From: sscrivan@nyx.cs.du.edu (steve scrivano)
Subject: Tandy 6000 Discussion
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 92 20:01:36 GMT


It is kind of sad as the years go by to see all of the old computer equipment
gradually disappear to bring in the new.  I still think there is a case for
using old equipment such as the Tandy 6000.  Owning this machinery is similar
to owning an antique automobile and this makes owning one special whereas owning
MSDOS machines is boring because they are so widespread there is nothing much
new to talk about.  Everybody knows what MSDOS machines can do and the vast 
software and hardware for them is so overwhelming I honestly don't know what
would be so wonderful about owning one of them.  I use a Tandy 6000, Model 16,
and a 16B to run a nationwide homebased newsletter publishing business that
reaches 18,000 people.  My newsletters are published by using Xenix Text Tools
and Scripsit.  What makes my newsletters so interesting is the unprofessional
way in which they are published.  You see sometimes when you use an expensive
laser printer, fancy fonts and graphics, pictures, etc., your product now looks
like every other piece of junk that you could find hanging on your front door
or stuffed in your mail box.  I prefer to lead and not to follow the crowd
and this is the reason why I still use a Model 6000. Some of the finest software
ever sold was written for these machines.  Even Profile 16 will run circles
around some of the MSDOS database packages.  I feel comfortable staring at
a system prompt, whereas, when I look at an MSDOS windows screen, it is like
staring at a cluttered desk.  It makes my eyes hurt and I get a headache
staring at all of the colors and having to look at all of these icons and
windows popping up all over the place does more to confuse a person than
a simple menu driven application.  Every time computers are built with more
memory the applications written for them become so complex the basic machine
becomes once again inadequate without upgrading it from day one.
  
A Model 16/6000 with 1 meg of memory is adequate for most 2-3 user environments.
512K is not adequate even for one user in my opinion if you plan on running
any major jobs in background or if you have more than one user.  It is hard
to believe that Tandy would even have tried to represent Xenix on a 256k
machine as they once did.  I can recall trying to print out 100 address labels
from Profile 16 with a 256k machine that took 6 hours just to get it spooled
out.  This was not good public relations in my opinion when you are trying to
get a new product accepted by businesses.  With the mmu modification, you
can break the 1 meg barrier and you will notice much less interference between
users.  I have several 2 meg mmu's in my machines that solved this problem.

So what good is a Tandy 6000?  You could run a BBS with it but with some
limitations on newsfeeds and disk storage; a sizeable database, word
processing, spreadsheets, and and many other applications that don't
require heavy cpu/memory load.  You will probably want to do all of your
own repair work, scavenge parts from other machines when needed, etc.  Tandy
service is too expensive and impractical for machines that are so worthless.
You wouldn't want a $400 part in a $100 machine.  It is very expensive to
purchase an IBM clone when you have to run multi-user anything.  Single
user is no problem, but multi-user is a case for keeping these machines
going.  

I think it would be of interest to the net to here what others use their 16/6000
machines for.  Feel free to tell your story.  Perhaps others can get a sense of
what these machines can be use for.

Steve Scrivano
sscrivan@nyx.cs.du.edu