, 2026 at 6:57 PM
I just read Feersum Endjinn by Ian Banks & it was very good. I think it provides another good discussion of AI systems.
This is an interesting book as some of the dialogue is written phonetically. Hard to read, as you have to sound out the words to understand...
Ping.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feersum...
Ping.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feersum...
Feersum Endjinn - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
August 27, 2026 at 12:56 AM
This is an interesting book as some of the dialogue is written phonetically. Hard to read, as you have to sound out the words to understand...
Ping.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feersum...
Ping.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feersum...
I like audiobooks, because it's a great way to take in a novel. The voice artists often add another dimension, without diluting the story, like movies do.
But "Feersum Endjinn" should be read... not listened to, not seen.
But "Feersum Endjinn" should be read... not listened to, not seen.
August 27, 2026 at 1:08 AM
I like audiobooks, because it's a great way to take in a novel. The voice artists often add another dimension, without diluting the story, like movies do.
But "Feersum Endjinn" should be read... not listened to, not seen.
But "Feersum Endjinn" should be read... not listened to, not seen.
I made a Kempston-compatible joystick interface for my Feersum MicroBeast: blog.ant.org/beast-user/b...
Build your own joystick interface
In this series of posts you'll learn to build a set of joystick interfaces for the MicroBeast/NanoBeast, each more capable than the last.
blog.ant.org
August 25, 2026 at 8:35 AM
I made a Kempston-compatible joystick interface for my Feersum MicroBeast: blog.ant.org/beast-user/b...