TS2068 as Main Computer
8 messages · 2008-12-11 → 2008-12-12 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org
Participants: Adam Trionfo, Timex, Senen Racki, Bill Loguidice, Peter Holt Hoffman, zxbruno
Preserved from the Timex/Sinclair 2068 Yahoo Group (2001–2019), which is no longer online. Text reproduced from the archive.org archive; email addresses masked.
Messages
1. TS2068 as Main Computer
Adam Trionfo · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:01
How late did people on this group use the TS2068 (or other Timex machine) as their main computer? That is, the Timex wasn't a computer that you used in addition to an IBM clone or 16-bit computer, but was how you did your word processing, gaming, or (as stated in a previous posting) it was how you used a BBS. I imagine some people got past 1990. Who was the last hold out? What was your system like?
Adam
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2. Re: [ts2068] TS2068 as Main Computer
Senen Racki · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:50
I got through first year university (1987) with it. I used the 2068 for
everything, but in 2nd year we did assembly programming on the SUN -
which used a 68xxx chip, so I started using the QL more (boy, was it
ever nice to compile and test on the QL, then upload to the SUN!). I
saved up some money during my co-op work term and bought a 9600 baud
Hayes compatible modem (a really big deal at the time) and put it on the
QL for access to the SUN, and then onto my girlfriend's IBM XT clone.
It was down hill from there. Once I had access to her XT, and the co-op
jobs started (mostly dBase III/Clipper programming), the 2068 and QL
were packed up and stored. So, I think I might have gone as far as
mid-late1988.
Senen.
Adam Trionfo wrote:
>
> How late did people on this group use the TS2068 (or other Timex
> machine) as their main computer? That is, the Timex wasn't a computer
> that you used in addition to an IBM clone or 16-bit computer, but was
> how you did your word processing, gaming, or (as stated in a previous
> posting) it was how you used a BBS. I imagine some people got past
> 1990. Who was the last hold out? What was your system like?
>
> Adam
>
3. Re: [ts2068] TS2068 as Main Computer
Timex · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:50
My TC2048 was bought in 1987. I used it for gaming and programming
for 4 years (my own programming and typing programs from books and
magazines).
I had no printer, modem nor disk drive. Just a Neptun green monitor
and a tape recorder that I destroyed punching it because it was
terrible with the tapes. Some got damaged and never worked again.
When it was holding with lots of tape, I bought a new recorder far
much better.
In 1991 I bought a 386sx PC with color monitor (super vga) and dot
matrix printer.
By that time I had no phone line at my parents house, so no BBS, no
internet.
Finding a ZX Spectrum emulator was hard but I did get one (the one
made by a spanish name Pedro Gimeno(?)).
Only when I bought a Pentium 133Mhz (1995/1996?) and after like a
year, I got a modem and ISP connection.
My first ISP account is from 1998.
By that time I only knew that a thermal printer, a modem and
something called FDD existed (it was written on the back of my TC2048
box and on TC2048 demo tape) along with the TC2048 and silver TC2068.
That was the structure of my website about Timex Computers in geocities.
On the internet there was VERY litttle info about TS1000, TS1500,
TS2068 and none about TC2048, TC2068, FDD. TT3000...
Jack Boatwright showed me a lot of Timex Hardware and software I
never dreamed it existed and I started searching them where in Portugal.
A guy that fixed and selled Timex Computers in Portugal found my
website and helped me with more info.
The FDD was the most exciting I ever found. If the ZX Microdrives
were exciting, the FDD boost the excitement away.
Floppy disks on my Timex! Fast save, fast load... but by that time I
no longer used the 2048 as main computer, only as something to play
to get off windows machines.
The 3 boxes FDD are somehow annoying, the FDD3000 the perfection of FDD.
TT3000 is the one I like most. I think that TMX Portugal should have
used that keyboard. It's way better than TC.
