Using your Atari computers for real work?

[atarialoha]

4 hours ago, BobJones said:

I used my Atari 400 (64k upgrade and keyboard upgrade) to run my office for many years, 1985 - 1989.  I used Print Shop like there was no tomorrow for adverts, and newsletters.  I used Atari Writer II for word processing and generating reports.  BTW I ran an investigation and accident reconstruction company.  I also used Synfile for my client database and printing labels, Syncron (I think that was the name) for calendar and case management.  At one point I upgraded to an 130XE and an Indus GT Drive.

 

Around 1990 I upgraded to a 1040 ST and moved my business to that, but it was still Atari!  I used atari stuff until 1994 when I closed my business and went to work for another company.

 

 

Haha the days when Broderbund Print Shop output was sufficiently professional for business use! ???

[Kyle22]

I used to have a DataBase program for CP/M called MAG/Base 3. It is a BEAUTIFUL database. If anyone can find this, PLEASE let me know.

Thanks. PM me.

 

[gilsaluki]

This weekend I fired up Computes! Speedcalc program and built an expense table.  I am going to try to track my outgoing money for the next year to see where I am spending my hard-earned cash.  It is a really easy-to-learn spreadsheet.  

[Lord Thag]

On 5/17/2021 at 1:25 PM, atarialoha said:

Intrigued by your dot matrix ribbon. It has lasted for so long? I remember some magazine article (I mean, back in the day, not a recent magazine) mentioning how to extend the ink supply by rigging up a small sponge at the end (past the print head) portion of the ribbon, and you would drip a bit of ink onto that sponge, whereby the sponge would re-ink the ribbon as it goes past and back into the cartridge. But the ribbon of course gets physically worn out eventually.

 

I think I tried that scheme but it was a huge mess (not unlike trying to reload my own laser toners; shoot, one time I was trying to take toner from one incompatible cartridge to put into another one and when I was struggling with it, the whole toner cartridge suddenly opened up and toner flew everywhere! It was pretty scary too, cuz I didn't want to breathe in the stuff.)

 

I had the Epson MX-80, and then later some other "Near Letter Quality (NLQ)" model maybe from Epson or another vendor.

Yeah it's this ancient trick, think I got it out of an old 80s PC mag: You stretch the ribbon out flat, and hit it with WD-40. This breaks up all the old, dried ink and makes it 'work' again. This one's had the same on in it since the 90's I believe, though to be fair, it's not like I'm printing reams either.

Still, it's a great way to revitalize old ribbons. You can add new ink too if needed.

[Tonyscouter]

On 5/11/2021 at 7:20 PM, Gunstar said:

This is one of my planned future projects that I will use my dual-PIA and Pokeymax upgrades with 8 controller ports on my 800, to do. Have an 8-bit smart house with the 6502 to manage, and my multiple POKEY and PIA upgrades carrying out the control and communication through the 8 ports, some out to Atarilab interfaces and some ports directly to 9-pin plugs, to connect to the outside world and on to my household environment. I'm also learning to program so I can create the software myself for this and other planned projects.

Gunstar, Are you interested in sharing some of your designs?  Do you have a blog of some of the projects you've done using the Atarilab module?  The Atarilab module seems like a convenient way to get I/O data into and out of the computer.  I would be interested in both hardware and software that you've developed.  

[Gunstar]

7 hours ago, Tonyscouter said:

Gunstar, Are you interested in sharing some of your designs?  Do you have a blog of some of the projects you've done using the Atarilab module?  The Atarilab module seems like a convenient way to get I/O data into and out of the computer.  I would be interested in both hardware and software that you've developed.  

It's all just in the hardware mod and planning stages at this point. I'll be adding the dual-PIA upgrade to my 800 upgrade blog eventually, when I find time. I have a blog up here also about modifications to the Atarilab Interfaces, but that is it so far. No external hardware to be used with the dual-PIA and Atarilab interfaces has been designed or engineered by me yet. And no software written yet. This will most likely be stuff I'll be working on this winter when I have time. I run a seasonal landscaping business and so I am busy spring through autumn and then winters is my "mad scientist" free time for my crazy ideas and projects with my Atari's. My first project with all of this next winter will be assembling a robot arm I have and connecting it to the Atari via the controller ports and controlling it via the Atari with software I'll write.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Gunstar

[Gunstar]

@Tonyscouter, However, I can provide you with all you need to make a dual-PIA board, and in fact, I have a spare bare board I'm willing to part with. It was designed to fit on the 800's motherboard next to the Pokey and fit under the shielding. But I'm going to use the second one in my 1200XL anyway, I'm pretty sure I can make it fit and if not then I'll make an adapter. I have 3 of the boards but am only installing them in two computers. But I only had two boards for the ports, so I don't have another set for my second computer myself yet. PM me.

 

Of course the dual-PIA board isn't my design. It was just my idea initially (not a dual-PIA upgrade, others have already done that long before me, just a new board design for one) and then I collaborated a bit. I was discussing making the board with my co-conspirator, and what I wanted to accomplish, etc. and I had a rough sketch of the schematic on pencil and paper. The next week he sends me a pm with the completed circuit from a design program, the 3D CAD images and triple-layer board schematic images. Later, I was discussing with him how and where I wanted to mount the 4 extra DB9 ports, and he pulls the same thing on me, having it all done before I get it off pencil and paper and onto a bread board! He loves using his schematic and board design software.

