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Thank you for the game. Chuck Yeager would be happy with the title!

There are many who helped me get into computers. My Cousin Lee Courtney told me about the TI 99/4A home computer because it was the first true 16-bit CPU on the home market. He was going to College with a Mathematics Major and Minored in Computers. He worked a giant Mainframe at Cal Poly Pomona while studying. He then went on to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (new Mexico Tech). His best friend in New Mexico, Phil Olguin, had a TI, but preferred his fully decked out MITS Altair 8800 with screen and keyboard! Once I bought my TI, at great expense, I had to learn about how to operate it with the manuals that came with it, and magazines I could pick up from the rack. Eventually I joined a TI Club meeting many mentors, teachers and fellow noobs to computers. One man stands out, and I would like to Honor him here: Bob Butts, may he rest in peace, had a wonderful Wife. I am ashamed to admit I've forgotten her name after so many years (about 33 years ago). Out of the Blue, She called me one day and told me that Bob had had a lingering illness and that he had finally succumbed to it. Bob never told me, but he seemed frail all of the time I knew him. She wondered if I would like a gift of his TI computer with the PEB stuffed full of glorious things like a dual-disk controller, disk drives, RS232 card, 32K memory card and PASCAL card with supporting software. I gladly accepted with great honor. I have to think that Bob asked her to call me with this wonderful offer, once he had passed. No fanfare. Just a kind, quiet gesture. At the time all I had was a console, voice synthesizer, cassette player/recorder, Games on tape, some financial, Extended Basic, mini-memory and terminal emulator (to work with voice synthesis) cartridges. I subscribed to Micropendium, was active in my TI Club and eventually wrote a pamphlet entitled "Easy Assembly". She knew me from the dozens and dozens of visits I made with Bob. He and I were members of the Pomona Valley 99er's Club. I went over to his house to talk 99/4A, computing in general, program and print out the programs I had written that week. He was a great mentor, and a very patient and nice man. Without his help I doubt I would be as far along with computers as I am. I ended up as an IT Network guy and eventually became a Systems Analyst for a large non-profit Family Foundation. I will be retiring from there soon. I have to credit Bob Butts for the inspiration, knowledge, confidence, hardware and software to boost me into a wonderful lifelong career. Bob Butts - A great TI 99/4A man! Thank you Bob. I'll see you one day, in Heaven.

You are a very cruel man. In a nice kind of way. I like that!

Where was I? Oh yeah, printers... I am seeing multiple cross-references in the print codes. If I just memorize the new codes, can I just use them instead? I can forget about the old and use the new, unless TI-Writer and other programs have the codes hardwired in the machine code. Maybe it does not matter, as long as raw text is printed on paper, what do I care? I should just give it a whirl. Propeller spinning. Aircraft... NO! Printers! Stay on task.

I got to meet Bob Hoover twice. Yes. I am a Lucky man. Once as a teenager at an Air Show in Orange County. He had just parked his Yellow P-51 Mustang at the end of the flight line and I ran over there realizing no one else was there! I got to shake his hand with no one around and say something stupid ,I'm sure, but it was glorious. He treated me like I was the only kid on earth. What a moment. The second time was at the Palm Springs Air Museum fund raising Gala. He looked old and frail, but he was dressed to the 9's and wearing his Trademark flat brimmed straw hat! I said hello to him as we were all exiting the event. I also was able to tell him "Thank You for your performances over the years", and it was a thrill to meet him as a teenager and he took the time to talk with me. He was amused by this and smiled. He was a genuine good egg and a fantastic pilot! One of the best.

Got your PM and answered. My little fire engine red (inside and out) coupe '66 Mustang had a 289, 4 barrel carb, with a 4 speed and a dual-Tachometer and Clock cluster attached at the top of the steering wheel column! Stock Mustang hub-caps and white wall tires turned in on the rims so only black showed! I put dual exhaust on it and tore up Southern California for 4 years. Many speeding tickets back in the day. I bought it for $900 and sold it for $900. A free Mustang for 4 years! My blood runs Ford Blue, so, yeah. I've seen Ford Vs Ferrari, more than once. Thanks for the heads-up. Fabulous story.

That thing is on another level entirely. I can't believe it was designed in the 60's! They had Slide Rules! Pocket Protectors galore as well, I assume. I'm sure there's something else hidden in the shadows today that will leave it in the dust, but come on! It's dust is at 85,000 feet and at Mach 3+! Eat My Dust!

Good Lord! I can't even imagine! The landings on those loooong gear legs with the stiff structure looks great! I dreamed of that thing as a young man. All I could pull back then was a 1966 mustang. I have a million questions, but I'll settle for just one answer (please): As a pilot, of no doubt several types, how was it to fly?

