Msg: 6509 *Conference*

05-08-96 09:45:03

From: RICHARD HANSON

To : GARY WEBER

Subj: PUBLICATIONS

In response to...

 > Say, do you remember Fred M. Roberts?  He was the publisher of that 
 > wonderful little newsletter called Laptop Computers, dedicated 
 > primarily to the Tandy Model 100 and NEC PC-8201a.  Does he have an 
 > account here by chance?

I checked my database(s)!! and did not find a Fred Roberts or any form of that
name.  Sorry.

---FYI---

The BBS database (AKA userlog) is completely matched to the main database on
the tracking computer.  Those online have a 'ONBBS' in their file.

I use InfoSlect by MicroLogic on a 386 for the tracking computer.  It is sooooo
slick!  I ALT-J up InfoSelect.  It comes up at the front of the stack it was
last in, i.e. 'orders' 'club' 'notes' 'dealers' etc.  If I'm not in the 'club'
stack I (D)isk (L)oad 'club' <enter> and it loads that stack.  To find all
those online I (G)et 'onbbs' <enter> and they are grouped together.  If I want
to see who's library access expires at the end of May 1996, I (G)et L0596
<enter> and all the cards with L0596 are immediately grouped for display.

---End---

The Model 100 series (100, 102, 200, NEC8201, WP-2) computers received a ton of
press during the early to mid 80's ... truly a wealth of information.  Some of
those publications most noted for Model 100 coverage are:

80 Micro: A column appeared each month for a few years.  I have the complete
set.  And, if I'm not mistaken... hold on, let me look into my file cabinet... 
Yes!  I once had spare time and used a few hours to make copies of all the
'C-Note' articles from all the issues of 80 Micro.  I could be persuaded to
dump these through a copy machine at Kinko's Copies if anyone is interested.
The stack of copies is approx. 1" thick, single sided.  Whatever it costs to
duplicate and ship is what I'd ask in return.  I also have the entire 80-Micro
series out in the warehouse.

Truly Portable: A local newsletter by Rachael Holman, Prez of the TRS-80 Club
of Alameda, CA.  I know I have all her issues out in the warehouse.  Rachael
was a very nice, and very smart lady.  She earned her living as a database
programmer.  Hmmmm... I wonder where Rachael is these days.  I should call her
and touch bases.  I know she lived in Berkeley.  Don't believe the news media.
Berkeley is a nice town.  Tracy Allen, EME Systems, also lives with his family
in Berkeley.  The Allen's live in a nice house on a quiet street, walking
distance to downtown Berkeley and the university.

Portable 100 Magazine: The very best and longest running magazine dedicated to
Model "T" computing.  The magazine died a few times (i.e., sold, bankrupt, sold
again, bankrupt again, etc.).  I have the entire collection.  There was so darn
much good stuff in that magazine over the years that it's a crying shame back
copies, or a collection series, is not available.  Hmmm... I wonder if...
hmmmm!

PCM Magazine: It started out, mostly dedicated to the Model 100 but quickly
expanded its coverage to all the Tandy Radio Shack (... that is what TRS stands
for, gang!) computers.  The '80' in TRS-80, was a product line name indicating,
"...for the 1980's."  PCM was most closly noted for its series on bar code
programs, i.e. BASIC code was listed in an article, covering the program and
what it did, and a bar code listing of the program was at the end of the
magazine.  Bar code freaks (...I included, of course) looked forward to each
issue where, once again, we could use our bar code wand.  By the end of the
mid-80's PCM dropped all coverage of the Model 100 series, moving onto
supporting computers that people wanted to read about, and advertisers wanted
to manufacture and sell products for.  Hint: The last sentence is the
"fundamental concept" behind what anything happens in this world.  FYI: I have
the entire collection of PCM that covered the Model "T"s.

PICO Laptops & Portable: This was a short-run magazine that offered nothing
special to Model "T" computing.  I think I have all the PICO's.

Portable Program Review: This was a very short-run little rag covering only
BASIC program code.  Authored by the folks at Portable 100, it was designed as
a place to publish code they just could not stick into the pages of Portable
100 Mag for economic reasons.  They figured that there were enough interest in
the current market to support a code-only publication.  It didn't take off but
it was pretty good while it lasted.  Frankly, I think it would have done okay
if were marketed correctly.  But hey ... that was then and now is now.  I think
I have a copy of all the PPRs ever printed.

Computer News 80: This newsletter-format monthly is dedicated to the entire
TRS-80 product line, i.e. before Tandy switched their product name to 'Tandy.'
They had a little bit of Model "T" coverage but just didn't have the expert
input necessary to provide a monthly column ... such is the way ith
publications ... fresh meat is the heart of magazine publishing.  As far as I
know, this publication remains as probably the longest running computer hobby
publication in newsletter format in the world.  If you're interested, you may
call them at 307-265-6483.  Ask for Stan Slater or Ron Gatlin.  The publication
comes out of Casper, WY and Stan and Ron are really nice guys.  Say hi for me.

Laptop User: This was a very, very short-run magazine, designed for upscale
Model "T" users.  It was started by a former editor of Portable 100 Magazine
(...I think that's correct) but there was a conflict.  Seems this guy starts a
club called 'Club 100' and claims he never heard of us.  Welllll... excuse me
but I keep detailed notes.  I was able to document that he not only had used
the BBS but received a catalog, and had talked with some key people who told
him about te existing Club 100.  Needless to say, he dumped it immediately and
moved on.  Besides, his mag failed to attract advertisers.  I believe I have a
copy of all the LUs ever printed.

Lap Gazette: This was the laptop newsletter of the Boston Computer Society.
The editor was Thomas J. Tisch.  It never offered anything useful, just meeting
notes and discussions.  It was boring ... not worth the paper and postage.

---

Over the years, many articles were writted about the Model "T" computer series
but that was then and now is now.  You will almost never see a new article, and
definately never see a new or book or magazine on Model "T" computing.  Wat
was, is, and that's all there will be.

---

I wonder want it would take to photo-copy all the pages of all issues of all
the magazines mentioned above and place them onto a CD-ROM?  Hmmm... what an
interesting thought, huh?       -Rick-