Tandy's Little Wonder (1993)(Farna Systems).pdf - TRS-80 Color ...

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issue (sore spot!) for many advertisers, especially with thecheaper to produce tabloid format. The "magazine" was nowthe size of many small town newspapers (and we all knowhow much they cost). The Rainbow has many more expensesthan a small newspaper, but many advertisers (includingsome with printing industry connections) felt the currentsubscription price alone should come close to supportingthe magazine- the ad rates were bordering on outrageous(still around $300 for 1/4 page). Only the fact that theRainbow was still the only vehicle for reaching the majorityof CoCo users kept the few advertisers (only 18 this issue)in those pages. If you were looking for a disk drive system,you would be in for a search- Computer Plus listed them asSOLD OUT (though a Tandy disk controller was still available)!They had last advertised the CoCo 3 in January ’91for only $89.Another supplier "bit the dust" in April ’92- sort of.CoCoPRO! acquired all inventory and rights to theentire Howard Medical line. CoCoPRO! stated that alloutstanding warranties would also be picked up in the transfer.The last Howard Medical ad had run in January ’91.With no Rainbow support, CoCoPRO! again picked uporganization of the Chicago CoCoFest, first advertised inthis issue. This fest is being billed as the "First Annual‘Last’ CoCoFest" (May 30-31). Not that it will be the last,but only time will tell unless users keep up support! DaveMeyers is starting to show a little strain from organizingthese events. Glenside will again be supporting Dave as theyhave always supported Rainbow, and may pick up organizingthe next Chicago event altogether, as ACS will be doing thenext Atlanta event. The only thing missing from the non-Rainbow sponsored events was the Rainbow itself (with theexception of the October ’90 Atlanta CoCoFest). One canunderstand their inability to organize these affairs out oftheir home state, but it is hard to understand that the magazinewon’t at least support the fests by having a booth or atleast covering them in the magazine. These events are ofgreat interest to the CoCo community, as many new and oldsupporters often showed up to display their wares. Andanything good for the CoCo community would also havebeen good for the Rainbow.Lonnie started quite a controversy in May. He stated thatRainbow WOULD NOT be supporting the new 68xxxbased computers based mostly on the fact that software waseither unavailable, hard to come by, or to expensive for mosthome users (remember $500 BASIC?). What REALLYvexed many people was that he recommended buying anINTEL based PC if one really needed a new computer.While this would be a logical choice for most users, the OS-9 community really got upset! NOTHING on an MS-DOSbased PC came very close to the power of OS-9 on one of thenew machines (except maybe Microware's OS-9000, OS-9 for a PC type 386 or higher processor, but it was toexpensive for real consideration), especially when the amountof investment is considered. That a special offer for PCM(Falsoft's PC magazine) followed the above statementsmade it seem as though he were steering one toward MS-DOS because he also published an MS-DOS magazine similarto the old Rainbow (this was not, however, the case). Afeature article by Bill Palmer told how to use a Hewlett-Packard DeskJet printer with a CoCo. These high resolutionink jet printers produce laser quality print and graphicswithout sophisticated software features at half the price (orless) of an expensive laser. H. Allen Curtiss was at hisUltralace desktop publishing system again, correctingsome problems and adding some new features. His desktoppublisher appeared to be one of the most popular Rainbowprograms yet! A new Zebra Systems ad (they had beenabsent for two months- was starting to be concerned!)indicated that they had gained rights to the POKES, PEEKS‘N EXECS books previously from Microcom. An ad for anew magazine, "The 68XXX Machines", couldn’t havebeen better timed, considering Lonnies’ editorial! At only$14.75 for a one year subscription, it was worth looking intoif one was considering a 68000 based computer. A new adfrom FARNA Systems appeared that not only advertisedsoftware, but also advertised space! Since Rainbow adswere so costly, why not sublet advertising space at a morereasonable rate? The idea was to purchase a large block ofspace at a better rate than a small ad, then spread the cost overmany small advertisers. The idea was sound in principal, butnot enough advertisers were interested to continue for long.CoCoPRO! had a full page ad for the "Second Annual LastChicago CoCoFest" held this month (May 30-31) thatincluded directions for getting to the Inland Meeting Center,where the fest was held.Burke&Burke introduced their PowerBoost in June. Thissoftware/hardware combo included a Hitachi 63B09E processorchip