HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Andrew webster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 10:52:10 MDT
Organization: Edmonton Remote Systems #2, Edmonton, AB, Canada

jim@accelr8.com (Jim Reiss) writes:

- >     24 Pin?  While you may be using a 24 pin printer on you TI-99 and 
- >TI-Writer you are only firing 9 of those pins and 24-9=15 unused pins!!!
- >
- >     It sure would be nice to have 24 pin drivers for Ti-Writer and the 
- >other progs we use so much with our printers. It would be nice to get a 
- >laser driver for TI-Writer/FunnelWeb, wouldn't it? It is possible. Its a 
- >matter of our "brains" in the community to just "DO IT".. So we end users 
- >can carry on the dream...
- That's not true.  For word processing, I get the full 24 pins, and am able
- to get really nice effects with the graphics characters.  TI-Writer's .TL
- directive is all that's needed, just like with 9-pin printers.  As far as
- graphics go, it still uses 24 pins because the 8-pin graphics modes are
- implemented by firing three pins for each pixel.  You get better-looking
- pictures.  As far as 360 dpi, there is little need I see for it.  Laser
- printer support requires implementing PostScript or H-P's page language,
- neither is particularly easy.  Laser printers with Epson emulations already
- work without any more programming.
- -- 
-  Jim Reiss (jim@accelr8.com)    Accelr8 Technology, Denver, Colorado, USA
-  Opinions expressed above are mine.  Who else would have them?

_______________________________________________________________________
Perhaps you would care to share with us your .TL table and how you use it 
to fire all 24 pins. As for the graphics, 3 pins firing at the same time 
is a function of the printer and therefore not true 24 pin useage, but 
true, the results are better. 
   Details, Jim, that is what us poor "end users" need!!!
DELINEATE!
     __@  __@
   _-\<, -\<,_
  (_)/---|/-(_)  --==>> ANDY <<==--
                ___________________

Andrew webster              andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Reply-To: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu
Organization: Dept. of Physics, University of Virginia
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 03:46:02 GMT

In article <1992Aug18.003534.22398@newshub.ariel.yorku.ca>, cs902117@ariel.yorku.ca (TONY D'ALFONSO) writes:
>According to Gary, he was able to bypass the VDP memory as it slows the 
>machine down (if I remember correctly...)
> 
It it the VDP RAM or the GROM that is slow?   I think it is the GROM,
and you cannot get rid of it (it is in the XB cartridge and in
the console) unless you go to soething like XB II w/128K, putting it
all in RAM...
(Without GROM, of course, you wouldn`t have quite enough memory for
everything on an open-architectur9900 based computer).
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: cs902117@ariel.yorku.ca (TONY D'ALFONSO)
Subject: Sophisticated Peripherals
Organization: York University, Toronto, Canada
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 00:35:25 GMT


Joseph, you mention NOT upgrading to more sophisticated peripherals?  Why not?
I can see your point in the way a company I am working for (Brewers Retail, 
a company that retails beer for all breweries.  I work in the TIPS/Technical
Service department).  The technology of the cash registers was state of the art
- in 1983.  They won't upgrade it as the attitude is "if it ain't broke, don't
fix it."  and because upgrading would cost money.  The registers do a fine job
(Sweda registers with a Z80 processor and hard drive to run inventory and 
balancing programs) but it has become a hassle to worry about the old machines.
We poll them every morning for the previous day's data (at 1200 baud) and 
work with the data with newer, sophisticated machines at the head office (I
have a 386 that is really used as a terminal for the network being run on a
Sun Sparc station).  The way I see it, they should dump those old registers
and terminals and put in computer systems with menu options that are directly
compatible with the systems at the head office (the registers are running 
Turbo DOS).  Why?  Because the newer technology is more practical and more
powerful (the registers' CPU has 128k vs say a 486 with touch screens and at
least a meg memory...  Which would you pick?)  They are thinking of changing
it, yet they still want to stick with ancient machines.