Sorry for the spacing problems. This web based word processing system is NOT text only... so... I'm on my way. I have both code systems for both printers now. Or so I think. Can't get oranges to oranges comparisons yet. I just need to figure out what the new stuff actually means. Also, I do not see a BELL command on the new machine! Gotta have one of those to play with! ======================================= EPSON MX-80 dot-matrix printer TI-HACKERS Handy Conversion Chart #2 CONTROL 'U' COMMAND LIST FOR TI-WRITER USING EPSON COMPATIBLE PRINTERS Symbols used: <ESC> = CONTROL "U" FUNCTION "R" CONTROL "U" <CHR> = CONTROL "U" SHIFT (specific character) CONTROL "U" Examples: <ESC> M = CONTROL "U" FUNCTION "R" CONTROL "U" M <CHR> O = CONTROL "U" SHIFT "O" CONTROL "U" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRINT FUNCTION ENABLE DISABLE WIDTH ------------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------ ELITE mode <ESC> M <ESC> P continuous EXPANDED <ESC> W1 <ESC> W0 (WO ?) COMPRESSED mode <CHR> O (0 ?) <CHR> R single line EXPANDED <CHR> N <CHR> T PRINT FUNCTION ENABLE DISABLE QUALITY ------------------------- ----------------------- ------------------------ EMPHASIZED mode <ESC> E <ESC> F DOUBLE STRIKE mode <ESC> G <ESC> H SUPERSCRIPT mode <ESC> SO (S0 ?) <ESC> T SUBSCRIPT mode <ESC> S1 <ESC> T UNDERLINE mode <ESC> -1 <ESC> -0 (-O ?) MASTER RESET CODE <ESC> O (0, Q ?) ALTERNATE FUNCTION ENABLE DISABLE CHARACTER ------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- SETS ITALIC mode <ESC> 4 <ESC> 5 GRAPHIC CHARACTER SET <ESC> m <CHR> D <ESC> m <CHR> 0 (O ?) SPECIAL FUNCTION ENABLE DISABLE PRINTER ------------------------- -------------------- -------------------- FEATURES BELL .1 SECOND <CHR> G BACKSPACE <CHR> H HALF SPEED mode <ESC> s1 <ESC> s0 PAPER FUNCTION ENABLE DISABLE FEED ------------------------ --------------------- --------------------- COMMANDS FORM FEED <CHR> L CARRIAGE RETURN <CHR> M PAPER SENSOR <ESC> 9 <ESC> 8 * Refer to TI-HACKERS chart #1 for DECIMAL equivalent if necessary. (Example: If n = 8 then procedure is <CHR> H) Note: Since these codes are imbeded in the text, the formatter is NOT required in most cases. However, since control codes do not show up in the printed text as they do on your screen you will have to adjust your format to comensate. One example would be if the underline feature was activated it would require three line characters, so text would have to be moved over three spaces. This looks weird on the screen, but the printed result is very sharp looking. ======================================= EPSON LX-350 dot-matrix printer LX-350 supports the EPSON ESC/P control codes & IBM PPDS emulation control codes listed: EPSON ESC/P control codes Selecting an EPSON ESC/P printer in your software allows you to use advanced fonts and graphics. General operation: ESC @, ESC U Paper feeding: FF, LF, ESC 0, ESC 1, ESC 2, ESC 3, ESC A, CR Page format: ESC (C, ESC C, ESC C 0, ESC Q, ESC l, ESC (c, ESC N, ESC O, ESC (U Print position motion: ESC $, ESC \, ESC D, HT, ESC B, VT, ESC J Font selection: ESC k, ESC x, ESC y, ESC P, ESC M, ESC g, ESC p, ESC 4, ESC 5, ESC E, ESC F, ESC ! Font enhancement: ESC W, DC4, SO, DC2, SI, ESC w, ESC G, ESC H, ESC T, ESC S, ESC - Spacing: ESC Space Character handling: ESC t, ESC (t, ESC R, ESC %, ESC &, ESC :, ESC I, ESC 6, ESC 7 Bit image: ESC K, ESC L, ESC Y, ESC Z, ESC *, ESC ^ Bar code: ESC (B IBM PPDS emulation control codes This printer emulates the IBM Proprinter using the commands below. For detailed information, see the IBM PPDS reference manual. General operation: NUL, DC3, ESC j, BEL, CAN, DC1, ESC Q, ESC [ K, ESC U Paper feeding: FF, LF, ESC 5, ESC A, ESC 0, ESC 1, ESC 2, ESC 3, CR, ESC ] Page format: ESC C, ESC C0, ESC X, ESC N, ESC O, ESC 4 Print position motion: ESC d, ESC R, ESC D, HT, ESC B, VT, ESC J Font selection: DC2, ESC P, ESC :, ESC E, ESC F, ESC I, ESC [d, ESC [I Font enhancement: DC4, SO, ESC SO, ESC W, ESC [ @, SI, ESC SI, ESC G, ESC H, ESC T, ESC S, ESC -, ESC _ Spacing: BS, SP Character handling: ESC 6, ESC 7, ESC [ T, ESC ^, ESC ¥ Bit image: ESC K, ESC L, ESC Y, ESC Z Bar code: ESC [f, ESC [p Download: ESC = The IBM code has BELL! That's nice.