Encarnado, Portugal
On Dec 11, 2008, at 2:01 PM, Adam Trionfo wrote:
> How late did people on this group use the TS2068 (or other Timex
> machine) as their main computer? That is, the Timex wasn't a
> computer that you used in addition to an IBM clone or 16-bit
> computer, but was how you did your word processing, gaming, or (as
> stated in a previous posting) it was how you used a BBS. I imagine
> some people got past 1990. Who was the last hold out? What was
> your system like?
>
> Adam
>
> Suspicious message? There’s an alert for that. Get your Hotmail®
> account now.
4. RE: [ts2068] TS2068 as Main Computer
Bill Loguidice · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:14
I would think anyone getting close to 1990 with a 2068 would be rather
tough. It's one thing to use an Apple II, C-64 or even an Atari 8-bit into
the very early 1990s as a primary computer, but if you consider how many
probably already moved to an Amiga, Atari ST or PC by the late 1980s, let
alone the early 1990s, I think it would be tough to stick with a second (or
third) tier system like a Coleco Adam or Sinclair 2068 into 1990. Of course
this also depends on where you were in the world.
With that said, I would think that every system has had a few dozen to a few
hundred dedicated users (meaning doing profound things with their system)
fighting the good fight at least up to five years after its mainstream
commercial death.
As for me? My first real primary system was a Commodore 64 followed by a
Commodore Amiga followed by a PC. It was "easy" for me as each was a prime
system in its day. There were of course systems before, during and after,
but those were not what I would consider main systems where I did
schoolwork, gaming and online stuff, the trifecta. I feel lucky to have had
such systems, as I can't imagine what I would have done with something
outside of the Apple II or Atari 8-bit, as mainstream support dropped off
pretty quickly for most of the other systems. I did have a Coleco Adam that
I picked up out of an ad in the newspaper so I had first-hand experience
with user support through NIAD in that case, where you got a regular
newsletter and the system was supported by a plethora of public domain and
homebrew items to try to help the system keep pace with what was going on in
other systems. Certainly fun, and I did use the Adam for school work due to
the nifty printer, but I'm glad I had alternatives.
Also, while I don't particularly mind the 2068 keyboard, it also would have
been a bear trying to type regularly on the thing. Of course it's better
than dealing with a membrane keyboard (though I do actually like the
keyboard on the Odyssey2, oddly enough).
=================================
Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.
<http://www.armchairarcade.com/> http://www.armchairarcade.com
A PC Magazine Top 100 Website
=================================
_____
From: [email] [mailto:[email]] On Behalf Of
Adam Trionfo
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:01 AM
To: TS 2068 Yahoogroup
Subject: [ts2068] TS2068 as Main Computer
How late did people on this group use the TS2068 (or other Timex machine) as
their main computer? That is, the Timex wasn't a computer that you used in
addition to an IBM clone or 16-bit computer, but was how you did your word
processing, gaming, or (as stated in a previous posting) it was how you used
a BBS. I imagine some people got past 1990. Who was the last hold out?
What was your system like?
Adam
_____
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<http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_broad2
_122008> R account now.
5. Re: TS2068 as Main Computer
Peter Holt Hoffman · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:41
I had to stop using my Spectrum when I moved back to the US (PAL v
NTSC issues) and I didn't get my other Sinclair equipment until the
mid-1990s. However, my main computer until ~1991 was my Atari 130XE.
I love 8-bit machines of all sorts but Sinclairs are the best.
-- Peter.
--- In [email], Adam Trionfo <ballyalley@...> wrote:
>
>
> How late did people on this group use the TS2068 (or other Timex
machine) as their main computer? That is, the Timex wasn't a computer
that you used in addition to an IBM clone or 16-bit computer, but was
how you did your word processing, gaming, or (as stated in a previous
posting) it was how you used a BBS. I imagine some people got past
1990. Who was the last hold out? What was your system like?
>
> Adam
6. RE: TS2068 as Main Computer
Adam Trionfo · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:59
Bill Loguidice wrote:
>>
I think it would be tough to stick with a second (or
third) tier system like a Coleco Adam
or Sinclair 2068 into
1990. Of course this also depends on where you were in the
world.