As a user, I can see the choice being between the 9 pin and 24 pin printers.
It would be cost and technology on a balance.  Older technology is not as 
good as the newer, but it is cheaper.  The way I see it, (almost have to agree
with the company now!) is if it can do the job, then why change it!  (Ok, so
I agree with you...  Now where's the basis of my argument?  My brain is 
fried and this message is making it worse.... )
  
    ____
     / o n y.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Reply-To: cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu
Organization: Dept. of Physics, University of Virginia
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 18:01:27 GMT

In article <Bt8Jxt.Eup@accelr8.com>, jim@accelr8.com (Jim Reiss) writes:

> ...On the graphics, again, I see little need
>for better pixel resolution.  Even a 9-pin printer does graphics well enough
>for home use.
>-- 

Interesting you should say that...   Let's look back for a moment.  When the
Single-Sided/Single density drives came, people wonder how they would ever
fill up a 90K diskettes with the few programs they had on cassettes...  Now
we have 360K drives on the TI, while the rest of the world is moving to
1.2/1.44 Megs.   And that 20ms track to track head access time Shugart drive
did seem fast, didn't it?   Well, people say that once you get used to a
RAM disk or HD you'll never give 'em up!  Look at screen graphics.  The first
"plug and play" home computer (TRS-80 model 1) had only B&W block graphics.
The Commodore PET was monochrome, too...  when the TI-99/4 came out with
16 colors it was unbelievable; then came the /4A with bit-mapped screen
graphics, NTSC (256X192 pixels)  and blew up everything else (except the
built-in BASIC did not allow a full use of all the features of the 9918A,
users had to wait till the EDT/ASM package came out).  Well, nowadays the
resolution is poor, we want 256 colors, and even the 9958 can't keep up
with the price/performance ratio of the SVGA IBM compatible video display.

Speech was another area where the TI was the first, and many did not
understand what good it was till they used it.   There are many other
examples.  Coming back to printers, the early dot-matrix printers were
5X7, no true descenders (for y,g,p,q, j) and no graphics.  When the
first really good dot-matrix printer came out (Epson MX-80), again some
people said that this is not necessary....   and even that MX-80
was constantly improved (look at a recent Epson 9-pin, such as LX-810
or FX-1050 to see what I mean).  The TI 99/4 impacr printer was a modifies
MX-80; it could not even do a REAL continuous underline (only broken
underscores).  Some said that was good enough for home use.

When the rest of the world moves to 24 pin printers, it might be worth-
while thinking for a minute: "perhaps there is some potential in there".
There is no need to copy EVERYTHING, but IMHO this has much more
potential than little gimmicks and games (though I wouldn't want the
other areas neglected, too  ! :-)

Anybody convinced?  :-)

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: olsone@aix.rpi.edu (Erik G. Olson)
Subject: Questions
Summary: where?
Organization: Rensselpolyinstatechnipolyniks, Troy NY
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 02:49:20 GMT

Where can I get the full-C compiler?

Is there lots of good stuff on 9640 News and can I buy back issues?

How do I join Genie? Isn't there a 800 modem number to join at? What
does service cost now?

It's really hard to get a hard disk system, isn't it? (I sense flurries
of motion in the background...)

Did anyone ever post a 9938 programmer's guide text file somewhere? 
Pity if they didn't.

---Unfrozen Caveman 99'er

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone)
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Reply-To: bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 04:22:43 GMT


In a previous article, andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Andrew webster) says:

>- Yes, if you can get Charles to release the source, I would be more than happ
>- to support it. 
>- 
>- Barry
>- 
>- -- 
>- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>- Barry Boone --- bd970@Cleveland.Freenet.EDU
>-                 76354.1637@Compuserve.com
>-                 U6637AP@VMS.UCC.OKSTATE.EDU (preferred)
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Ok, i've got your "YES" on log!  Does that mean yes re-write for these 
>new modem protocalls? Does this mean adding Zmodem etc..??
>
>
>Andrew webster              andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca 
>
Possibly... I would definately add Ymodem-g... which is faster than Zmodem,
but needs an error-free environment... I might do Zmodem, if I get time.  I am
currently involved in the DSR development for the new IDE controller, and I
also just got a copy of the source code to MDOS for the Geneve... and my
school starts Monday... <sigh> there is not enough time :)