A Kelly Johnson work of Engineering Art. We all know the Skunk Works team did 90% of the grunt work using their calculating slide rules and an occasional foray into an IBM's lair for some general ground work. Compromises in places where it won't count (fuel leaking on the ground, requiring in-air-refueling, human body protection from the blazing heat, cool-fuel routed just under the wings skin to keep it from melting, engine nacelle shock-cone problems causing an engine un-start condition slamming the pilots helmet against the cockpit, causing adverse yaw possibly leading to catastrophic fuselage failure etc etc), but when on task and blazing across the sky... It's ALL business! Just don't expect to turn on a dime when at full bananas.

You guys are making my day. Thank you all for your service! I was too young for Vietnam, but I was in the last Lottery for the Draft. My Birthday was in one of those large blue pills rolling around with all the other guys. My number was not called, but by then, even if I were drafted, I would have been relegated to marching around in the heat or unloading planes for the guys just coming home. Here's an off-topic, T-38 Talon related story. My Cousin and I attended a Thunderbird's show at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It was a VERY windy day and they should have called off the show, but pressed on anyway. Chuck Yeager flew supersonic for the last time in an SR-71 at that show. My cousin was a bold and saucy fellow and told me to follow his lead. We walked up to the VIP set of bleachers that were guarded by armed guards. My cousin said something to the guy, and he raised the yellow tape and let us in! We walked up the bleachers and sat in the center/center area. The Thunderbird Announcer was right in front of us. Quite a PERFECT location to watch the show. Then I realized that my knees were up against the back of a man that looked familiar. It turned out to be Buzz Aldrin! You know, the 'Right Stuff', 'second man on the Moon' guy. The wind was howling, but the T-38 Talon Thunderbird's took off and started their show. Their routines were great as ever, but they sure changed positions as the wind blew them off course here and there. They wobbled and yawed a bit. Then two of them headed right at each other, low on the deck, just over the runway. They went into a mirrored knife-edge so their wings were 90 degrees to the ground. A HUGE GUST of wind struck just as they passed! Buzz Aldrin pressed back into my legs and winced like he was dodging a fast ball! His hands raised a bit and then just as they passed without incident, he regained composure and sat up subdued once more. Something MUST have been VERY dangerous for him to react that way! I saw Buzz Aldrin wince regarding a T-38 Talon in action! THE END. Ummm... Uh... I want to print an image of a T-38 Talon on my new printer being driven by my Ti 99/4A. (Did anyone notice we were off-topic?)

You Sir... understand! And then the Thunderbird's had a brain-wave and got some for all of us to ogle at. I concur with your opinion. A Beautiful Aircraft, even if it was a Trainer. It was the most elegant and wicked Trainer of all time! During the Apollo missions the Astronauts had their own private T-38's to travel from Coast-To-Coast for the program. I want one too!

Excellent! THANK YOU! You are a kind person. I was looking for those last night, and then I had to sleep. I think I was up until 3:30AM. Some light reading and then I'll hunt down the LX-350 manual and codes. Maybe there won't be any guess work after all.

Bob's your Uncle, is right! I think it's just that simple. I had read that someone here, used a Laser Printer with his TI, and said; "If it's got a parallel port, It'll work". That's the kind of chutzpah I need! I should just pull the trigger on the LX-350 and keep the shipping box and receipt. My Uncle Bob is RIGHT! Ah... to be able to remember codes within a word processor so you can italicize something. Yes, Electro-Archeology is also something we are forced into once we bought our first home computer, no matter the brand. A TL code here, and a TL code there and I'll be writing Novels and Screen Plays with my trusty TI in no time! Who needs Word, Edit, WordPad or Libre Write? We have TL codes darn-it! Well, probably just a coin toss program in Basic, but that's almost the same... right? Thanks for the info... and banter.

It's a thing of beauty. It'll be awesome once it's sorted. Take your time and enjoy the journey. When this one's done, you'll be forced to think up something new!