|EÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍËÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍËÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» |Eº |5Diskussion|E º ^1 Blue Notes |E º |5Diskussion|E º |EÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÊÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÊÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ Dear Big Blue Disk: In reply to the letter from Derek Hughes of Edmonton, Alberta CANADA (see Blue Notes on BBD #54), I love Print Shop images! I have over 3400 now and hope to have 10,000 by year's end. I do not care for word games. So let Big Blue Disk publish what it wants to. They try to please ALL. So you put up with Print Shop images and I'll put up with word games. E. Winkler Augusta, Georgia USA ^1Dear Mr. Winkler: ^1Your letter hits the nail right on the head! We do try to please ^1ALL subscribers by providing a little something for everyone. ^1Some subscribers cannot fathom why anyone would be attracted to ^1Print Shop images. They might be surprised at the number of ^1subscribers who strongly support Print Shop. Remember, the great ^1thing about the personal computer is that it can perform so many ^1different tasks. The great thing about Big Blue Disk is that we try ^1to cater to all interests so that subscribers can get the maximum ^1use from their computers. ^1And let me remind the Print Shop fans that we are always on the ^1lookout for good graphic images. If you or your friends have ^1produced any nifty art work, think about submitting to Big Blue Disk ^1for publication. See the Print Shop images text file for details. ^1Editor |5ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ Dear Big Blue Disk: This is my first subscription to the Big Blue Disk. I had previously subscribed to Softdisk for my Franklin ACE 1000. I have to agree with Derek Hughes' letter in issue #54. What I like most of all is programming tips. I'm not sure that most readers aren't interested in this. Let me tell you the areas of programming that I'm most interested in: BASIC graphics Machine Language programming Pascal programming LOTUS programming I was thinking that there might be a way to accomplish this with little extra effort or disk space. I presume that most of your programs were originally written in PASCAL, C or ASSEMBLY. Just including the source code would be very instructive to those of us interested in such things even without any accompanying article. Obviously, the better the comments the more understandable. If you do this, I believe you'd get a lot of comments, questions and maybe even constructive criticism. You might find a base of support for programming or better yet you might help develop one. Sincerely, Bill McElvenney Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ^1Dear Mr. McElvenney: ^1Thank you for writing to express your interest in programming tips. ^1We will try to meet everyone's computer needs, but we're going to ^1have to take some time to think this one over. We need your input! ^1Of the 25,000 Big Blue Disk subscribers, only about 100 send in ^1report cards each month. We've had a negative response to ^1programming features in the past, but perhaps the times are ^1changing. Make your voice heard! Let us know if you would love ^1or loathe a section featuring programming tips. ^1Finally, your suggestion for including source code on the issue ^1won't work for two reasons: ^1 1. Disk space is a problem. For example, the source code for ^1 the Abstract Art program is over 300K. There is not enough ^1 room for the Big Blue Disk issue and source code for our ^1 customers who receive 360K disks. ^1 2. We sign non-disclosure agreements with our software ^1 submitters promising not to share their source code with ^1 anyone outside of Softdisk, Inc. We are legally bound by ^1 these agreements. ^1Stay tuned as we wrestle with this suggestion. ^1Editor |5ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ Dear Big Blue Disk: About two months ago, I purchased a used Tandy 1000hx, CGA monitor, and a DMP printer, all for only $500. Since the system was hardly used before, it's just like new. But now I am wondering if I've really made the right choice to fit my needs. One computer related subject that really interests me is video digitized graphics, but when I check for system requirements, it seems like my computer is left out in the cold. Since Tandy has made the expansion ports "unique" on the HX, this basically leaves me with only one option when I wish to expand--go to Radio Shack and Radio Shack only. I know that other companies support some expansion options for the HX, but I still haven't seen a video digitizer for the HX. Might you know of any, off hand? Other than these limitations, I am really quite happy with my system. But what should I do, give it up for a better system so I will be able to expand to fit my needs. Please offer any ideas, comments. I'm not trying to slam Tandy, for I am very happy with their standards of quality. I just feel caged into a "stone age" system. Sincerely, J. Overstreet St. Helens, Oregon ^1Dear Mr. Overstreet: ^1Remember this: If your computer does what you want it to do, ^1you have a good computer. ^1Although the computer you have is a bit old by today's standards, ^1it's a good computer. Trying to stay up with the latest computer ^1innovations will drive you to the poorhouse faster than giving your ^1teenager your credit cards before a visit to the local mall. ^1Of course, if you have the money, you can usually upgrade your ^1computer to do whatever you want. ^1Also remember this: If you have the money to spend on something, ^1there is usually someone, somewhere who will sell it to you. ^1I would suggest you go to your local bookstore/magazine stand and ^1get a copy of PCM (the Tandy users magazine). Thumb through it ^1until you find the ad for Computer Peripherals Direct, Inc. ^1(1-800-328-3387/Fax: 1-304-529-0249). The ad that I am looking at ^1lists several enhancements available for your HX. For example you ^1can get a VGA card and monitor for $469.00. A Hand scanner is ^1available for $209.00. Hard drives start at $299.00 for 21 megs and ^1a full page scanner is listed at $1,799.00. They also show a book, ^1"The Complete Guide to the Tandy", for $17.99. Add a few of those ^1babies to your HX along with the speed upgrade, listed at $39.00, ^1and you'll have a killer 1000HX. ^1There are a wealth of upgrade options available to you--and not ^1only from Radio Shack. You just have to know where to find them. ^1Editor |5ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ ^1P.S. ^1Some of our testers recently reported that they were receiving an ^1annoying "INVALID DISK CHANGE" message from DOS every time they ^1tried to swap the disks of a Big Blue Disk issue. (NOTE: This only ^1applies to people who receive the 360K format. With this format you ^1receive two 5-1/4" disks.) Through the grapevine, we learned that ^1the culprit was an early version of DOS 4.01 that our testers were ^1using. We also learned of a solution. ^1If you receive the two-disk format of BBD and are using DOS 4.01 and ^1are receiving these annoying messages, try adding these lines to ^1your CONFIG.SYS file: DRIVPARM /D:0/F:1 DRIVPRRM /D:1/F:7 ^1The D means drive number. The number following D: corresponds to ^1your drive letter, 0 = A: drive, 1 = B: drive, etc. ^1The F means form factor. The number following F: corresponds to ^1what kind of drive you have 0 = 360 K (5.25 inch disk) 1 = 1.2 M (5.25 inch disk) 2 = 720 K (3.5 inch disk) 7 = 1.44 M (3.5 inch disk) ^1Hope this helps any user who has experienced these problems. ^1Editor |5ÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