Individual Publisher(s): Bill Harmer
Hand-typed one to two page newsletter published by Bill Harmer.
| Title | Description | Computers |
|---|---|---|
| Amateur Programmer’s Line | Amateur programming with home computers has become more of a niche activity. | |
| Amateur Programmers’ Line | Ruminations on amateur programming in light of advancing technology. | |
| Amateur Programmers’ Line: Amateur Programming as a Niche | Essay examining whether amateur computer programming has become a niche hobby, comparing it to the historical arc of amateur radio building—mass-market in the 1920s, niche by the 1950s. Harmer surveys the ecosystem supporting amateur programmers: schools and universities (citing the origins of Pascal, FORTRAN, COBOL, UCSD Pascal p-code system, and Japanese LHARC compression utility in […] | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Amateur Programmers’ Line: The Future of BASIC | Extended opinion column arguing that BASIC remains viable for amateur programmers across all platforms, including the Sinclair range. Harmer discusses migration paths to Pascal (HiSoft Pascal on TS2068, Partial Pascal for ZX-81/TS1000, Turbo Pascal for IBM) and the importance of distributing BASIC source code for educational purposes rather than compiling and distributing binaries only. Reviews […] | Sinclair QL, Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| American Micro Systems catalog | QL and Z88 hardware and software available. | Cambridge Z88, Sinclair QL |
| American Micro Systems QL and Z-88 Product Catalogue | Reprints the product catalog from American Micro Systems, San Jose CA (listed in TimeLinez), covering QL hardware and software: ROM upgrades, Trump Card disk interface ($312), IBM emulator ($172), modem adapter ($69), Front Page desktop publisher ($34), CP/M emulator ($69), Forth ($57), Fortran 77 ($144), Pascal ($57), C ($69), Superbasic-to-C converter ($80), spellchecker ($65), accelerator […] | Cambridge Z88, Sinclair QL |
| Assembly Language and Hardware Notes | Commentary on machine code and assembly language articles in Vancouver TSUG newsletter: V. Lee’s ongoing TS2068 assembly language series, and Wilf Rigter’s techniques for speeding up the ZX-81/TS1000 by modifying display routines—achieving greater gains than the roughly 15% boost from a 4MHz clock speed increase. Also discusses hardware modification trends across newsletters (shift toward QL […] | Sinclair QL, Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| BOSTUG, TSUG has mutated | Closing down as a special interest group; restarting as New England QL User Group. | Sinclair QL |
| Bugs, Fixes & What You Can and Can’t Do (Maybe) | User group in Ohio working on project to interface Commodore 1541 disk drive to TS 2068. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Bugs, Fixes, and Compatibility Notes | Discussion of technical compatibility questions from around the community: interfacing a Commodore 64 disk drive to the TS2068 (reportedly attempted by an Ohio group per SLIX); TurboPascal 4.0-5.5 CASE/LONGINT compiler bug and fix (use IF..THEN..ELSE instead); MS-DOS version 3.x compatibility issues for compiled programs; searching for a public domain program to read CP/M disks from […] | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Computer Shopper discontinues articles | Had published articles about Commodore 64, Sinclair, TI, Atari 8-bits. | |
| Congratulations to Toronto Timex-Sinclair club | Club continues to support TS 2068 and Larken DOS users. | |
| Disk Library | TS 2068 disk utilities program available from RA Hilsman in Menomonee Falls, WI. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Donald Lambert reports his ZX-81 LDOS disk system up | Fix for mating LDOS with Tandon disk drives. Also working on a custom ZX-81 for controller applications, developed with Mike LeDuc. | Timex/Sinclair 1000 |
| Experiment with wordprocessing | Also working on implementing a machine language compression algorithm. | |
| Fix for Timemachine BASIC Compiler | Fix printed in August 1989 CATS and Dec 1989 Timelinez newsletters. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Larken Electronics | Original designers of ZX81/TS 1000 LDOS and TS 2068 LKDOS turning attention to computer-controlled shaper/router/plotter, driven by IBM PC compatible. Software originally written in Pascal on TS 2068. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| LKDOS Cartridge for Aerco TS2068 Disk System | Describes the LKDOS cartridge interface for the Aerco TS2068 disk system, which when paired with an FD-54 drive provides Larken DOS and Extended BASIC commands including MERGE, a 48K RAM disk, and the ability to switch between Aerco and LKDOS operating systems while retaining access to RP/M. Notes compatibility with the Oliger and Ramex systems […] | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Magazine News | SyncWare News lost approximately $5,000 before going out of circulation. | |