 

Here are some images, actual files I'll have to look for, or get them from my co-conspirator again. I have the schematic which has his name on it and I don't know if he wants to be known publicly as the designer. PM me. The picture of the actual board are the 3 I have, which are an earlier design and slightly larger footprint than the graphic image of the board below. A couple pictures of my two port boards that I have stacked too. He's a member here and perfectly aware of when I post things in the forum, so he may chime in and reveal himself if he feels like it, but I'll respect his privacy as he's shown no sign or interest of sharing the stuff himself here, but I know he doesn't mind the designs being shared.

 

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Gunstar

[mozartpc27]

I really enjoyed reading this thread and everyone's stories.  I am more of a Commodore guy, I must admit, but I, like most of you posting here I guess, always thought of my Commodore 64C as a kid as more of a "productivity" machine - that is, a real computer - than a "games machine."  When I got into the retro hobby seriously and added the Atari 800XL, I asked a guy I was trading with to include some real productivity software.  I am always more interested in what these computers could do for real work than just for games.

 

My "daily driver" among retro systems is the Commodore I always wanted without quite realizing it as a kid: a 128 with two drives, the RAM expansion, a printer, a "modem" (WiFi Card), mouse, etc.  I will amuse myself from time to time by writing tests for my students on it (I teach an English literature course at a local University).  Haven't done it in a while though - the pandemic made everything online for the last three semesters.

[Gunstar]

1 hour ago, Gunstar said:

@Tonyscouter, However, I can provide you with all you need to make a dual-PIA board, and in fact, I have a spare bare board I'm willing to part with. It was designed to fit on the 800's motherboard next to the Pokey and fit under the shielding. But I'm going to use the second one in my 1200XL anyway, I'm pretty sure I can make it fit and if not then I'll make an adapter. I have 3 of the boards but am only installing them in two computers. But I only had two boards for the ports, so I don't have another set for my second computer myself yet. PM me.

 

 

 

 

 

Scratch that, that was my old plan that my old memory recalled. I only need two of the boards because I decided NOT to put one in my 1200XL, and the second in going on a spare 800 board I have that will eventually be the main brain for an 8-bit robot I will eventually build. The robot arm is a starting point. I got the idea from an old Analog magazine called "Arming Your Atari" about connecting a Radioshack Armatron to the 800 controller ports. I wanted to do that project now for decades, but have decided to do it with a real, modern robot arm kit that is actually capable of real tasks and that has grown into an entire Atari 8-bit robot I'm planning on designing and building over the next 5 years using my Incognito 800 with the dual-PIA and 8 ports. Eventually becoming autonomous with the computer inside the robot. It will be of Steampunk design (though no actual steam locomotion and power source, just the look) I'm going to attempt to keep all the electronics 8-bit (Arduino Uno's are 8-bit for example), but the main thing is it will all be managed by an Atari 800 motherboard with all the same upgrades as my 800 computer.

[Mazzspeed]

2 hours ago, mozartpc27 said:

I really enjoyed reading this thread and everyone's stories.  I am more of a Commodore guy, I must admit, but I, like most of you posting here I guess, always thought of my Commodore 64C as a kid as more of a "productivity" machine - that is, a real computer - than a "games machine."  When I got into the retro hobby seriously and added the Atari 800XL, I asked a guy I was trading with to include some real productivity software.  I am always more interested in what these computers could do for real work than just for games.

 

My "daily driver" among retro systems is the Commodore I always wanted without quite realizing it as a kid: a 128 with two drives, the RAM expansion, a printer, a "modem" (WiFi Card), mouse, etc.  I will amuse myself from time to time by writing tests for my students on it (I teach an English literature course at a local University).  Haven't done it in a while though - the pandemic made everything online for the last three semesters.

I think many in the day, Commodore or Atari would have used Paperclip?

 

I remember getting my first printer, saved up for ages for it. As soon as I realized I could do school work on the C64 it somehow became a little more interesting - With the printer churning away in the background.

[gilsaluki]

9 hours ago, Mazzspeed said:

I think many in the day, Commodore or Atari would have used Paperclip?

 

I remember getting my first printer, saved up for ages for it. As soon as I realized I could do school work on the C64 it somehow became a little more interesting - With the printer churning away in the background.

Actually the numbers of folks using Paperclip was slim.  Most people used Atariwriter (cart) and then Atariwriter Plus (disk) when it came out.  So easy to use, menu-driven vs. the command-driven Paperclip.  I am just now learning how to use Paperclip.  It's capable, but not as intuitive as AW.

[StickJock]

I think that I started with AtariWriter, but switched to PaperClip in the mid '80s.  I used PaperClip exclusively until the '90s when I used something PC based.

[gilsaluki]

26 minutes ago, StickJock said:

I think that I started with AtariWriter, but switched to PaperClip in the mid '80s.  I used PaperClip exclusively until the '90s when I used something PC based.

