owen@eedsp.eedsp.gatech.edu (Owen Adair) (12/30/89)
Anyone out there have a Casio BOSS? I'd like to start a discussion on
the merits or failures of the BOSS and Sharp's Wizard.
I have the SF-7500 and love it. Now if I can figure out the data stream.
-owen
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{...backbone address....!gatech!eedsp!wd4fsu!owen}
Owen Adair (404) 239-3690 mdapoz@hybrid.UUCP (Mark Dapoz) (12/31/89)
In article <703@eedsp.eedsp.gatech.edu> owen@eedsp.UUCP (Owen Adair) writes: >Anyone out there have a Casio BOSS? I'd like to start a discussion on >the merits or failures of the BOSS and Sharp's Wizard. Along the same lines, does anyone have the new SF-9000? I've heard this model accepts cards but other than that I know nothing about it. Are there any other differences between it and the SF-8000? -- Mark Dapoz (mdapoz@hybrid.UUCP) ...uunet!mnetor!hybrid!mdapoz I remind you that humans are only a tiny minority in this galaxy. -- Spock, "The Apple," stardate 3715.6.
rochlin@arktos.pa.dec.com (Max Rochlin) (01/05/90)
In short, the SF-9000 is a SF-7500 in the SF-8000 case with a slot for a card. This means you have the larger box with the flat keyboard, 64K of RAM, a serial port (stero mini= Data In, Data Out, Ground), and a card slot. They've recently shown up at Macy*s in the SF Bay area. I've had a SF-7500 since it's introduction over 6 months ago and am quite happy with it. |--------------------------------------------------------------------\ | degustibus non est disputandum | |--------------------------------------------------------------------| | rochlin@decwrl.dec.com {sun,uunet}saxony!madmax!max | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
pmercer@apple.com (Paul Mercer) (01/07/90)
I've been using a 7500 BOSS for 2 weeks. Here is my list of comments:
- the screen is very angle sensitive; I have to adjust the contrast all
the time
- case sensitive search is terrible
- no auto-insert mode for typing
- having to continually use the In/Out mode button is annoying
- easy to lose new entries/edits if I forget to press Set
- no cut & paste
- no undo
- the initial displays in the telephone, business card, memo and
schedule functions are not useful to me in a day to day basis. Who cares
about how many items I have marked?
- I don't bother with the business card file, I downloaded everything
into the telephone function
- the scheduler should support repeating events
- scrolling redraws the whole screen
- after power off, the machine doesnUt come back up in the exact state
- I really like the small size; unlike the Atari Portfolio I had for 3
months, I really do take the BOSS with me everywhere.
I briefly looked at a SF9000 before I bought the SF7500 and I think it had
a much more readable display; I will be checking up on that. Also, I
noticed the displays in the SF9000 are slightly different, leading me to
believe that the software might have been improved. If the case sensitive
search is done away with and the screen is better, I will probably trade
up to the SF9000. It is bigger and heavier and more expensive though.
I am expecting the Mac version of the software. Someone from Traveling
SW, the company who wrote the software told me it was "really great". I
am hoping it will replace my Phone Book and Calendar desk accessories.
The PC version certainly doesn't do that.
That's it for now.
