WAGREICH@G.BBN.COM (10/08/86)
I would be grateful for any feedback you have on the Tandy 100sx and/or Leading Edge Model D. Which would you recomend for a non-computer professional interested in good WP capability (and may want to extend the computer to other functions later on)? The price is the same for a Leading Edge Model D (2 disk drives, 512K memory, amber screen, IBM compatibility) and Tandy 100sx (2 disk drives, 256K memory, IBM compatibility, monitor and keyboard). There is a sale on the Tandy 1000sx this week ($300 off) but it is not possible to see the computer to try it out (all have been sold, even the display models). I've been told that Radio Shack ofers 24-hour support service free for the first 30 days, has a 30-day grace period, and offers more software for the Tandy 1000sx than Leading Edge does. How IBM compatible is the Tandy 1000sx? Can you run MIcrosoft Word on the Tandy 1000sx? How reliable is Leading Edge? Thanks for any feedback you can give me.
root@ozdaltx.UUCP (root) (10/12/86)
In article <4420@brl-smoke.ARPA>, WAGREICH@G.BBN.COM writes: > >...... There is a sale on the Tandy 1000sx this week ($300 > off) but it is not possible to see the computer to try it out > (all have been sold, even the display models). > Would you buy a car unseen or undriven. Tandy makes good (most of the time) products, but like most manufactorers, they rush to get products on the market.... often to the customers disadvantage. Get the computer center manager to write you a letter that when he gets more stock in you will be offered the 1000 at the sale price. If he won't do it, contact the district manager - these guys get paid based on store sales too. He probably will work with you. Tandy, like most other large, public corporations, is VERY _IMAGE_ concious and will do almost anything to keep or get a customer.... especially at the upper level (management). Oh, by the way, don't expect your salesman to emulate the one in the recent rash of TV commercials... (3-piece suit... knowledgeable...professional). All the knowledgeable, 3-piece suiters are kept in Ft Worth at National Sales. :-). > I've been told that Radio Shack ofers 24-hour support service > free for the first 30 days, has a 30-day grace period, and offers Free support - and I though Santa Claus was dead! ;-) Unless they have changed drastically in the past year, You are lucky to be able to get your local support between 9 - 5, Mon - Fri. Tandy DOES have a support group in Ft Worth, but it's your nickle when you call... once you get through, be prepaired to wait (on hold). However, they are fairly good about calling you back - usually. Of course, you can always use E-Mail though trsvax or rscus1. rscus1 is the main customer support for all of the ATSO groups and polls each ATSO site daily... public info... it's in the map. The local support group (ATSO) charges $20 a month for phone support and $40/hour for on-site hand-holding, (2 hour mininum). And if you REALLY NEED it, they will even write custom programs and data bases for you... (as long as the head honchos in "The Towers" don't know about it ;-) Don't want the company being liable for screw-ups, don't cha know...). If you purchase "official" Tandy software generally you will get better help when needed than say 'Word' or another non-Tandy program. Remember, Tandy is going to make more off of the sale of in-house software than the stuff they have to buy from someone else. So, they push training on their products at the ATSO level. The unfortunate part though is the level of compentence on the part of the ATSO group. In the DFW area, there are probably a hand-full of 'gurus' (or at least they CAN load the programs on the 'puter ;-)), I can't say about the rest of the country..... But afterall what can you expect from some poor schlock who is only making 19 - 21K a year? The latest info was that the ATSO group STILL does not have an official training program for their customer support people... Generally, after a week or so in the office, the poor support person is told he will be teaching DBase III the next day, given the manual and told to study it tonight... scary - huh? I known cases of customers getting their money back as much as a year after the purchase. If you scream long and loud enough, someone will listen.... > more software for the Tandy 1000sx than Leading Edge does. How > IBM compatible is the Tandy 1000sx? Can you run MIcrosoft Word > on the Tandy 1000sx? How reliable is Leading Edge? A clone is a clone is a clone...... The 1000 is about as compatable as any of the others on the market and if the software will run on another machine that has the same processer, chances are it will run on the 1000 too. One word of advice (caution) though. If you have or purchase a non-Tandy printer don't expect it to work properly, especially with word processer programs. Tandy only supplies drivers to run their printers and devices.... and getting a driver could almost take an act of congress. Sorry... I can't help on Leading Edge, don't know anyone who has one.
kling@uci-icse.arpa (Rob Kling) (10/16/86)
In response to an inquiry about Leading Edge Model D PC's: I have bought 8 Leadning Edge model D's in the last year - 2 floppys & 6 w/20MB hard disks. The LE's are VERY IBM compatible. I have run alot of software on them & they work just fine -- Multimate, PC-Write, Microsft Word, Epsilon, WordPerfect Lotus 1-2-3, Enable, Reflex, Notebook, dayflo, PC-Outline , MaxThink Note-It, Microspell, Turbo-Lightening, Disk Optimizer, Fastback, Kermit & Vterm .... Project-6 and Timeline (project schedulers) . Sidekick, Homebase, Smartkey I have also run alot of little utilities. I have found some rare incompatibilities. Lightening & PC-Outline won't work together although they seem to on an IBM-PC. However, the Leading Edge opens up the world of IBM software & expansion boards if you need them. --------------------------------- I have some problems with my hard drive contriollers. They were originally from OMTI & had nothing to do w/Leading Edge. They came form the store which sold me the Model D's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hope these comments help. Rob Kling UNiversity of California, Irvine