While most of the “survivors” of the recent Great Magazine Showdown, as well the majority of their advertisers, are ignoring our favorite computers, an occasional reference does appear now and then. One recently mentioned a 2800 member “Southwestern Sinclair Users Group”, whose President, John Brown, Jr. is supposed to be running a BBS with a “$30 Timex Sinclair ZX-81”, Unfortunately, they failed to give or telephone number. Lynching mob, anyone? (Popular Computing, Dec. 84)
Readers in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area should know that there are Users Groups in both of those cities. Contact for the Ft. Worth group is Tim Ward, the Haystack Apartments. Their current newsletter #10, edited by David Baulch, contains a wealth of information including a detailed, hands-on review (by Frank Bouldin) of the Olivetti PR-2300 Ink Jet Printer currently being offered by DAK Industries for $199 plus shipping.
It also contained a 1 page newsletter from the Dallas Timex User Group. Contact for this group is Julie Barrett, 2624 E, Park Blvd., Plano, Texas 75074, Ms. Barrett reports interesting things going on at AERCO of Austin, Texas with reference to a Disk Interface for the 2068.
Way out west in Abilene, Texas that is, a new group is trying to form, Readers in that area should contact Chris Nystrom, 609 E.N. 18th, Abilene, Texas 79601. Chris has done a commendable job with his Newsletter #1.
Those writing to the above sources should at least inclose a SASE, and those who are able might offer a cash contribution to further the good work.
Reader input means a lot to the success of any publication or writer. Just to give a few examples, reader input has informed me that User Groups are subscribing to British magazines, that the famous “microdrives” have been imported and run on the 2068 with a “Spectrum Emulator” (don’t ask which one, I don’t know; send a SASE to Ray Perschy, 110 V. The Village #503, Redondo Beach, California 90277), that D. Lipinski Software (2737 Susquehanna Road, Roslyn, Pennsylvania 19001) has some great programs.
Now if someone will just update me on the current status of the Sinclair QL, send me John Brown Jr’s address, and tell me what “STARTEXI” is…