and drivers for OS-9 Level II. The Hitachiprocessor was a 68B09E clone in CMOS architecture, butwith some advanced features. These advanced features weretaken advantage of by the new OS-9 modules and patches,providing an average 40% increase in speed while maintainingdirect compatibility. A 6809 could be directly replacedwith a 6309 without the user knowing any difference.The new software, and the enhanced mode of the 6309, wasthe secret! A book describing the newly found "secrets" ofthis CPU was also available from B&B.What’s this? A NEW MAGAZINE! The first issue of "TheOS-9 Underground, Magazine Dedicated to OS-9/OSKUsers Everywhere" was sent out in June. The cover featureda 6309 chip on wheels being driven by a CoCo driver!The 40 page magazine featured advertisements from eightcompanies, most notable being Delmar (System IV computer).It was printed in a 5 1/2"x 8 1/2" format, saddlestitched (stapled). Although the print was a little small, it wasexceptionally well laid out and professional looking withmultiple fonts. No wonder! The editor (Alan Sheltra) wasa graphics artist by trade! Articles included "Test Driving the6309", and "BASIC Training". A classified section was alsoTandy's Little Wonder page 29
carried. The cover was a bright yellow, which certainly addedto the magazines' visual impact. Subscription price (US)was only $18 for a year, cover price $2 per issue.The new OS-9 Users Group was officially formed in June’92. The new group picked up where the old left off, keepingmany of the same goals and even the same name for thenewsletter (MOTD... "Message of the Day"... what users firstsee when signing on a multi-user OS-9 system). Electedpresident of the new group was Boisy Pitre, vice presidentCarl Kreider.THE THIRTEENTH YEAR (Jul '92 - Jun '93)Lonnie Falk made an understatement in July’s Print#-2column- "... it seems I have stirred up something of a hornetsnest..." This statement was made over the mail received afterthe May column. He clarified his stance- he WAS NOTadvocating that anyone with a CoCo change to an MS-DOS system, nor that MS-DOS was a substitute for OS-9. The point was that the new machines were not the ticketfor anyone who wanted more out of their Color Computer.If one is looking for another computer, though, anMS-DOS machine- with its vast software base- might be abetter choice than one of the new machines with littlesoftware support. The new machines were basically wherethe CoCo was when it first appeared on the market. The bigdifference was that most other affordable home computerswere not in much better shape than the CoCo, and those thathad much software weren’t far ahead. Lonnie also stated thatthis may be the last Print#-2 column. He invited readers togive their opinions- use this space for a continued editorial,or more information? Sorry Lonnie... I will miss you(some), but I’d rather see more for my CoCo!The OS-9 Underground had a few changes (for the better!)in just the second issue! The magazine was noticeablythicker, this time sporting 50 pages wrapped in a fluorescentgreen cover. The colored covers did add a bit to the magazinesoverall appearance. On the title page of this secondissue appears a little box exclaiming "Now incorporates68xxx Machines". Rather than fold, "The 68xxx Machines"editor/publisher Jim DeStafeno decided thatthere was no need to fragment the OSK market with twomagazines. A merger agreement was reached between68xxx Machines and OS-9 Underground whereby Undergroundwould absorb the subscription base and writers of theformer. Several columns were carried over also. A complementarydisk with program listings was first offered thismonth. The disk would be "published" on a quarterly basis,the first being available in mid-August, for $35 yearly or $10per issue. There were fourteen advertisers in this issue,notably Delmar, Peripheral Technologies (makers of SystemIV kits and boards), and Frank Hogg Labs (TC70). Theonly OSK system missing is the MM/1 (IMS). The subscriptionrates stayed the same, but cover price increased to $3due to the increase in size. Gale Force picked up on theextra 6309 power by introducing NitrOS9. This was a set ofpage 30Tandy's Little Wonderpatches for OS-9 Level II that allowed native mode operationof the Hitachi 6309, similar to the B&B PowerBoost..The August OS-9 Underground issue featured a communicationstheme. An insert featuring many OS-9 supportingBulletin Board Systems (BBS) was a nice touch. The covercolor this month was fluorescent orange. A short ChicagoCoCoFest report (to be continued next month) and a ratherdetailed review of several OS-9 BBS software packageswas featured. Sixteen advertisers and 53 pages... not badfor only the third issue! Keep up the good work, Allen! A veryinteresting feature article instructed one on how to connectmultiple terminals to a CoCo, creating a small LAN (localarea network) with no extra software, just some cabling andserial port cards.The