Paul Mercer
Apple Computer, Inc.ric@netcom.UUCP (Richard Bretscheider) (01/08/90)
pmercer@apple.com (Paul Mercer) writes: >I've been using a 7500 BOSS for 2 weeks. Here is my list of comments: I've been using it for close to a year now...let's see if I can help with some of your complaints.... > - the screen is very angle sensitive; I have to adjust the contrast all > the time I always use it open flat, and usually have to tweak the contrast once per session. I don't find this too much trouble, certainly the same as any portable computer. > - case sensitive search is terrible Agreed. It's best to search for the uncapped portions of strings, such as "alph" if you're looking for Ralph. You can shift-search to find non-first- character strings. > - no auto-insert mode for typing Here's a trick, go to where you want to insert, press the insert key once, press the return key, now you can insert to your heart's content. Delete the extra return when done. > - having to continually use the In/Out mode button is annoying Yes, but it was worse on the Casio 4000. They need a hard switch for this feature. One thing to note is that you can pres it *while* you are making an entry. This will let you go into In mode in the middle of an entry which started in Out mode. > - easy to lose new entries/edits if I forget to press Set Yes, and I still do this. > - no cut & paste No cut, but I use the Memory 0 key as my paste buffer. Memorize the function keys and deleting will go faster. Then you just cut (Mem Shift 0), delete, and paste (Mem 0 again). > - no undo None on most PC's. Yes, I'm MacSpoiled too. > - the initial displays in the telephone, business card, memo and > schedule functions are not useful to me in a day to day basis. Who cares > about how many items I have marked? Yes, but its nice to have a neutral area to start out from. From the first screen of the memo area, I'm just an up-arrow away from the bottom of my list. > - I don't bother with the business card file, I downloaded everything > into the telephone function You should see my "Apple" listing in the business card file.:-) This area does help me when I'm just trying to find a "contact" within a certain company. I don't have to go on searching and repeat searching. > - the scheduler should support repeating events Yes! > - scrolling redraws the whole screen Yes, dammit! > - after power off, the machine doesnUt come back up in the exact state Yes, but who does? > - I really like the small size; unlike the Atari Portfolio I had for 3 > months, I really do take the BOSS with me everywhere. Me too. That's the real testimony. >I briefly looked at a SF9000 before I bought the SF7500 and I think it had >a much more readable display; I will be checking up on that. I checked them side-by-side and didn't notice any difference. The only difference I noticed was the addition of the "page down" keys. Big deal. > Also, I >noticed the displays in the SF9000 are slightly different, leading me to >believe that the software might have been improved. Beware of this perception. When these things are empty, they move a little faster. Fresh batteries also help. w >If the case sensitive >search is done away with and the screen is better, I will probably trade >up to the SF9000. It is bigger and heavier and more expensive though. I won't for a while. It's another $125 over what I already paid, and doesn't have any new features except for the card. Once the Mac/Boss link is here I will have a way to archive my old appointments and the 64k memory in the 7500 will be double what I need. Oh yeah, the first card is out for the 9000. Another 64k of memory for $125. Let's see, that means that to fully actualize the 9000 it will cost around $425. I wonder how long the batteries will last? >I am expecting the Mac version of the software. Someone from Traveling >SW, the company who wrote the software told me it was "really great". I >am hoping it will replace my Phone Book and Calendar desk accessories. >The PC version certainly doesn't do that. For as long as they've been working on it, I'll be really disappointed if it isn't bulletproof and insanely great. >That's it for now. >Paul Mercer >Apple Computer, Inc. Later.... -- Richard A. Bretschneider These are my words. My employer's Ric Bret words are often spoken in haste, and RAB rarely resemble my compassionate prose.
sivan@cbnewsl.ATT.COM (sivan.mahadevan) (01/09/90)
I recently bought an SF 8000 and love it. I've become so dependent on it that I'm worried that if I lose it, I'll be in trouble unless I back up my data. So I'm considering purchasing the PC link. A question: Some advertisements and some dealers claim that the software distributed with the PC link requires a PC/AT compatible with at least EGA. Is this true (and if so, why should software that enables downloading/uploading require an AT and EGA?). I would like to use the PC link on my XT compatible laptop (w/ CGA). Sivan Mahadevan AT&T Bell Labs sivan@attunix.att.com
schow@bcarh185.bnr.ca (Stanley T.H. Chow) (01/12/90)
In article <3535@cbnewsl.ATT.COM> sivan@cbnewsl.ATT.COM (Sivan Mahadevan) writes: > >Some advertisements and some dealers claim that the software distributed >with the PC link requires a PC/AT compatible with at least EGA. Is this >true (and if so, why should software that enables downloading/uploading >require an AT and EGA?). I would like to use the PC link on my >XT compatible laptop (w/ CGA). > I have been using an 8000 with PC-link for several months. It does *not* need anything fancy, XT with CGA is perfectly adequate. The manual for the SF-8000 describes a different link program. My guess is that CASIO wrote one that needs AT with EGA but sensibly decided Travelling Software is better at it. Newer manuals have delete mention of the program except for a referal to the appropiate manual. Stanley Chow BitNet: schow@BNR.CA BNR UUCP: ..!psuvax1!BNR.CA.bitnet!schow (613) 763-2831 ..!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-rsc!schow%bcarh185 Me? Represent other people? Don't make them laugh so hard.