| Magazine News | Updates on Timex/Sinclair periodicals: SyncWare News/Quantuum Levels selling back issues at $3 each before closing (lost ~$5,000); Time Designs Vol.5 No.2 now available; Update Disk System Magazine subscription details ($18/yr for TS2068, QL, and Z-88 content); and Byte Power cassette magazine pricing (demo $3, 6 issues $32, also offering TS1000 programs, fast-load utility for TS2068, […] | |
| Mailing List Changes | Updates to contacts for groups in Ohio and Pennsylvania. | |
| Mailing List Changes | Reports new contacts for Sinclair SIGs discovered via SLIX: G. Granger in New Carlisle, Ohio, and Pittsburgh Area Computer Club Sinclair SIG (R. Vasko, Donora PA). Notes these are informal leads rather than official SIG representatives. Also reports that the Boston TSUG separation from Boston Computer Society is confirmed but no new mailing address yet […] | |
| Mailing List Updates | Reports on changes to the TS Bulletin mailing list: Harrisburg Area TSUG (HATS) dissolved after its December 1989 final issue, with former members now served by the Washington DC group (CATS). Announces the Quantum Leap User Group in Amarillo TX and notes that Dallas/Fort Worth TS users remain active but are not currently issuing a […] | |
| Mailing list updates | Dec 1989 issues was final newsletter and notice of dissolution of Harrisburgh Area TSUG. | |
| Mark Yost TS1000/TS2068 Software Tape Stock | Brief notice that Mark Yost of Canton CT may be acquiring a stock of TS1000/TS2068 software tapes from a closed retail store, including M-SCRIPT, Vu-Cal, Vu-File, Timemachine BASIC compiler, Vu-3D, Aerco Print Master, Chess, 32/64 columns, and M-Term, at approximately $5.50 each. | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Mark Yost working on deal to buy out-of-business stock | Wide variety of TS 1000 and TS 2068 tapes may be available. | |
| Maxcom TS2068 BBS system for LKDOS | BBS software available from RMG. Larry Kenny working on desktop publishing system and is PC-based marketing plotter, engraver, router/miller. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| MScript upgraded to 5.5 | ||
| News for this year | Macintosh and NeXT emulators being readied. Author working on several self-published books about ZX81/TS 1000 computers. Local group developing simple compiler. | Sinclair QL, Timex/Sinclair 1000 |
| News from SNUG | Brief report on SNUG (Sinclair National User Group) noting that its newsletter has been delayed due to the illness of a member’s wife and other personal circumstances, with all memberships extended six months into 1990. Reports that SNUG is building a large public domain program library for the QL, TS2068, and TS1000, and encourages program […] | |
| News from SNUG | Due to illness and personal situations, work on newsletter is delayed. Seeking donations for public domain library. | |
| News of a Local Nature | Ottawa-Hull Timex-Sinclair User Group continued to meet. | |
| News of a Local Nature and Larken Electronics Update | Reports on a September 1990 Ottawa-Hull TSUG meeting (5 members), noting continued use of Timex/Sinclair computers alongside IBM compatibles, and active BBS usage (613-745-5538, 300/1200 baud) including out-of-town callers. Dave Solly is club librarian and is active in TS2068 Pascal and IBM PC Turbo Pascal programming; a public domain Pascal compiler for TS2068 is on […] | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Newsletter hardware articles | Trend is shifting to Z88 and QL modifications. | |
| Newsletters and Clubs | Update on Vancouver TSUG, where Wilf Rigter has contributed a number of technical articles. New addresses for other groups, notices of user groups disbanding or discontinuing newsletters. | |
| Newsletters and Clubs | Comprehensive update on the Timex/Sinclair user group and newsletter landscape: Vancouver TSUG seeking material and a new editor; Larken Electronics calling for orders to determine whether to manufacture another run of at least 35 LKDOS controller boards; Real Gagnon’s French QL newsletter QLJDOC suspended due to employer bankruptcy; SINCUS (Johnson City NY) discontinuing its newsletter; […] | Cambridge Z88, Sinclair QL, Sinclair ZX81, Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Ottawa-Hull TSUG meeting | Exchange of experiences in Pascal programming; Dave Solly using HiSoft Pascal on TS 2068. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Pixel Print Plus (ver 4) released | Indiana Timex Sinclair User reports program was almost finished when Stan Lemke, the author, exited market. Steven Spalding of Sting Graphics completed program. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Published Program Survey of Newsletters | A digest of notable programs published in other Timex/Sinclair user group newsletters: Vancouver TSUG December 1989 (Dominoes for ZX-81, BASIC line trace, Vector Screen Calculator), Sineus November-December 1989 (octal/decimal converter in machine code), Boston Computer Society September-October 1989 (TS2068 machine code screen utilities including screen-flip, scroll, and attribute-invert routines), Harrisburg TSUG September 1989 (USA Medicare […] | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Published-Program Survey of Newsletters | List of programs appearing in user group newsletters in late 1989. | |
