Bill Jones, Publisher
UPDATE Magazine
1317 Stratford Ave.
Panama City, FL 32404
Dear Bill:
Thanks for the reminder. I did indeed forget to send you my renewal and am inclosing it with this letter.
I find this new issue impressive in size and content. I often have problems finding time to read all of the TS publications I now receive, but now that I am out of school and winter is fast approaching (hopefully, I am a skier), I hope to find much more time to spend on my hobby.
You discussed briefly the Z88, which I personally bought about two months ago from Sharps (a more helpful company I can’t think of). I use it to transport work between my office and home, and also find myself by the pool and backpacking with it on a regular basis. In case you have not had a chance to play with one yet, and if your readers need more info on it, I would like to briefly express my opinions on the Z88 here.
Having degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, it is a pleasure to find a system that is properly thought out. The Z88 is a prime example of user friendliness, compactness, and usefulness- a perfect example of good design.
The market that it was designed for, low-cost portable computing versus heavy, expensive, and power hungry MS-DOS compatibility (I know of very few people who need to actually run MS-DOS specific programs on a portable), should fit the needs of many TS computer owners. I myself also own a ZX81 (semi-retired), TS2068, and a QL- sort of like having a musuem of personal computing in my own house. And I use each of them periodically.
The only problems with the Z88 is the lack of support so far in this country. Even though many dealers now handle it and there is a user’s group (based in England), technical information and additional programs are still short in coming. I understand the technical manual is on the way (Sharps is still waiting to receive them) and several programs are in the works (the on-board software may be enough for many people). To illustrate this problem, a spell checker has been announced- using English English, not American. I don’t mind the spelling ‘colour’ in manuals, but I don’t think that I can get away with it in my reports.
If the Z88 is properly supported (it seems to be off to a good start, despite the temporary problems and delays), it should find an appreciable nich in both the European and American markets.
A comment on your plans to include programs on disks that only have reviews published: please don’t if at all possible! I feel that your disk service is excellent (I until recently could not afford to take advantage of it but might do so in the future). For those people who don’t mind typing in programs or can’t afford to buy the disks, you would just be depriving them (not to mention driving them crazy with the descriptions of what they can not get). For long programs, I find it acceptable IF NECESSARY to spread them out over two issues. If you still feel that you need to do this, may I suggest that you offer disks with just these unpublished programs, not those printed in the magazine.
Again, keep up the good work on the magazine, and thanks for reminding me about my renewal!
Sincerely,
James Hunkins
[address omitted]
Oct. 25, 1988
P.S. The number of advertisers you have is encouraging. I am ordering from two of them at this time.
Dear Jim,
Thanks for renewing your subscription, and THANKS for the input about the Z88. I will use all of what you wrote in the January issue. We need continuing supporting articles about the Z88 and I will anticipate more from you as you have the time.
It is intriguing to me that a new computer comes out using the Z80 CPU! I believe that our TS-2068 programmers and hardware developers will pick up on the Z88 and do some good work with it, because of their existing comfort in Z-80 CPU assembly programming. I want to fully support the Z88 users in UPDATE and will try to develop wider writer support. We already have about 20 Z88 subscribers. (UP THAT TO OVER 50 NOW!)
About the LISTINGS in UPDATE: I believe that you misunderstood. We will continue to publish listings and tutorials. The problem is that some of the FULL FLEDGED softwares for the QL are so long that it isn’t practical to publish the listing. Some are as long as 200K bytes of programming, which would take up 40 pages for just the listing. But others, like Bob Hartung‘s “Address File” program, are ideal for publishing both the Listing and the documentation. Some longer programs and their listings may be published over two issues. But two issues are separated by a three month time period, which makes it essential that each episode of a continued presentation have a stand alone capability. When some Machine Language programs evolve, their whole code tables can likely be included in one issue. I discussed this at great length with Bill Cable. His Refield program is just too long to be listed. Nothing else will fit into one MDV cart. This really is a tough nut to crack, but the problem provides a solution for another UPDATE objective.
Another objective of UPDATE is to sponsor the development of North American Software sources. The issue disk series is designed to support both the users and the programmers. Update takes only the expenses involved in copying and distribution, and the money left goes to the programmers. The small compensation that a programmer receives from disk sales may be just enough to entice him to continue to work and support us. You hit it on the button! There will be one article in almost every issue designed to “drive you crazy to buy the issue disk”! Later we will carry the principle into Z88 support.
Peter Hale, the editor of BOStug Newsletter, has a little software house called EMSOFT. He has the identical objectives as given for the Issue Disk program, “to assist programmers and to develop North American Support Sources”. If we can do that we will have good QL and Z88 softwares that sell for around $20-30 instead of being tied to English software that sells for twice that amount. Then we will have American flavored spelling of such words as colour and enclose, and we wont be tied to the Pound.
One Z88 dealer, Mike Fink, 355 W. 39th St., NY, NY 10018-1401 (tel 212 695 8589), is working on a “Z88 User Guide”. Mike saw the need for better and clearer instructions and went to work on the project about 3 months ago. It may be finished by now.
Thanks again for your input, and best wishes. Dont break a leg skiing. My last skiing was at Aleska (near Anchorage Alaska). That slope is awesome.
Sincerely,
Bill Jones