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2006-10-19
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214 lines
.IF DSK3.C3
.CE 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^W-AGE/99 * NEW-AGE/
^99 *NEW-AGE/99* N
^EW-AGE/99 * NEW-AGE
^/99 *NEW-AGE/99*
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^*by JACK SUGHRUE, Box
459, East Douglas, MA 01516*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^#4
Many of my computer
correspondents have a basic 4A system
upgraded to include a tape recorder
and that's where they want to (or
have to) stay. Though I could hardly
imagine life without multi-drives,
RAMdisk, ugraded controllers, and all
the rest, computer life in the slower
lanes is not all that bad. After
all, Harry Wilhelms (E-Z KEYS) and
Eric LaFortune (ROCK RUNNER) produced
two of the most powerful items in TI
software using just the tape
recorder. In the process they both
discovered unknown (and thus
untapped) potentials of our great
machine. Most tape sources have
dried up: IUG, Amnion Helpline,
Tigercub. User groups, Triton,
Asgard, Texcomp, and Kidware are
about the only regular tape sources
left. Some user groups (like Lima
and MUNCH) still have extensive tape
libraries for members. TI fairs
everywhere still have piles of tapes
available. At last year's New
England Fayuh, for example, I
purchased a dozen new (still in
packages) tapes:
BEGINNER'S BASIC TUTOR (from TI),
far better to use with a novice or
kids than TI's TEACH YOURSELF BASIC
(which is too mathematical for most
casual users).
BEST COMPUTER COACH: TEXAS
INSTRUMENTS (from Boston Electronic
Systems Training) extremely clever.
It comes with two cassettes - one
with programs and data and the other
an audio tape to listen to and easily
follow along while computing.
LEMONADE (from Kidware), though
less graphic than Apple's version, is
many times better. I use both in my
classroom. Kids prefer Kidware with
more options and more intelligent
control. All Kidware tapes have Side
Two. LEMONADE contains a super
code-breaker game. Kidware stuff is
always good TI stuff.
THE WIZARD'S DOMINION (from
American Software Design and
Distribution Co.) fantasy adventure
with a superb manual (unusual for
adventures) making it a joy to play.
COSMIC CAVER (from CompuTech
Distributing Inc.) timed space arcade
game with twists, including a
possibly-bottomless pit.
COSMOPOLY (from Not-Polyoptics)
has got to be the most bizarre form
of Monopoly ever devised. The
setting is the Universe of the future
and the options in this fast-paced,
ingenious game are wonderful.
HANG-GLIDER PILOT (from Maple
Leaf Micro Ware) up to four players
test "gliding/landing" skills.
STARSHIP CONCORD (from Futura)
another spaceship game with a good
manual and so-so graphics.
MISSILE WARS (from Asgard) by
John Behnke is one of the best of
this genre on tape.
AZTEC CHALLENGE (from Cosmi)
well-done, multi-level ancient
obstacle course game tha's fun and
quick.
CAVERN QUEST (from Moonbeam) about
as "acadey" as you'll get on tape and
one of the best multi-level graphic
obstacle games.
My final tape purchase that day,
ROMEO (from Extended), was lost or
stolen after I gave a demo of it a
few years ago. I'm not very good
about making backups of my originals,
unfortunately. By the time ROMEO
disappeared, it couldn't be purchased
anymore. So my joy at seeing one
for sale at the fair was great. Cute
Romeo has to get past a series of
sand dunes via balloons, is
unceremoniously dropped into a
shark-ridden sea, swims into a
dangerous cave, and so on in his
quest for the fair Juliet. It's one
of those delightfully addictive,
nonviolent games. Now a new
generation (my 5th-graders) are
discovering the joys of noble
quests.
These twelve tapes are things I
didn't own but now use and enjoy.
Original prices on these items were
from $49.95 to $9.95. I picked up
most for under $2 (not counting the
ones from Kidware and Asgard still
being distributed today).
When I came across these tapes in
class the other day, I realized how
often the kids continue to use most
of them, along with some other tapes
that I have in large bookcase-style
tape racks. Tapes get used a great
deal: Jim Peterson's always
exceptional educational tapes;
Intellestar's (CELLS), early TI's
(HAMMURABI, WORD SAFARI), and many
others. I teach ASL (American Sign
Language) in class, and the kids use
the PD FINGERSPELL program to learn,
review, write, and decode through the
manual alphabet. This is in EVERY
user-group library.
Last week we were studying the
skeletal system.I put on Regena's
"Name That Bone." I often use the
tape recorder on the disk-system TI I
have at school, also. Once a program
is loaded into memory, I take the
little tape recorder to the next
machine and repeat the process.
Sometimes I bring a third computer in
from home, but I still just go from
one to the other with the same tape
recorder.
But that day I loaded up "Name
That Bone" by tape into the two TIs,
and all the kids during the day had a
chance to successfully complete this
great program.
There's no problem using tape. I
load them into the computers before
school, while I'm getting my other
stuff ready for the day. I keep the
volume on the TVs high so I can hear
when one computer had loaded; then I
repeat the process for the others. By
the time the kids arrive, I've had my
coffee, put up the computer schedule,
and we're all rarin' to go. I still
think the 4A is the best educational
computer tool in existence.
I often think about users with
the basic diskless systems. There
are still tapes readily available for
the Adventure, Tunnels of Doom, and
LOGO modules (though the last
requires 32K). Triton still has
cassettes of all kinds for as low as
$1.99. I just bought a SAMS book for
$2.49 (TI-99/4A GAMES) that included
a cassette of all the games. I
usually pay more for blank cassettes
alone.
Peruse the mail order palaces to
see the number of extremely
low-priced MODULES still available.
Triton's start at $2.49 and go up to
$29.95 (for Extended BASIC). There
are recreation (MOONSWEEPER, FATHOM,
MUNCHMAN), productivity (PERSONAL
REAL ESTATE, HOME FINANCIAL
DECISIONS); education (READING
FLIGHT, NUMERATION I); and other
cartridges. TEXCOMP's module prices
start at $4.95 and have many more
cartridges not listed by Triton,
including the last of the Atarisoft
ones like Donkey Kong.
So a person with a very basic 4A
system (console, TV, Extended BASIC
cartridge, and tape recorder) still
has an extremely powerful tool at his
or her command with options for many
other diskless peripherals. But most
early owners have closeted or tossed
their TIs. Recently, I went to a
flea market in a nearby town and
picked up a used (but very new
looking) silver and black console
with cables for $3! That'swhat I'm
writing this article on right now. So
DON'T QUIT! Your 4A is alive && well
&& kicking up its heels all over the
world.
[If you use NEW-AGE/99 please put
me on your exchange list.]
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