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Barry Boone --- bd970@Cleveland.Freenet.EDU
                76354.1637@Compuserve.com
                U6637AP@VMS.UCC.OKSTATE.EDU (preferred)
From: andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Andrew webster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 11:07:37 MDT
Organization: Edmonton Remote Systems #3, Edmonton, AB, Canada

- OK, that makes two people who say 24 pin printer support is needed.  What
- do you mean?  I use a 24 pin printer exclusively and have no problem using
- it with TI-Writer or for printing out graphics.  What other support is needed
- -- 
-  Jim Reiss (jim@accelr8.com)    Phone: (303) 863-8088    Fax: (303) 863-1218
-  Accelr8 Technology ("The VMS to UNIX Connection"), Denver, Colorado, USA
-  Opinions expressed above are mine.  Who else would have them?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     24 Pin?  While you may be using a 24 pin printer on you TI-99 and 
TI-Writer you are only firing 9 of those pins and 24-9=15 unused pins!!!

     It sure would be nice to have 24 pin drivers for Ti-Writer and the 
other progs we use so much with our printers. It would be nice to get a 
laser driver for TI-Writer/FunnelWeb, wouldn't it? It is possible. Its a 
matter of our "brains" in the community to just "DO IT".. So we end users 
can carry on the dream...

     What do ya say, Jim??  

Andrew webster              andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: scannon@bluemoon.rn.com (Sam Cannon)
Subject: HP
Organization: Blue Moon BBS ((614) 868-998[024])
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 06:51:02 EDT

Curious about any news from TI re HP.  Anyone hanging out here
with any updates?

 
scannon@bluemoon.rn.com      --------------------------------------------
sam@resource.com              The Eupsychian Network - Abraham H. Maslow
CMHC Systems, Inc.           --------------------------------------------
                                           
              "Support Mental Health or I'll kill you"
 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone)
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Reply-To: bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 16:31:29 GMT


In a previous article, rdg@po.CWRU.Edu (Robert D. Gilpin) says:

>
>In a previous article, bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone) says:
> 
>>I am using a USR Dual Standard on my TI Rs232... to use the flow control,
>>I had to wire a custom cable, then write the low level assembler code to make
>>it work (I wrote my own Ymodem-g-batch protocol)... In other words, what you
>>want to do can be done... just not readily.
>>
>>Barry
>>
> 
> 
>Barry, has anyone ever said how amazing you are?
>
>
>-- 
>    Sig file under repair.
>
>
>

<grin> I just did not want to have to hook the USR modem up to an
"Irritatingly Bothersome Machine (IBM)"

Actually, I am using the USR on my Geneve, not a TI... the TI is capable of
doing high speed file transfers, but would get hopelessly bogged on screen
access at speeds exceeding 9600 baud...

What is needed is for Charles Earl to release the source code to TELCO,
so that people can modify it for the hardware flow control, etc.

By the way, one does not need hardware flow control, unless you are either
(A) using a streaming protocol (i.e. Ymodem-G-Batch), or trying to capture
continuous ASCII, and your modem can't be programmed for XON/XOFF. (this is
the "flow control" that TELCO uses... it only works during logging to disk.)
Also, the Circular interrupt on a TI can't keep up above about 2400-4800
baud, (or 9600 if you try to use the CIB for a file xfer).

Bottom line... there is no reason the TI cannot be used with a high speed
modem... just a matter of writing the software to do it.

Barry

P.S. Ignore the U6637AP account in my .sig

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Barry Boone --- bd970@Cleveland.Freenet.EDU
                76354.1637@Compuserve.com
                U6637AP@VMS.UCC.OKSTATE.EDU (preferred)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu (Keith Rice)
Subject: Looking for ti-99/a info
Organization: University of North Texas
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 00:51:45 GMT

I am looking for any info on the net regarding the TI-99/A.  I just
picked one up from a garage sale for $5 but all I got was the system
itself and the power supply.  _Any_ info would be appreciated.

I am most interested in finding a video adapter so I can at least
poke around it for now.

Thanks!