| Short Items: Products, Fixes, and Notes | A collection of brief items: Maxcom BBS system for TS2068/LKDOS disk users praised by Ralph Hammer in the Las Vegas TSUG newsletter (available through RMG Enterprises); Cambridge North America filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy with Sharp continuing as sole Z-88 importer (reported by Nazir A. Pashtoon/SMUG); VideoCopy/VideoTex software by John McMichael connecting the TS2068 video digitizer […] | Cambridge Z88, Sinclair QL, Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Sincus runs list of TS2068 ROM routines | Source released for non-commercial use. | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Supplier File | Curated list of active Timex/Sinclair hardware and software suppliers: TK Computerware (QL software, North Stanford Kent UK); Lloyd Dreger (3 machine code books for TS2068, Butler WI); Pyramid Electronics (TS1000 and TS2068 software, Sarasota FL); Bottle Cap Software (OS-64 programs for TS1000/TS2068 including Checkbook Balancer and Credit Card Payer at $6 each, Cincinnati OH); AT […] | Sinclair QL, Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| Supplier File | Updates on contact information for software, hardware and documentation. | |
| Suppliers | Updates on Larken Electronics, RMG, Update Magazine, EMSoft, John McMichael, Byte Power. | |
| Time Designs Magazine v5 n2 issued | ||
| TreeForth | Source code for TreeFORTH (a ROMable, TS1000, slightly non-standard FORTH) has been released for non-commercial use by author Bob Alsum. | |
| TS Bulletin News Supplement #1-1990 | Wide-ranging editorial covering Sinclair community news for early 1990: rumors of Apple Mac and NeXT emulators for the QL, a new MS-DOS Cambridge laptop with 3.5-inch drives, the tenth anniversary of the Sinclair ZX-80, the launch of the Ottawa-Hull TSUG BBS (613-745-5534), and Harmer’s forthcoming books on ZX-81 assembly language, Tips/Tricks/Techniques, and the LDOS disk […] | |
| TS Bulletin News Supplement #2-1990: Hardware and Software News | News roundup covering TS2068 hardware and software developments: Pixel Print Plus v4 completed by Steven Spalding (after Stan Lemke exited the market) with greeting card design replacing TS2040 printer support; Larry Kenny’s forthcoming TS2068 desktop publisher with spellchecker; the Oliger double-density disk system (WD1770 controller, Spectrum ROM 48K compatible, board available bare/unpopulated); and the Sineus […] | Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| TS Bulletin News Supplement #3-1990 | News roundup covering several topics: Harmer’s experiments with an MS-DOS word processor and dot-matrix printer for producing TS Bulletin; his work on a short machine code text compression algorithm for orphan computers (ZX-81/TS1000, TS2068, C64) that achieves ~52% compression using an approach short enough to fit in ~400 bytes, unlike standard Huffman/LZ algorithms that require […] | Sinclair QL, Sinclair ZX81, Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| TS1000’s still available | Gary Young in Iowa has working and non-working units, RAM packs and software. | Timex/Sinclair 1000 |
| Useful Sinclair Programmer Notes (On Telephone Nos.) | Hints on how to store a telephone number in three bytes (encoded) versus seven bytes. | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Type-in program |
| Useful Sinclair Programmer Notes: Telephone Number Compression Program | Continuation of the Amateur Programmers’ Line column exploring a technique for packing 7-digit telephone numbers into 3 bytes of ZX-81/TS1000 RAM. Discusses the encoding strategy, edge cases (leading zeros, digit groups exceeding 255, null/empty numbers requiring reserved codes), and variable-length field design for memory-constrained database applications on orphan computers. Includes a short BASIC type-in program […] | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Type-in program |
| Using an audio transformer as cassette load aid | Article appeared in August-December 1989 issue of CRAGIST. | Timex/Sinclair 1000, Timex/Sinclair 2068 |
| ZX-81/TS1000 Tips | Two brief programming tips for ZX-81/TS1000 BASIC users: using a compact mathematical expression in place of PAUSE 200 to save memory bytes; and redimensioning arrays to their minimum size (e.g., DIM A$(0,0)) before saving a program to tape to reduce file size and save/load time, then restoring proper dimensions at line 0 so that GOTO […] | Timex/Sinclair 1000 |
| ZX-81/TS1000 Tips | Using the CODE function instead of numbers to save bytes; saving space with DIMensioned variables. | Timex/Sinclair 1000 |
Last updated: January 14, 2026