Garbage Collection Features
BBS Operation - Garbage Collection Routine
Fast Garbage Collect Routine
One of the specialized routines in the Color 64 ML is a "fast garbage collection" feature. Garbage collection is the term used to describe what the computer does when it cleans memory of garbage strings that BASIC is no longer using. In standard C64 BASIC the delay during garbage collection can be quite long, which decreases the performance of programs. The Color 64 fast routine decreases the amount of time that this collection takes.
Some of the Color 64 BASIC routines that specifically take advantage of this feature are the regenerate message index and the directory regenerate routines. You will notice that the screen goes blank sometimes while these routines are working. This is because a blank screen will allow the computer to work faster. Also, SYSOPs with Commodore 128 computers will have a bonus: the garbage collection routine will work at 2 megahertz.
Note that on a stock Color 64 system the fast routine is not always active. If you want to have the routine on all the time, allowing faster operation of the BBS system, then you should edit line 10241 of √bbs.init and change the part that says "M7=." to read "M7=1". You will notice the screen blanking more often, but this just shows that the fast routine is active.
For more information on this feature, see the descriptions of the !48 and !53 variables in ML Variables Section.
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