wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) (07/24/89)
> An acquaintance of mine just got a TRS-80 Model 4 on a "permanent loan" > basis. He intends to use it for his nascent (and struggling) business. > He has a word processor and some other stuff, but would probably benefit > with some (even simple) database and spreadsheet facilities. I dont > really want to encourage him to spend much money on any of these things > because of his financial situation, and because I think he may eventually > find that this machine is just not what he needs. > So, my questions are: > 1) Is there a shareware or freeware database and/or spreadsheet available? > If so, where? Yes, there are several database programs for the Model 4. Several of them are public domain/shareware type. > 2) I have a modem on my IBM PC clone and can reach ftp sites, and can read > news and stuff. Is there any way to talk my machine (or his) into > constructing compatable disks? (Im assuming that the disks are > normally incompatable, which may not even be the case.) Yes, there are programs that will allow the Model 4 to read and write IBM disks and even to convert IBM programs to be compatible with its operation. There is an IBM program or two that will read and write TRS80 formats. 3) He has no modem at this point. Is one available that might work for him (inexpensively) that might be moved to another machine should he decide to upgrade at some point? Any Hayes-compatible modem should work fine with both an IBM compatible and just as well with a Model III or 4. He needs to make sure his terminal program is set up for Hayes mode. I move a Tandy DCM-212 1200-bd modem back and forth between my Model 4 and my 286/20MHz IBM compatible. 4) How about real word processing? I mean stuff like newsletter quality. He probably will want to use either the latest version of SuperSRIPSIT for the Model 4 or LeScript (the latest version). LeScript is probably the best word processor available for the Model 4 and, more importantly, the company that wrote it is constantly putting out new versions, updates, and adding features. > Thanks... >jeff putnam -- I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. >jefu@pawl.rpi.edu -- I do not think they will sing to me. Sure -- Marcus wordproc@ucf-cs.ucf.edu /* End of text from ucf-cs.ucf.edu:comp.sys.tandy */
cs75jmc@unccvax.UUCP (John Covington WN4BBJ) (07/25/89)
In article <1206@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU>, wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) writes: } } > An acquaintance of mine just got a TRS-80 Model 4 on a "permanent loan" } > basis. He intends to use it for his nascent (and struggling) business. ..... } } 3) He has no modem at this point. Is one available that might work for } him (inexpensively) that might be moved to another machine should he } decide to upgrade at some point? ..... } } Any Hayes-compatible modem should work fine with both an IBM compatible and ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ } just as well with a Model III or 4. He needs to make sure his terminal } program is set up for Hayes mode. I move a Tandy DCM-212 1200-bd modem back } and forth between my Model 4 and my 286/20MHz IBM compatible. } } > Thanks... } >jeff putnam -- I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. } >jefu@pawl.rpi.edu -- I do not think they will sing to me. } } Sure } -- Marcus } wordproc@ucf-cs.ucf.edu } /* End of text from ucf-cs.ucf.edu:comp.sys.tandy */ He needs to make sure he gets an EXTERNAL Hayes-compatible modem. John Covington WN4BBJ E-mail: cs75jmc@unccvax.UUCP P.O. Box 217122 MCI Mail: JCOVINGTON 342-6957 Charlotte, NC 28221-7122 Packet Radio: WN4BBJ @ KK4L (704) 537-7653 "Give it back, Eric, it's not yours" (the ICOM)
gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com (George Madison) (07/26/89)
wordproc@ucf-cs.UCF.EDU (Gang of Three) writes: > > 4) How about real word processing? I mean stuff like newsletter quality. > >He probably will want to use either the latest version of SuperSRIPSIT for the To be blunt, SuperScripsit was released buggy, and still IS buggy. The people I know of who are still using it make sure to save their work VERY frequently, make backup copies of their files, etc. As far as I'm concerned, it's NOT worth the hassle. >Model 4 or LeScript (the latest version). LeScript is probably the best word >processor available for the Model 4 and, more importantly, the company that >wrote it is constantly putting out new versions, updates, and adding features. > It still hasn't really caught up to AllWrite, IMHO, and they seem to have been bitten by the WYSIWYG bug recently. They claim to have speeded it up as well, but I'll believe it when I see it -- the last version I saw (1.8) was SO much slower than AllWrite! I would never consider using it for anything serious -- and it tended to crash and lose text when I used its capability for creating a huge file by using the extended RAM banks for text storage. AllWrite! is much more stable, in my experience. You can get AllWrite! pre-bundled with Cornucopia Software's excellent "Electric Webster" spelling checker from Cornucopia for a mere $99.00; adding all the options (correcting feature, hyphenation, grammar and style) raises the price to $199.99. You can get in touch with Cornucopia at (415)-528-7000. |George Madison, a/k/a George The Bear Cub, a/k/a Furr ** BEAR POWER **| |gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com 8-{)> ames!elroy!gryphon!pnet02!gmadison| |GEnie: GEORGE.M Arctophiles & Barbophiles Unite! PLink: BEARDLOVER| Spock: "Lieutenant, put B-Deck on audio." Uhura: "If you say so, Mr. Spock sugah!"