--
Keith
drice@ponder.csci.unt.edu

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone)
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Reply-To: bd970@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Barry E. Boone)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 04:29:10 GMT


In a previous article, cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu () says:

>In article <1992Aug18.003534.22398@newshub.ariel.yorku.ca>, cs902117@ariel.yorku.ca (TONY D'ALFONSO) writes:
>>According to Gary, he was able to bypass the VDP memory as it slows the 
>>machine down (if I remember correctly...)
>> 
>It it the VDP RAM or the GROM that is slow?   I think it is the GROM,
>and you cannot get rid of it (it is in the XB cartridge and in
>the console) unless you go to soething like XB II w/128K, putting it
>all in RAM...
>(Without GROM, of course, you wouldn`t have quite enough memory for
>everything on an open-architectur9900 based computer).
>

It is BOTH the VDP RAM and GROM that are slow :)  However slow GROM primarily
hurts the things written in GPL, or that use GPL-based routines (like certain
floating point functions)... Actually, with proper control of interrupts, there
is no advantage to dumping incoming characters (with Zmodem or whatever) into
CPU RAM or VDP RAM, as most of the time is spent polling the serial port anyway
(unless of course a program is idiotic enough to use inetrrupts to handle 
incoming characters during a file xfer... gee TELCO does this doesn't it :)

Barry

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Barry Boone --- bd970@Cleveland.Freenet.EDU
                76354.1637@Compuserve.com
                U6637AP@VMS.UCC.OKSTATE.EDU (preferred)
From: andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Andrew webster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
Subject: Re: TI developing: what's up, what's in, what's out there?
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 13:07:48 MDT
Organization: Edmonton Remote Systems #2, Edmonton, AB, Canada

- 
- Nowadays I get paid to write C on monster workstations, which raises
- the question, why do I still have a TI? Well... it's fun to write a
- little assembly now and then. I might even tackle a big program if
- I had a killer C compiler. (No I'm not taking suggestions; I have
- enough already. A cool game, or, heavens, another BBS program
- that I actually did write ANSI C routines for just as an exercise (!),
- or most unmarketable of them all, a GIS (Geographic Information System)
- that interfaces to TI-Base. I think that would be really cute-- a mapping
- program on a TI. You'd almost need a CD-ROM drive then...)
- 
- Ramble mode:
- 
- (I better post ramble separately.)
- -- 
- Erik G. Olson          =+ There was Virtue in the world before there was
- olsone@rpi.edu         =+ Orthodoxy in it.
-                        =+ --The Independent Whig (as quoted by John Adams) 

__________________________________________________________________________

Hmmmmmm...  I accept your "detailed" reason why you use F'Web 3.x. 
Have you tried Art Greens Rag Assemblerer/Linker, its small and top 
notch? 
About your Geneve, I believe there is hope yet for it now that the source 
is in the right hands...
About writing a BBS program, you would do a great service to the TI
community if you developed a 100% assembly or c BBS program that 
supported full ANSI color and the option to go 40/80 col. We in Edmonton 
are currently writting a full blown BBS program based on the Telco 
modular concept, not Rambo as we had initially planed to do, but it is a
slow process as we only have 2 busy programmers. Are you interested?
     __@  __@
   _-\<, -\<,_
  (_)/---|/-(_)  --==>> ANDY <<==--
                ___________________

Andrew webster              andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: cohen@BORN.phys.virginia.edu
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Reply-To: cohen@BORN.phys.virginia.edu
Organization: Dept. of Physics, University of Virginia
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 16:00:31 GMT

In article <RXDsPB1w165w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca>, andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Andrew webster) writes:
>cohen@GOMEZ.phys.virginia.edu writes:
>
>__________________________________________________________________________
>__________________________________________________________________________
>
>THANKS FOR THE HISTORY LESSON, JOSEPH!!
>BUT, WHATS YOUR POINT??
>
>     __@  __@
>   _-\<, -\<,_
>  (_)/---|/-(_)  --==>> ANDY <<==--
>                ___________________
>
>
>__________________________________________________________________________
>__________________________________________________________________________
>
>Andrew webster              andy-w@ersys.edmonton.ab.ca 
The point was simply that it might be a good idea not to ignore
the potential benefits of more advanced and sophisticated peripherals!
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: lilley@epcot.spdc.ti.com (Shannon Lilley)
Subject: TIPC parts for sale
Organization: TI Semiconductor Process and Design Center
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 13:08:40 GMT

I have several complete TIPC's for sale. Color monitor,3-plane graphics,512k or
 768k memory,single or dual floppy,single or dual serial port,10mb or 20mb 
hard drives. Prices range from $150 to $180. This does not include shipping.
Also have various replacement boards.