>>
I worked at a mom and pop computer repair store in the mid-to-late nineties. In about 1997/1998 a man came in looking for tapes for his Coleco Adam. I figured that he was a collector like me. Nope. He was still using his Coleco that he bought back when they first came out. I spoke with him a bit and that was him primary computer. I was quite shocked at the time. I didn't get a chance to ask too many questions, but I HOPE that he had upgraded that system over the years!
Adam
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7. Re: [ts2068] RE: TS2068 as Main Computer
Timex · Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:34
On Dec 11, 2008, at 8:59 PM, Adam Trionfo wrote:
> I worked at a mom and pop computer repair store in the mid-to-late
> nineties. In about 1997/1998 a man came in looking for tapes for
> his Coleco Adam. I figured that he was a collector like me.
> Nope. He was still using his Coleco that he bought back when they
> first came out. I spoke with him a bit and that was him primary
> computer. I was quite shocked at the time. I didn't get a chance
> to ask too many questions, but I HOPE that he had upgraded that
> system over the years!
>
> Adam
I have read and heard some stories of people using "ancient" systems
just because they still work and do what they expect from it and they
are comfortable using them. It's like finding someone using every day
a Pentium machine with windows 95 or 98 as a word processor.
Microsoft Word 2.0 still do a great job, the problem is that
Microsoft sells software and to sell it, must add nonsense and
useless features that someone will use those features because it's
there. And because he used that, someone that will open his document
must have the same version, so he need to upgrade to latest version
and so on so on. The first word processing program I used was
Microsoft Word 2.0 for Windows. I still have not seen the big thing
to use the latest version. They all let me type text, change the
color of it, the size of it, the style of it, add a picture/clipart.
Wordpad is what I use and it do the basic things.
Encarnado, Portugal
8. Re: TS2068 as Main Computer
zxbruno · Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:53
Although I started using a TC2048 and a Spectrum 48K when I was 11yrs
old (1987), it wasn't until 1989 that I got my first Spectrum, a grey
+2 128K bought by my parents and with great sacrifice! I was 13yrs old
and had no knowledge of what was happening in the computer world. All
my knowledge came from my cousin (ruimac.com) who had a
TC2048+FDD3000+Neptun156 Monochrome green monitor and his Spanish and
British Sinclair mags. I had no idea what a BBS was. One of my cousins
stopped using the 48K when his dad bought him the 486DX2 PC, and my
other cousin stopped using the Timex to start using a Mac Plus and Mac
IIci. But I was still trying to catch up, so I ignored everyone who
had a Commodore Amiga, Mac or PC and made my Spectrum my main computer
until 1994. I didn't know anyone else who still used it, but I didn't
care. I was 18 and I still took my Spectrum or Timex to high school
and used it to present my work on 3" discs! I prepared reports and did
homework on the Spectrum, and printed everything on a Seikosha
dot-matrix printer driven by the Lprint III interface. Happy days!!
When I started using the Spectrum in Portugal I was late in time, and
when i started collecting and using the american TS machines I found
out the same thing, that most people moved on, got rid of their stuff,
etc.
This whole Timex / Sinclair deal is a very emotional subject to me.
That's why I've been working hard to get the things I never had.
--- In [email], Adam Trionfo <ballyalley@...> wrote:
>
>
> How late did people on this group use the TS2068 (or other Timex
machine) as their main computer? That is, the Timex wasn't a computer
that you used in addition to an IBM clone or 16-bit computer, but was
how you did your word processing, gaming, or (as stated in a previous
posting) it was how you used a BBS. I imagine some people got past
1990. Who was the last hold out? What was your system like?
>
> Adam