More Timex Sinclair

Revel Without A Cause

Not one to get easily excited over new developments, there have been some fairly significant gains made in hardware/software product developments. Particularly for the TS/1000, Sinclair and Amstrad computers.

Although things are beginning to change, most of these developments continue to come from abroad; primarily Europe. And again I will mention, that this article will originate from London for two months this summer. The primary focus will be on new product developments for the Timex, Sinclair, Cambridge and Amstrad computers.

I am arranging for interviews with Sir Clive (Cambridge Computers), and Alan Sugar (Amstrad). Please drop me a line now, and include three pertinent questions that you would ask either, or both of these pioneers. This is a rare forum for you to personally interface with the people that made it all happen.

The “Rammy” Awards

I was pleased to see an increasing number of new, quality products available for the Spectrum. Although it has often been called a “games machine,” there are indications that software developers are leaning towards more useful packages. Take for instance new word processing packages that offer word processing, datafile, mailmerge, financial calculator, 40/48/60/80 col- umn screens, up to 148 characters per line, micro drive conversion and 16 redefinable key facility.

The Spectrum, or Spectrum emulated TS/2068 is now compatible with light pen interfaces, 2 button mouse, MIDI interfaces, sound samplers and a host of printer/disk interfaces. Other new products offer the capability to load 48K programs from 3.5 or 54″ disks in just 3½ seconds. Up to 780K storage capacity and a snapshot feature all at near bargain prices from abroad.

Three cheers for software designers utilizing digitized video interfaces to produce stunning, near high resolution graphics. The actual technique is to use a video camera, via a digitized video interface to capture, digitize and then enhance (if necessary) video reproductions. Although this technology has been around a short while, it is being taken to the limits, and being utilized extensively for our computers. I applaud the ingenuity.

I wish I had a dime for every time someone looked at my Timex computer and said “Gee, that is cute,” or “Is that a real computer?” I recently spent an entire weekend at my TS/2068 as an experiment. By using nothing more than the computer and a modem I was able to purchase and have all of my food delivered to my door, make stock transactions, travel arrangements for my trip to Europe and a cruise, even have my front sidewalk shoveled. The results of my weekend experiment will be published in an upcoming article. Proving once again-these are powerful computers.

My daily job as a television producer/director allows me the opportunity to expand the use of my TS & Amstrad computers. Oddly enough, in this week’s mailbag comes a suggestion for something along those lines. Robert Lafara of Indianapolis writes about how he has adapted his TS/1000 to allow video titles to be transferred to videotape. Known as character generation, here is the procedure. By hooking up the RF output of the TS/1000, key in this two line program:

10 PRINT AT 8,6; TITLE OF TV PROGRAM" 
20 print at 13,11; "mm/dd/yy" 

Obviously, the x,y coordinates can be varied to suit your needs, or other information can be added. If you have a ZX80 or other computer without the “AT” capability, you can add extra lines of code to print blank lines and insert leading spaces to a title to position it properly.

Reviews

(Lights…Camera…Standby. 3-2-1.) “Hello, this is Michael O’Brien, here with an unpaid, unsolicited remark on behalf of Lemke Software Development. In these days when others revel in the uncertainty of the future of our computers, we need all the friends we can muster. Upon reviewing yet another Lemke product, I still feel that Stan Lemke is among the finest software programmers in this country for the TS/2068. His latest endeavor is an upgrade of Pixel Print-The Desktop Publisher. Anyway the point is, if you never purchase a Lemke product, drop Stan a line to let him know how much you appreciate his fine work. Believe me, without your support we have all seen software developers come and go, and I feel that we need people of his caliber constantly challenging himself and us.” (Fade to black)… Lemke Software, 2144 White Oak, Wichita, KS 67207.

Gail Howard has designed a new program for the TS/2068 that is causing a bit of a stir. LOTTO USA is an acclaimed percentage and wheeling system that offers better odds for those with a state lottery. The program touts a 500% winning edge, and utilizes the same system that Tom Mayer and the Diehards used to win the biggest jackpot in the New York state Lotto40.

The program is well designed, offering seven complete wheeling systems. This offers you the opportunity to make selections based upon historical data (that you must enter), or a random number generator that does not make use of the RND function. The program is available either as a fast compiled version, or a basic listable one that operates completely (but slower). Both versions output data to printer, are menu driven and arrive with documentation. Although I enjoyed the program, it is a bit too soon to offer an opinion on how well it works, unless I win, and you will be the second to know (my accountant is first). LOTTO USA for the TS/2068 is available from Knighted Computers, 10. Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069.

Amstrad

While owners of the newer MSDOS Amstrads are reveling at the power of their computers (and rightfully so), and the availability of software, I still receive letters from people asking about software for the PCW-8256. This CP/M based computer has little available here in the states, and an abundance in Europe where it was developed. Often, the entrepreneur in me suggests acting as an agent, to bring this glut of software to this country. I am soon reminded (by my wife) of the inventory and shipping costs associated with the venture. Hmmmmmmm…maybe someday. My articles from Europe this summer will also focus on current availability of Amstrad PCW-8256 software.

Most everyone is familiar with the “Life.” It was developed by a group of mathematicians a number of years ago as a diversion. It has become fairly common—if not tradition-for operators to hide the game in operating systems. The PCW-8256 has one such file already hidden in the Locoscript files on Side one of the system disks. Life is hidden in the Mail232.com files, and to run it boot up CP/M, then put your Locoscript disk in the drive. Type Mail232 (Return). Move the cursor to the “make ASCII file” option and hold down the extra key and press P. Now, except for the cursor, the screen will go blank. Here is where you set up your initial bacterium pattern. Using the cursor to move around, press the return key when you want to place a bacterium at the cursor position. When you are ready, press the space bar and the generations will roll by before your eyes. To end the process, simply press space bar again. For those of you not familiar with Life, read on.

The rules are simple. Think of a colony of bacteria that grow and change as generations go by. Any bacteria with two or three “neighbors” will survive into the next generation. Those with fewer than two neighbors will die. However, if it has more than three neighbors it will die from overcrowding. The object is to start with a pattern which will continue to thrive.

Back when you first began plowing through the PCW-8256 documentation, you undoubtedly learned about file password protection. Now, months later you may be faced with the following dilemma. You have disks with read protection, but you can no longer remember the passwords. Not to worry! Start up Locoscript, now remove Locoscript and insert the disk that contains the file(s). Press (F1). Create an empty file, select insert text from the (F7) menu, and select the CP/M file that you need to unprotect. After you have finished the edit, choose “make ASCII file” and create the file that CP/M can make sense of. This only works with text files, you cannot use it on a .COM file for example.

Here is another tip I use frequently. If you have made batch files for startup disks, and then simply want to boot the CP/M without waiting for all the file transfers, simply flick the write protect tab before inserting the start of the day disk. When it tries to boot the files it will cause an error statement. Choose C for cancel when prompted and off you go…