dave@compnect.UUCP (Dave Ratcliffe) (01/13/90)
I have not seen a charter for this groups or a welcome message so I
don't know if I'm stepping on any toes or not. If I am, please flame
gently as my carcinogenic asbestos suit is in the shop for a thermal
seal repair :-)
I am wondering if there are any Geneve 9640 owners/users out there who
are reading this group and if so, what are your feelings regarding Myarc
and the lack of a usable MDOS that supports both Advanced Basic AND the
HFDC? Please respond to the net rather than email. I'd kinda like to see
this groups take on some life before it's consigned to bit heaven.
For the unitiated, the Geneve is a TI-99/4A compatible computer
manufactured by Myarc Inc of New Jersey. It is essentially a computer on
a card that plugs into the existing TI Peripheral Expansion box,
supports EGA (analog) display and utilizes an enhanced PC-type keyboard.
While its MDOS (Myarc DOS) environment is very reminscent of MS-DOS,
it's command structure is significantly different in several areas. It's
TI compatibility results from a GPL emulator that is loaded into RAM to
simulate the normal TI-99/4A environment.
OK, Now I'll step back and wait for whatever, if any, responses materialize.
*>> Dave <<*
[------: Dave Ratcliffe :---------: UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!ka3adu!compnect!dave :-]
: My .sig can beat up your .sig : 2832 Croyden Rd. Harrisburg, Pa. 17104 :
: .;=-=;.;=-=;.;=-=;.;=-=;.;=-=;. : Data: (717)657-4997 - (717)657-4992 :
[.................................:...........................................]
No two identical parts are alike and if they are, they are faultyka2czu@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (robert.switzer) (01/15/90)
From article <409@compnect.UUCP>, by dave@compnect.UUCP (Dave Ratcliffe): > I am wondering if there are any Geneve 9640 owners/users out there who > are reading this group and if so, what are your feelings regarding Myarc > and the lack of a usable MDOS that supports both Advanced Basic AND the > HFDC? Please respond to the net rather than email. I'd kinda like to see > this groups take on some life before it's consigned to bit heaven. > My first disclaimer is that I am not a Geneve owner/user. But I am a TI 99/4a owner/user. I have not purchased a Geneve because (1) I'm cheap, (2) I'm house poor anyway (that translates to having slightly better things to do with $500, (3) I don't have any significant TI applications that need to run faster, and last but not least (4) I am not really impressed with the apparent price/feature benefit as compared with an apparently similar feature machine compatible with that "three-letter" company we're all familiar with. My bottom line is that if the Geneve was in the $200-$300 price range, I'd have gone for it, until then I'll just stick with my 4A. When I get $500, I'll probably get an XT clone. Now, if you think I'm all wet, then convince me. I'm willing to listen. Later, -- Robert Switzer (201)949-0057 AT&T, Crawford Corner Rd. Rm. HO2K318, Holmdel, NJ 07733
dave@compnect.UUCP (Dave Ratcliffe) (01/18/90)
In <7360@cbnewsh.ATT.COM>, ka2czu@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (robert.switzer) writes: > My first disclaimer is that I am not a Geneve owner/user. But I am a TI > 99/4a owner/user. Nothing wrong with that at all. I also have a TI 99.... make that 4 TI 99's. 3 black and silver and one beige. 1 black and silver enhanced with a Rave keyboard kit and attached to a fully expanded P-box. > I have not purchased a Geneve because (1) I'm cheap, (2) I'm house > poor anyway (that translates to having slightly better things to do with > $500 I paid $425 for mine but I have a friend who owns a computer store so I got distributer price. Some days, you get lucky.. > (3) I don't have any significant TI applications that need to run faster, > and last but not least (4) I am not really impressed with the apparent > price/feature benefit as compared with an apparently similar feature machine > compatible with that "three-letter" company we're all familiar with. I guess this all boils down to a determination of the old standard of 'what do I want my computer to do'. My applications are more of a 'hacking' nature; ie. playing with the thing and finding new things it can do. Since Lou and Myarc aren't really doing a lot to support the 9640, it's like exploring the TI after Black Friday and discovering things 'They' didn't tell us about. My interest is DEFINATELY not in applications, although if some come along, I'll consider them. Games? No way. I have an Atari upstairs for that :-) > My bottom line is that if the Geneve was in the $200-$300 price range, > I'd have gone for it.... When I get $500, I'll probably get an XT clone. OOPS..... I'm probably cash foolish by that opinion. I bought the HFDC as well (bought it first, the Geneve second). I still consider the HFDC a good purchase since it's equally usable with the TI and if the Geneve ever craps out, I'll just move the card over to the other Pbox. > Now, if you think I'm all wet, then convince me. Not all wet by any means, just of a different point of view. Since I also have a PC from that aforementiond 3 letter company behind me as well as a couple of CP/M-MP/M multi-user systems around here, the Geneve wasn't a 'this-one-or-that-one' choice. Maybe, now that I think of it, it was more of a curiosity thing?? It IS an interesting machine, considering what you get on that little card..... Anyone else have an opinion?? *>> Dave <<* [------: Dave Ratcliffe :---------: UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!ka3adu!compnect!dave :-] : My .sig can beat up your .sig : 2832 Croyden Rd. Harrisburg, Pa. 17104 : : .;=-=;.;=-=;.;=-=;.;=-=;.;=-=;. : Data: (717)657-4997 - (717)657-4992 : [.................................:...........................................] Don't look now but your CPU is smoking
wsflinn@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Scott Flinn) (01/19/90)
In article <412@compnect.UUCP> dave@compnect.UUCP (Dave Ratcliffe) writes: > The Geneve wasn't a 'this-one-or-that-one' choice. Maybe, now that I think > of it, it was more of a curiosity thing?? It IS an interesting machine, > considering what you get on that little card..... > > Anyone else have an opinion?? I agree completely. I got my Geneve during the summer of 1987, before the boot eprom displayed the swan on power up. You might say I was overly eager! Unfortunately, I _did_ have to make a "this-one-or-that-one" choice, since I couldn't afford the luxury of two machines. Later that year, I really needed to do some serious work and was counting on Pecan's P-system Pascal arriving. At one point that Fall, I was on the phone with Myarc's head office in Basking Ridge with Lou's personal secretary preparing to download the Pascal system over the phone. At that point I figured that, if it was that close to being distributed, I could wait a week for it to be shipped. Of course, two years later it has yet to be released. So I sold my precious Geneve to a nearby friend and bought an Atari 1040ST on which Real(TM) work can be done. I don't regret the decision, but I do wish I could have kept the Geneve. I have since sold my 99/4A and expansion box (everything in fact), so getting another Geneve up and running would be costly. But I do hope to get one some day soon. As Dave says, the hardware on that little card is truly amazing, even by today's standards. I could have a lot of fun finding out just what it can do. Unfortunately for the future of the Geneve, I think this is typical. For hacker types who like to program chips directly, disassemble rom and just generally play with bits, the 9640 is a marvellous toy. But few of us seem to fit that category, which for the sake of computing in general is a very good state of affairs I suppose. Any more fond memories out there? Cheers, Scott