Did anyone ever use the Compuserve store on the Aquarius?

[EdgeOfPortal]

I was reading through some of my Aquarius manuals and documentation, and came across a pamphlet in the modem’s box talking about an online store you could use with an Aquarius modem and Compu-Serve subscription. Just wondering if anyone used this back in the 80s.

[+MattelAquarius]

I ordered my modem direct from Mattel Electronics while they were liquidating their last remaining inventory, must have been summer of '84?.  By then, there was already no such thing as the Aquarius network, which according to the documentation, had a menu option for the CompuStore.  I don't believe I ever attempted to contact the Compustore directly, however.  I was 10 years old, and didn't have any money to spend that way.  I was already getting grunts and groans from my dad about the $6.00 per hour CompuServe connection fees. 

 

More rambling memories...

 

As you can imagine, after Christmas '83, it was nearly impossible to find Aquarius items at any stores.  I sent in a subscription to the Aquarius User's club (advertised in the back of every catalog that came with Aquarius items), but the envelope just came back.    I had no known way of getting any new games, peripherals, etc.  I started calling any Mattel Electronics phone number I could find in the manuals.  I was excited to have someone answer one, and a man said they had an order sheet he could send me for their last remaining stock.  A week later, it arrived.  At first, I ordered just a data recorder cable (not the actual recorder, that was too expensive).  It was only a few bucks.  That enabled me to seriously start dabbling in BASIC. 

 

My parents were pleased that I didn't try to order games right off, and saw my simple programming skills progress.  So, later I was able to convince them to get the printer, modem, and data recorder.  Not all were ordered at the same time.  With just the data cable, I had a really hard time saving and loading reliably from a regular old tape recorder.  It was a miracle to get the Modem program to load properly, until FINALLY I got the actual Aquarius Data Recorder.  Regarding the order sheet from Mattel, I distinctly remember being disappointed that the "real" computer software, like FinForm and FileForm were crossed out (sold out).  I wanted to further prove the worth of the computer to my parents, and I was sure I'd be able to help out with the budget and takes, if only I had that software. 

 

Almost immediately, I had to send my printer in for warranty repair (the paper advance button didn't work).  My dad was surprised they were still accepting warranty returns, having known that they were "abandoned" already.  He knew this, because when he bought it for my Christmas '83 present, it was already priced at fire sale rates at KayBee Toys.   I devised a plan to get a "free" roll of printer paper by removing my roll before sending it into Mattel.  I figured they'd need to put a roll in to test the repair, and would "forget" it there.  It worked!  I got the printer back with a new roll inside.  Heh heh.  I think I put a small pencil mark somewhere on the printer before shipping it, to see if I got the same one back.  If memory serves, it was in fact the same printer.

 

The best part was they included a new "catalog" sheet from Crimac Inc.  That listed all the new (and new old stock) from Radofin.  Then later, I received the famous order sheet from Bentley Industries.  

 

End of ramble.

 

 

 

 

 

[EdgeOfPortal]

6 hours ago, MattelAquarius said:

I ordered my modem direct from Mattel Electronics while they were liquidating their last remaining inventory, must have been summer of '84?.  By then, there was already no such thing as the Aquarius network, which according to the documentation, had a menu option for the CompuStore.  I don't believe I ever attempted to contact the Compustore directly, however.  I was 10 years old, and didn't have any money to spend that way.  I was already getting grunts and groans from my dad about the $6.00 per hour CompuServe connection fees. 

 

More rambling memories...

 

As you can imagine, after Christmas '83, it was nearly impossible to find Aquarius items at any stores.  I sent in a subscription to the Aquarius User's club (advertised in the back of every catalog that came with Aquarius items), but the envelope just came back.    I had no known way of getting any new games, peripherals, etc.  I started calling any Mattel Electronics phone number I could find in the manuals.  I was excited to have someone answer one, and a man said they had an order sheet he could send me for their last remaining stock.  A week later, it arrived.  At first, I ordered just a data recorder cable (not the actual recorder, that was too expensive).  It was only a few bucks.  That enabled me to seriously start dabbling in BASIC. 

 

My parents were pleased that I didn't try to order games right off, and saw my simple programming skills progress.  So, later I was able to convince them to get the printer, modem, and data recorder.  Not all were ordered at the same time.  With just the data cable, I had a really hard time saving and loading reliably from a regular old tape recorder.  It was a miracle to get the Modem program to load properly, until FINALLY I got the actual Aquarius Data Recorder.  Regarding the order sheet from Mattel, I distinctly remember being disappointed that the "real" computer software, like FinForm and FileForm were crossed out (sold out).  I wanted to further prove the worth of the computer to my parents, and I was sure I'd be able to help out with the budget and takes, if only I had that software. 

 

Almost immediately, I had to send my printer in for warranty repair (the paper advance button didn't work).  My dad was surprised they were still accepting warranty returns, having known that they were "abandoned" already.  He knew this, because when he bought it for my Christmas '83 present, it was already priced at fire sale rates at KayBee Toys.   I devised a plan to get a "free" roll of printer paper by removing my roll before sending it into Mattel.  I figured they'd need to put a roll in to test the repair, and would "forget" it there.  It worked!  I got the printer back with a new roll inside.  Heh heh.  I think I put a small pencil mark somewhere on the printer before shipping it, to see if I got the same one back.  If memory serves, it was in fact the same printer.

 

The best part was they included a new "catalog" sheet from Crimac Inc.  That listed all the new (and new old stock) from Radofin.  Then later, I received the famous order sheet from Bentley Industries.  

 

End of ramble.

 

 

 

 

 

Although this wasn’t what I asked, this was a great read! I never did call Mattel Electronics or use their order sheet, so this was very interesting.