Shannon Lilley
lilley@spdc.ti.com
(214)530-2846 


Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: jim@accelr8.com (Jim Reiss)
Subject: Re: Barry Boone
Organization: Accelr8 Technology Corporation
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 19:09:16 GMT

>SO. Your saying that if, say, I, was able to get Charles to release the 
>source to Telco, that you would work it over for us all? That we might be 
>able to use MNP 5 and .42bis tec.. with our TI-99/4A's???
>
>Well Barry? Cause we need what Joe in a previous message was talking 
>about. Up dated Telco, 24 pin/laser driver support etc... And it happens 
>that, well, your a brain! We need your brain!
OK, that makes two people who say 24 pin printer support is needed.  What
do you mean?  I use a 24 pin printer exclusively and have no problem using
it with TI-Writer or for printing out graphics.  What other support is needed?
-- 
 Jim Reiss (jim@accelr8.com)    Phone: (303) 863-8088    Fax: (303) 863-1218
 Accelr8 Technology ("The VMS to UNIX Connection"), Denver, Colorado, USA
 Opinions expressed above are mine.  Who else would have them?
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti
From: olsone@aix.rpi.edu (Erik G. Olson)
Subject: Ramble Ramble GIS Ramble Ramble
Summary: Wouldn't it be cool if
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 02:42:20 GMT

or most unmarketable of them all, a GIS (Geographic Information System)
that interfaces to TI-Base. I think that would be really cute- a mapping
program on a TI. You'd almost need a CD-ROM drive then...)
 
Ramble mode:

At least, it would have *one* good use. Except that I only know of
zero public-domain U.S. highway map data. You could zoom in on your U.S.
map, drawn on the screen in bright pastel line segments, and click on highway 
segments and have it add up the distances. Neat, huh? (Oh yeah. I'm assuming
a mouse.)

Afterwards it would let you do calculations on the elevation along the way,
making little profile pictures, averages, that sort of thing. Do wonders
for your daily Print-Shop kind of job-- make lots of custom world maps,
zoom in on the Baltics, or cut out Australia, maybe even finally learn your
Canadian provinces, heck, you could edit your Balkans as soon as CNN tells
you where to draw the borders! Or just see how Greenland looks when you cast 
it into a polar projection instead of sturdy ol' Mercator. (which, by the way,
has been dubbed the politically incorrect map for the 90's. You know, the 
one with the bloated Greenland, and on which Africa is smaller than it 
should be in comparison with Great Britain, and Germany looks like the 
center of the world?) 

Just making this program tick on the TI would be a real challenge in
graphics number-crunching technology. Oh boy oh boy. 

Some other applications: Useful computerized Census data for 1980 and 1990 
can be found in the public domain. (So are sewer maps for New York but 
never mind them.) With this data, grouped at the state level, filling
up just one floppy disk, you could answer those nagging questions, like,
what states have the largest population DENSITY. Or, say, which state
has the largest surplus female population, percentagewise, and what other 
factors does that correlate with? (Answer: New York, and I bet they're mostly
elderly people.) All this would show up graphically, in the form of shading 
or coloring or scattered dot densities. Finally, the TI-Base connection:
say you had a mailing list, and a map of all the zip codes in Texas. (The
whole U.S. zip code map is too big to even think about.) You could have
this program read the TI-Base file and draw little triangles where your
people were! Isn't that neat? Or you could plot all the TI user groups and
go around testing potential TI-Fest-West sites to check out how far everybody
would be flying to get there. People use these things in the wider world
to keep tabs on customers and sales areas; also, forests, and Arabs. Now
think-- on your TI! Ooh..

OK, dream over. (Where can I get this C compiler?)

NOTE: Don't even think of quoting this article whole if you followup!
-- 
Erik G. Olson          =+ There was Virtue in the world before there was
olsone@rpi.edu         =+ Orthodoxy in it.
                       =+ --The Independent Whig (as quoted by John Adams)