T-S Horizons AWARD OF MERIT
Here we recognize the writers who have supported TSH in the last year.
Bill Ferrebee, Tex Faucette, Doug Gangi, Gordon Young, Paul Hunter, Ken Lewis, Bill Johnson, Mather White, John Marion, Art Gindin, and all the rest. These people have put in a lot of hours and often their main compensation was the Knowledge that what they were doing would be of some benefit to Timex Sinclair users.
HALL OF FAME AWARDS
These awards go to 5 individuals or companies who have performed above and beyond the call of duty.
1. Marty Dubay of Games to Learn By for securing the rights to most of Timex’s software, so that we can all be assured a reliable supply of programs like VU-3D, VU-Calc, Flight Simulator, and many more.
2. Howard W. Sams for responding to appeals from Timex users to publish their TS 2068 Intermediate/Advanced Guide after all.
3. Doug Dewey for his Spectrum emulator.
4. Bill Russell for the Romswitch emulator.
5. Anchor, Inc., for releasing their Westridge 2050 modem despite the withdrawal of Timex.
(Ed. Note: A special Hall of Fame award is being held for Dave Higgenbottom in hopes that his negotiations with Timex are successful.)
Hey gang, even though Timex dumped us we have to give them some credit. Afterall they did finally come out with a very good Technical manual for the TS 2068. Also their performance concerning warrantee and out-of warrantee service has been excellent even now, almost a year later. For that we begrudgingly confer upon them the “Award of Merit.” (Posthumously, of course).
Best USER GROUP/Best NEWSLETTER Awards
Triangle Sinclair User Group-Doug Dewey, Ed.
Capitol Area Timex Sinclair(C.A.T.S.)–Jules Gesang, Ed.
Bay Area Timex Sinclair User Groups/Timelinez
Best new user group/newsletter:
Long Island Timex Sinclair(L.I.S.T.)–Paul Donelly, Ed.
Most promising new newsletter:
Pheonix User Group-Doug Gangi, Ed.
Best special interest group/newsletter:
The CREATIVE WRITING Award for best newsletter title goes to the Seattle Area Timex User Group (SEATUG). They call their newsletter “SWYM“. This name is clever take-off on the now-defunct SYNC magazine.
GOLDEN MODEM
The “Golden Modem” Award for best service at the lowest cost in the telecommunications area goes to MCI Mail.
The WIMP-OUT-of-the-Year Award goes to Timex and their mysterious powers-that-be for dropping the TS1000/1500 and crippling the 2068 before it had a chance to get off the ground. A year’s supply of quiche accompanies that award.
MTERM II
The award for “Worst Software Documentation” goes to whoever is responsible for the documentation for MTerm II.
We bestow the “Bleeper and Practical Joke” award to Michael Wilson and TS Computing respectively. (See TSH #8 and 9 if you’re confused.)
DOORSTOP COMPUTERS?
The “InfoWierd” Award for Low Blow of the Year goes to John Dvorak, columnist for InfoWorld magazine, for suggesting that the best use for a TS1000 is as a doorstop. (Actually John, our tests indicate that an Apple or an IBM generally makes a much better doorstop. Try it sometime.)
QUANTUM LEAK
To Sinclair Research, Ltd. we bestow the prestigous “Quantum Leak” award in view of reports from England of a multitude of production, shipping, and quality problems concerning the new Sinclair QL. (Hopefully they will work the bugs out on the British before they bring it to the US).
HOW TO GET YOUR 2 CENTS WORTH SAID
The “Give Till It Hurts” award goes to Ziff-Davis and SYNC for their excessive ad rates, e.g., $1995 for one page.
WHERE’S THE BEEF?
The “Clara Peller” Award goes to the Computer Shopper. Shortly after Timex’s infamous announcement a lengthy editorial appeared in CS promising full support of Timex users including two monthly columns. So far all we’ve seen in is a fairly good monthly column by Mark Fendrick, and some occasional ads. Where’s the beef (reviews, new product announcements, etc.)?
AUTHOR OF CONFUSION AWARD
For all his loyal following, Derek Stubbs‘ comments in TS User(the now-defunct newsletter) were very confusing. Generally second readings left one even more confused. For example in his first reference to TSH he included the comment “Keep banging those rocks together.” After we wrote a lengthy, polite letter asking what if anything the comment meant, we got no reply. However the next issue of TS User contained only the obscure remark “TS Horizons is mad at us.” Yet TS User was very informative in its way. It’s a shame Derek decided to quit banging his rocks.
OUR WISH LIST
What we at T-S Horizons would like to see in 1985. (Are you listening Santa?)
1. A signed contract between David Higgenbottom and Timex, or a TimeStar computer.
2. Some type of hardware contraption to make the TS 2068 compatible with British hardware for the ZX Spectrum.
3. A good spreadsheet for the 2068.
4. The Sinclair QL available in the US-minus the bugs.
5. A Timex version of the game “Lode Runner.”
6. Twelve issues of T-S Horizons.