Paperclip was Antic Magazine's choice for word processors.  Due to it's cost and learning curve I believe more people stuck to AW.  There must have been 20-25 word processors for the Atari8.  I have most of them.  Still gravitate back to slapping the cart in when I wanna do a quick list or note.  Just easier than trying to recall all the command and keystrokes required of the command-based W/Ps.  

[gilsaluki]

Ed Hall used to write a lot of articles for Page 6's New Atari User, Atari Classics, and AIM magazines.  I just read one of his articles last night in A.C. about PaperClip, "Secrets of Paperclip".  He noted the reason he preferred P.C. was due to its ability to do double column output.   Atariwriter Plus can also due double column output as well.  Just saying, AW+ is also very capable.  The one thing I think P.C. had over AW+ is its ability to accommodate larger file sizes with expanded memory XL/XEs.  

[Teflon]

I must have been the only one using Textpro then?  Myself and all my roommates turned in all of our lab reports and essays in college, done on my 130XE in Textpro, and printed on my 1027. It was the height of cool back in '85! ?

[Mclaneinc]

1 hour ago, gilsaluki said:

Actually the numbers of folks using Paperclip was slim.  Most people used Atariwriter (cart) and then Atariwriter Plus (disk) when it came out.  So easy to use, menu-driven vs. the command-driven Paperclip.  I am just now learning how to use Paperclip.  It's capable, but not as intuitive as AW.

Atari Writer was the go to for most, back then there were loads of Doc's disks coming from the UK and the person who was doing them used AW and then AW+, she did so many docs. (RIP Sue)

Edited July 30, 2021 by Mclaneinc

[Atari8guy]

10 hours ago, Mazzspeed said:

I think many in the day, Commodore or Atari would have used Paperclip?

 

I remember getting my first printer, saved up for ages for it. As soon as I realized I could do school work on the C64 it somehow became a little more interesting - With the printer churning away in the background.

 

I used Atariwriter at home but in elementary school we had a computer lab full of C64's (In Ontario at least, the C64 had an Apple II like relationship with the school boards) and we ran Paperclip there.  Eventually I migrated to Paperclip on the A8 (when I discovered it was available), but honestly looking back I think I prefered Atariwriter.

[Mclaneinc]

Sigh, I missed the whole computers in school era because I was already working when things like the ZX80 etc came out (yes I'm an old git), would have been nice to have gone through that time period, sadly, I was in the pen and pencil time

 

The nearest I got to a computer in school was my Sinclair calculator.. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by Mclaneinc

[gilsaluki]

16 minutes ago, 8bitguy1 said:

 

I used Atariwriter at home but in elementary school we had a computer lab full of C64's (In Ontario at least, the C64 had an Apple II like relationship with the school boards) and we ran Paperclip there.  Eventually I migrated to Paperclip on the A8 (when I discovered it was available), but honestly looking back I think I prefered Atariwriter.

I do think Paperclip sold more Commodore versions than Atari.  No surprises there.  So a Commodore guy (the topic starter) assumed P.C. was the go to W/P for Atari.  It was not.

[TGB1718]

15 minutes ago, Mclaneinc said:

Sigh, I missed the whole computers in school era because I was already working when things like the ZX80 etc came out (yes I'm an old git),

Like you I was already working, but did a day release in college so used AW to do all my reports, so managed to enjoy it 

[Atari8guy]

12 minutes ago, gilsaluki said:

I do think Paperclip sold more Commodore versions than Atari.  No surprises there.  So a Commodore guy (the topic starter) assumed P.C. was the go to W/P for Atari.  It was not.

Agreed.  It was just cool to use the same software at school and home (for me) despite the platform differing.  I still have my boxed Paperclip with dongle for my A8!  

[_The Doctor__]

Bank Street Writer, Paperclip, AtariWriter (+,XE,80), TextPro, SpeedScript, minpac, Fleet Street Writer, and 25th Century Forms Generator.. (later on newsroom, news station (companion etc.), printshop(tons of companions), printpower and the like) These were all used and for each of their strengths Round Robbin style as I recall, there were a few others not at the tip of my tongue that were used extensively do to things they did well or the other didn't.... Sometime a file would be spread about all them either for inter transfer from one to another or to print specific items or pages. This was in some way helpful rather a way of doing something buried deep in some recess of todays we do it all in a fashion packages. Of course these days it's pretty much The Last Word for many tasks.

Edited July 30, 2021 by _The Doctor__

[gilsaluki]

Never tried TLW.  No copy of it. 

[Atari8guy]

1 hour ago, gilsaluki said:

Never tried TLW.  No copy of it. 

Best in class...

 

https://atari8.co.uk/the-last-word/

 

Of course, not available in 1985

[ivop]

I remember my dad and I entering pages, and pages of numbers from a Compute! Magazine (MLX?), hours and hours, evenings and evenings, and in the end it didn't work This was supposed to be Speedscript. Later, I got a copy on disk which worked, and it was my to go to wordprocessor. I couldn't handle Atariwriter and Paperclip without a manual.

 

Edit: link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpeedScript

 

Edited July 30, 2021 by ivop