jaf@wucs1.wustl.edu (Andy Fingerhut) (10/05/90)
I posted the following message on September 27, 1990. Following it are the replies I received. I have not only found out what I need, but have also arranged to buy the equipment used from a fellow netter. Thanks go to: maji@vax1.acs.washington.edu Robin Amano robin@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu John Inzinna inzinna@hsi.hsi.com Andy Fingerhut | Look towards tomorrow, jaf@wucs1.wustl.edu | 'cause the past is gone Washington University, St. Louis MO | -- Randy Stonehill The original post: > Hello. > > I am trying to find out some information for some friends of mine who own > a plain old vanilla TI-99/4A. The only add-on that they have above the > basic unit is a speech synthesizer module. They also own a cassette recorder > which should work with the machine. No disk drive, no printer, no extra memory, > nothing fancy at all. > > They want their daughter to be able to use the machine for writing school > reports and printing them out, and also to make things like birthday cards, > signs, and newsletter type of things with graphics included. They want to do > this as cheaply as possible. From what I have been able to determine, this > is what they need/want: > > A dot-matrix printer capable of near letter quality print > Parallel interface module to plug into the TI (for the printer) > A program capable of some amount of word-processing and insertion > of graphics into documents (Possibly something like Newsroom, > for those familiar with that program, although hopefully > a program a little stronger in the word-processing area.) > Some method for storing papers/reports. They'd like to use the > cassette for this, but I want to ask those who have used this > method about how long this takes, and how much a disk drive > system would cost if they chose that instead. > Possible memory expansion, but only if the program they get requires > it. > > They'd like to do all of this as CHEAPLY as possible. I am asking for the > benefit of your experience and advice in this, as I'm not familiar with > what is available for the TI. If you were advising someone with these rather > limited requirements and budget, what would you tell them? I'd also like > to hear about what they could get by spending a little more than the bare > minimum, just so I can tell them some of the alternatives. > And the replies: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 27 Sep 90 20:24 PDT From: MAJI@MAVEN.U.WASHINGTON.EDU Hi, I also own almost same parts of ti99/4a as your friends did. I had the experience of using cassette to store program. One page of program takes about 1-2 minutes to record. I don't have any text formate program I know there is ti vendor in california who sale printer interface for $60. It is too expensive for me. So I would like to know you hear any option for cheap printer interface. The memory expansion card (32k) >from same dealer cost about $130. For this much of memory people can buy a better used computer with more memory! There are 16k memory inside ti99/4a. If the text formate program is a cartridge, you will have enough room for quite long text (>10page). Good luck! ------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Sep 90 09:34:04-1000 From: Robin Amano <robin@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> [ ... first part of original post deleted ... ] Most likely if they want a pretty good word processor they need a disk based system. I used to do PSR, for the TI99/4A, for TI about 7 years ago so things might have changed. But, there weren't any good cassette based word processors to speak of. Probably true for any system. Plus, if it's for his daughter, if the school has disk based systems, she probably wouldn't want to use a cassette system at home. [ ... more of original post deleted ... ] Again if things are the same for the TI, the computer won't search for the program or data on cassette you'll have to find it yourself, and this could be a pain. Slow too! Also if the program is any good it'll probably be pretty huge and on a cassette it would take forever to load in, and if your paper is long that too would take a while. To make it faster you could use memory to act as a drive, but you would need memory expansion. Again, if things haven't changed for any add on to the system you would need to buy the expansion box which used to cost alot all by itself. Also your program may need memory expansion anyway. Also the keyboard is smaller than a normal keyboard or typewriter. Actually I shouldn't say normal, maybe most keyboards would be a better way of saying it. For example if she used the TI all the time, then took a typing class it would be a little different for her. So, a possible list would be: Printer but true even if he bought a different system Expansion box Memory expansion Parallel port Disk drive or hard drive if they have any for the TI Word Processing program What he could do is without buying any extra hardware, try and find a word processing package on cassette and use it. He doesn't have to print, just get a feel for it and maybe test several packages, write some data, store it, retrieve it and see if he likes it. Could be he might not like it at all, and it would be a waste to buy all the accessories and not like it. Actually he could buy a printer and test it because he would need one anyway, but remember the paper will only look as good as the printer will allow it. Also, most printer will be able to interface between any computer so long as it has a standard parallel or serial interface so buy a good one. Your papers will look better and if you upgrade your system you can still use the printer. [ ... last part of post, mentioning that I'm looking for other alternatives, too ... ] If I was advising him, I would tell him check out the machine at Costco. I think the price was $1300, but here's the list: 286 AT clone 1M Ram Hard drive (I forget how large, I think 20M) 3 1/2 drive 5 1/4 drive VGA card VGA monitor parallel, serial ports I'm not sure if that's exactly right, but check it out or check other computer stores for clones. Most are cheap and work just as well if not faster than the original AT's. Also there's alot of software out there, and even the guy next door might have the one you're looking for. I'm not advocating software piracy, but if someone you know has it you could borrow it for a while or you could try it out without buying it and see if you like it. But, most of all it'll grow with his daughter alot longer than the TI will. I doubt if msdos will go out the window soon, so many people use it, even here at UH. The TI well, I know they have good early education software, but you won't see it in college, and rarely in high school. Whether or not they still use it, I did sell a few to some elementary schools for the educational software, and Logo. But, for writing papers, keeping databases, etc. I don't think it would do a good job, plus if you thought IBM XT's drives are slow, the TI was worst. But, that's just my opinion. >Thanks for your help in this matter. You're welcome, anytime drop me a line. Check out all the options!! -- ------------------------------------------------------- Robin Amano | Internet: robin@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu UHCC | robin@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu 2565 The Mall | Honolulu, HI 96822 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 28 Sep 90 16:10:27 EDT From: inzinna@hsi.com (John Inzinna) Wow... people looking to ACQUIRE stuff for a TI system... =] How cheap is cheap? I have a fairly complete TI system which isn't doing much besides collecting dust. It includes the expansion box, memory expansion, RS232 card, disk drive and controller, modem, and speech synthesisor. Lots of software, including TI Writer. And a thermal printer. I'm not sure that they would want to stick with the printer as it is a bit on the archaic side, but it does work. And to be honest, I don't remember any features of TI Writer to include graphics... but maybe someone else could donate software to that end. I'd like $200 (negotiable, if there is interest) for the system. I'm not sure how much the family you described is willing to spend, or even that this is the kind of thing they had in mind, but it will solve the problem of being able to write papers... -- John Inzinna inzinna@hsi.hsi.com There's a million ways to see the things in life, a million ways to be the fool. In the end of it, none of us is right. Sometimes we need to be alone.