Hitachi 6309 and Burke&Burke’s Powerboost madethe headlines in the September Rainbow. Marty Goodmandescribed the history of the 6309 and also reviewedthe PowerBoost. We are told that the "new" 6309 (it hadactually been around since 1987!) may also increase speedunder Disk BASIC by as much as 15%, but the BASICROMs would have to be modified (or patched in RAM of aCoCo 3). Bill Vergona of Cer-Comp reported that he was95% complete on an assembler (m/l) that would takeadvantage of the 6309 under Disk BASIC. One would haveto install a 6309 in order to utilize the assembler or anysoftware written for it. Bill was also considering modifyingsome of his software for 6309 operation. JWTEnterprises had an interesting ad. "If you are interested inthe latest, new products for the CoCo and the ‘newerbreed’ of machines, write to us..." Just what do they havein mind here? Will have to send a post card and find out. Thesmaller size of OS-9 Underground meant less lead time (andoverhead), and they were able to "get the jump" on Rainbowwith the 6309 story. An issue of OS-9 Underground wasmissing this month, but the magazine was well representedat the October Atlanta CoCoFest. What gives Alan?JWT let on to what they were up to last month. October’sRainbow sported a full page ad for UpTime, an advertisingnewsletter covering all CoCo and 68xxx machines. Nota magazine, the newsletters’ function was to provide lowcost advertising and product info for the supported products.One year subscriptions were available for $15 in two installmentsof $7.50 each. Nine-Times OS-9 disk magazine wasalso continued. Burke&Burke introduced another newproduct- Thexder: OS-9. This OS-9 program took the codefrom the Tandy Thexder ROM pak and patched it foroperation under OS-9, similar to the World Class Chessprogram introduced earlier. Gale Force advertised theirNitrOS9 software this month. It was now available as a kitwith a 63B09E and installation instructions. Missingthis month was PRINT#-2. Seems a lot of readers, whileappreciating the fact that Lonnie was keeping the Rainbow inpublication, would rather have more info than 1/2 page ofeditorial. Alan Sheltra answered subscriber inquiries about
Page 1: Tandy's Little Wonder,The Color Com
Page 6: Introduction...Alfredo Santos, Dece
Page 9 and 10: The Micro Works had its CBUG, 80C d
Page 11 and 12: Washington state. The computers wer
Page 13 and 14: ticle describing the installation o
Page 15 and 16: A new CoCo magazine, 68 Color Micro
Page 17 and 18: pitched carrier tone but by a "disc
Page 19 and 20: With desktop publishing so popular,
Page 21 and 22: What better time to advertise new p
Page 23 and 24: plugged into the CoCo. A separate p
Page 25 and 26: ceived 20 hours of on-line time. It
Page 27: Technologies. This computer had bee
Page 32 and 33: the missing September OS-9 Undergro
Page 34 and 35: 1985 (continued)26-1275 - $299.00 -
Page 38 and 39: Operating Environments and Programm
Page 40 and 41: The CoCo 3 DOES NOT support the fir
Page 42 and 43: ADOS... Arts' Disk Operating System
Page 44 and 45: Compiled BASIC...BASIC is normally
Page 46 and 47: When you LOAD and RUN a BASIC progr
Page 48 and 49: the CPU to the number 1 and put the
Page 50: With all these modules and processe
Page 54 and 55: * Connecticut -NAME: South Eastern
Page 56 and 57: * Texas -NAME: CoCoNautsADDRESS: 16
Page 58 and 59: NAME: Rick's Computer EnterpriseADD
Page 60 and 61: National Bulletin Board/Database Sy
Page 63 and 64: Current PublicationsThere are still
Page 65 and 66: Past MagazinesThe Color Computer de
Page 67 and 68: The next video type to consider is
Page 69 and 70: Co., 4300 West 62nd Street, Indiana
Page 71 and 72: Tape I/O for the CoCo normally occu
Page 73 and 74: SCS line activates the controller,
Page 75 and 76: uilt in controller boards and were
Page 77: Most laser and ink-jet printers als
Page 80 and 81:
Modem Pak that you wish to be inter
Page 83 and 84:
RAM UpgradesEach of the various CoC
Page 85 and 86:
Beyond 64K in the CoCo 1 & 2There w
Page 87 and 88:
functions, the PLAY and SOUND comma
Page 89 and 90:
5) I cut a piece of sheet metal to
Page 91 and 92:
lows as 0V. A pulse should read as
Page 93 and 94:
MC6883 and 74LS783/785 SAM Chip (Co
Page 95 and 96:
on. CTRL-ALT-RESET may not clear ev
Page 97:
E board CoCo, the zener is a 1N4735
Page 100 and 101:
When it seemed that the CoCo was ag
Page 102 and 103:
Around the same time as the demise
Page 104 and 105:
into the upgradable TC9 and then in
Page 106 and 107:
I completed my second book, a compl
Page 108 and 109:
The CoCo is capable of using up to
Page 110:
BASIC/Extended/Disk Error CodesCode
Page 124:
POWER JOYSTICK JOYSTICK SERIAL CASS
Page 132 and 133:
IndexSymbols and Numbers128K upgrad
Page 134 and 135:
DigiSector DS-69(B) 20, 21, 80Digit
Page 136 and 137:
MediaLink Software 56Olaf Meding 44
Page 138:
Snake Mountain Software 11Soft Sect
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