02/23/2006:
Here's the preamble!
After years of coveting, I finally won a Tandy Model 100 portable
computer. As I said in the intro, I've wanted one of these units
since I was twelve years old (and an avid Coco user!). Compared
to other computer manufacturers, Radio Shack always had the coolest
machines. But I digress.
I won the M100 last weekend for the relatively low cost of $50 USD,
including shipping. I paid for the unit on Tuesday, and so, in
theory it should arrive here this week.
In anticipation of its arrival, I've been reading a few Model "T"
related websites, and I downloaded a few user's guides from
www.trs-80.com (and printed them out at work, heh heh heh). I've
been studying them, so I should be ready to rock when the unit
arrives. Hell, I already have batteries (Duracell Ultras) set
aside for it.
Once the initial excitement wears off and I'm through "playing around",
I suppose I should start thinking about what I'm going to do with
it. Text editing, of course, so I can write web content and my
usual treatises and stream-of-consciousness rants, but what ELSE?
If I can find a decent spreadsheet app, I can do my finances on the go,
or possibly write that freight-rate comparison I've been meaning to
do... I wonder if VisiCalc was ever released on the Model
100? That'd be great, since that's what I use on my Model 4P, but
then again, would the files be compatible with one another? Guess
I'll find out sooner or later...
The Model 100 has a built-in Telcom app, so I should be able to
null-modem into another machine to trade files, but if that doesn't pan
out as well as I hope, I can at least download other telecom programs
online, or even that Desklink app, which allows the Model 100 to use a
PC's hard drive as a virtual floppy drive, so I'll be able to
send/receive files to my PC that way, too.
So, I have all my potential problems solved in theory, and once the
unit arrives, I'll be able to test 'em all out.
Until then...