Omega-TI Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Do any of you still use your TI for anything useful besides games (entertainment)? Do you have an application that you prefer to do perform the TI instead of on your modern system? Do you have any suggestions for others on practical applications? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew180 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Games? The 99/4A has games? Teaching kids to code and tinkering with a computer for fun are on my list of "useful" things for the 99/4A. Instant-on computer with ROM BASIC still have a lot of value IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertLM78 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) Instant-on computer with ROM BASIC still have a lot of value IMO. That's the truth! Edited May 23, 2014 by RobertLM78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfernalKeith Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 One of the million "back burner" ideas rattling around in my head is for a series of YouTube videos of someone doing non-gaming computer applications -- keeping their books, monitoring a diet plan, household inventory, etc -- with a TI 99/4A, 1981-style, for a period of time. It'd be an interesting experiment, if nothing else. I can't picture too many scenarios where application software would be practical -- the idea of typing an entire novel into a 40-column screen-shifting word processor gives me a mild panic attack now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertLM78 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 ...the idea of typing an entire novel into a 40-column screen-shifting word processor gives me a mild panic attack now. LOL - well, with a F18A or any other 80-column capable card, typing a novel wouldn't be such a daunting task . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfernalKeith Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Better throw in a Rave 99 keyboard, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthew180 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Back in the day we used what we had. Now we have better computers in a lot of areas. Heck, we all wished back in the day that the 99/4A had more colors, more pixels, better sound, more RAM, etc. Even today it is what everyone talks about with the new hardware projects and such. Basically what a modern computer has provided. But there are still some things that get lost with the modern systems. I don't code on the real 99/4A any more, it is much easier on a PC. Same with what InfernalKeith said about word processing. But for tinkering, some quick programming for fun, playing a twitch game, etc. old computers can't be beat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 ... the idea of typing an entire novel into a 40-column screen-shifting word processor gives me a mild panic attack now. Me too - but you know something, in 80 column mode, Funnelweb would probably do me just fine. I think I could write a book with it no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 (edited) Well my TI99/4A hardware consisted of: Black & Silver TI99/4A with Turbo/Normal switch, Interrupt Switch and Reset button. SCSI Controller card with latest EPROM including CUT Directory. And I had 3 Barracuda SCSI 5Gig hard drives. (Yea I know mostly unused space) Myarc QDDS Floppy controller card or Corcomp Floppy Controller card with 4 3.5 disk drives RS232 card PGRAM card with a Bud Mills mode GRAM write protect switch on back. So I could load GPL Object code into GRAM SAMS 1Meg card Horizon 4000 RAMDISK card with some custom modes that Bud Mills put on card for me. Like a write protect on DSR TIM CARD using the 9958 and running 80 column Funnel Web for writing source code. Most of this hardware is now dead, TIM card died, Horizon burned up, PGRAMs performance is glitchy, and the custom built by me TI99/4A console died. So now I use Classic99 and want to make a MESS version of my old system that I had in hardware. 80 Colunm card is the one I miss the most. Edited May 27, 2014 by RXB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Vorticon Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 One of the million "back burner" ideas rattling around in my head is for a series of YouTube videos of someone doing non-gaming computer applications -- keeping their books, monitoring a diet plan, household inventory, etc -- with a TI 99/4A, 1981-style, for a period of time. It'd be an interesting experiment, if nothing else. I can't picture too many scenarios where application software would be practical -- the idea of typing an entire novel into a 40-column screen-shifting word processor gives me a mild panic attack now. A few years ago I experimented with using Multiplan to keep track of my home finances, and it was just too cumbersome and limited particularly in 40 columns (this predated the F18A), but nonetheless very doable in a pinch. My biggest fear however was hardware failure on such aging equipment and loss of important data, so I broke down and shifted to Quicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+hloberg Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 (edited) A few years ago I experimented with using Multiplan to keep track of my home finances, and it was just too cumbersome and limited particularly in 40 columns (this predated the F18A) Is there a 80 column version for the f18a? And while I'm on the subject of multiplan, is there a copy that doesn't require the cartridge? Edited May 27, 2014 by hloberg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TI-Sissy Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 my diary. my bf thinks its garbage so he does not go near it. i dont think he can figure it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkeey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 my diary. my bf thinks its garbage so he does not go near it. i dont think he can figure it out! Talk about security by obscurity. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertLM78 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 my diary. my bf thinks its garbage so he does not go near it. i dont think he can figure it out! Huh, cool . What do you use for storage? Do you have a disk system going? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkeey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) I do not want to speak for TI-Sissy, but I think she has a Nano-PEB. Reminds me.. I need to get my hands on one of these. Edited May 29, 2014 by slinkeey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TI-Sissy Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Huh, cool . What do you use for storage? Do you have a disk system going? cf card 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertLM78 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Reminds me.. I need to get my hands on one of these. cf card I'd like to check out the nano myself - but there are a few things ahead of that on the list . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Vorticon Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Is there a 80 column version for the f18a? And while I'm on the subject of multiplan, is there a copy that doesn't require the cartridge? Attached is the 80 column version which works with the F18A. TIMP80.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share Posted May 29, 2014 my diary. my bf thinks its garbage so he does not go near it. i dont think he can figure it out! Sissy, if you want an 'extra layer' of protection for your diary. use the program attached below. It'll encrypt any file you want... just don't forget your password! Encrypt.zip 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkeey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'd like to check out the nano myself - but there are a few things ahead of that on the list . I currently have no way to save anything, so that is why it is next on my list. I refuse to get a cassette recorder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertLM78 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 ... I refuse to get a cassette recorder. The first means I had for saving on the TI was a cassette player. That was the mid-90's after having been 'back' in to the TI for about a year, so I was pretty grateful to have something. But, I can understand your point - I'm not sure I could go back to cassette only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkeey Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Yeah, my TI cassette days were in the late 80's. It was fun to mess around with when I was a kid. Even for music when cassettes were out, I preferred vinyl. I could drop the needle anywhere, and start playing what I want, instead of screwing around with [>>] and [<<]. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share Posted May 30, 2014 Reminds me.. I need to get my hands on one of these. Speaking of that REMIND ME! is a great useful program for the TI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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