+---------+---------------+-----------------+ |MICRO### | Jake Bickhard | February, 2009 | | 100## | Editor | Issue 1, Vol. 1 | +---------+---------------+-----------------+ In this issue: About the Editor Program Review: MiniVC Using your Model 100 with a Cell Phone The Model 100: The Legacy Continues Consumerism: Rules about Buying a New Computer Regular: Classifieds NOTE: You can find the extended version of this issue in my Personal Libraries at www.Club100.org. ------------Meet the Editor------------ -------------Jake Bickhard------------- Hello Micro 100 Readers! I'm Jake Bickhard, the Editor of Micro 100 and SysOp of the NiteTyme BBS. My passion for the wonderful little machine known as the Model 100 began in the late summer of 2008. I was bored and started browsing on Wikipedia. "History of Electronics", "History of Computers" and finally "History of Laptops" were the articles I read, and in all of them, the name 'TRS-80' kept popping out at me. I re-read the article on the history of laptops and portables, and read that the TRS-80 Model 100 was recognized as the first true laptop computer. I went to the page on that, which lead me to Old-Computers.com, Club100.org, and the Obsolete Technology Homepage. I became extremely interested in owning one of these little gems, and began weighing the Pros/Cons of the Model 100, Kyo 85, NEC PC8201a, and Olivetti M-10. I decided on the Model 100 because it had more built-in programs than the '85 and M-10, and was way smaller than the NEC. After about a day of searching on E-bay and reading Rick's website, I found one for a decent price, and bought it. It didn't appear to be working right. I contacted Rick who told me it was probably a dead NiCad. I replaced it. It still didn't work. I forgot about it and bought another one on E-bay that cost three times the price. It worked. I was hooked. It wasn't until late that fall that I took apart my old Model 100 and cleaned it out with the intention of selling it for parts. When I put it back together and flipped the switch, it worked. Since then, the Model 100 has become my personal obsession. And I have continued to support it ever since. Jake Bickhard JBickhard@GMail.com --------------------------------------- ---------------=MINI VC=--------------- ------------=Program Review=----------- Mini-VC is a (relatively) small spreadsheet program for the Model 100. I supports multiple lines, columns, vertical and horizontal scrolling, numerical entries as well as alphabetical, and basic math functions. I was a bit miffed when I first tried loading Mini-VC into memory. I kept getting an OM error, even after loading it several times. The problem is that the program has to occupy a particular space in memory, and so it should be the first program you load onto your Model 100 after a cold start. Once you get the program running on your Model 100, the beginning screen is a bit confusing, basically, if your press 'enter' you will be taken into a spreadsheet. If you press 'N' you will be given the option of 'S' or 'D'. This is for 'S'ingle or 'D'ouble precision. When you are in a spread sheet, you can use the arrow keys to move the wide-bar cursor around the screen. To make an entry, simply move the cursor over to the desired cell, and type it in, pressing 'enter' afterwards. If you enter in a decimal number, the program will round it to the nearest full number. If you select this cell with the cursor, it will show the full number in the top line of the screen. When you want to exit the program, you must 'break' out of it. This is a design flaw that could be fixed quite easily. This is a very good program, and definitely one to keep around. My only gripes are that you have to wipe the memory before loading it into memory, and that scrolling is somewhat pokey. Rating: ***-- JBickhard@GMail.com --------------------------------------- +------------------------------------+ | *Your ad HERE* | +------------------------------------+ Yep, I even do tricks! Just E-Mail me an ASCII ad of whatever it is you want to have here, I'll get it in the next issue. **JBickhard@GMail.com** -------------------------------------- ------------+----------+-------------- | Hardware | | Tutorial | ------------+----------+-------------- Model 100s and Cell Phones -------------------------------------- Even in today's day and age, there are many dial-up BBSs still available, including CompuServe. With all of these, and the Model 100s extreme portability, it's a shame to see it wasted by having to tether the Model 100 to a modular phone jack every time you want to dial into a BBS. Now, you don't have to. Many modern cell phones have headset jacks that integrate both input and output into the same plug, you have to modify a standard cable for the Model 100 that plugs into this and the 'Modem' port on the computer. Firstly, you have to have a standard M-100 Modem cable, and a stereo headphone jack that will plug into your cellphone. Secondly, you have to find out which of the wires on the telephone cable are positive input, and positive output, and solder them to the corresponding tabs on the cell phone plug. Then, you take the two remaining 'negative' wires or 'returns', and solder them onto the remaining tab. You should now be able to dial into a BBS with your cell phone, your Model 100, and your new cable. JBickhard@GMail.com -------------------------------------- The Legacy Continues -------The M-100------- One might argue that the Model 100 is dead, forgotten, obsolete. Others might argue that it's dozens of followers keep it alive, which they do. The years 2008-09 has been called the 'Year of the 100'. The NADSBox, NightTyme BBS, REX, and this newsletter have all come out during this time. The Model 100 draws its roots with the Kyocera Company, who manufactured the hardware for it and its clones: the Kyocera 85 the original, NEC 8201A, and Olivetti M-10. It was extremely popular from 1983-85, and then the market was taken over by PC-compatibles. During its hay day, the Model 100, or 'Micro Executive Workstation', was very popular, and many peripherals were made for it. One magazine, Portable 100, was dedicated entirely to the Model 100 and its predecessors, and Model 102 and 200. The Model 100 was mostly popular with journalists, who coveted its small design and ability to upload files to their desktop computers at the main office via a pay phone and acoustic couplers. Even today, some journalists and scientists continue to use the Model 100 because of its ruggedness, utility, and compact design. Today, the Model 100 lives on as a small group of people continue to develop and implement the Model 100. This organization, Club 100, has ushered in a new decade of vintage portable computing. One of the new products for the Model 100, the New Age Digital Storage Box or NADSBox, was developed by Ken Pettit, and sold by Rick Hanson on the Club 100 website. The NADSBox allows for digital storage onto an SD card via the RS-232c port. This card may then be taken out and put into a card reader, and read by a desktop. Another product that is yet to start production is the REX. The REX fits into the option ROM slot in the Model 100 and gives the user extra ROM and RAM banks, much like the Model 200 has. These products are the symbol of the hard work and dedication put out by these people, the sole supporters of the wonderful little gem called the Model 100. Jake Bickhard JBickhard@GMail.com ----------------------- ------Consumerism------ When to buy a new computer It's a common thing in to days society, and not a particularly good one. Some new, hot product comes out and then 100% of your averages Joes just ‘have' to buy it. It's the same thing with computers. A new operating system, hardware, or gadget comes out and people feel an intense urge to go out and buy it, whether that urge is justified or not. Basic guidelines: buy a computer, nothing fancy or froufrou, just a computer that does what you need it to, nothing more. Wait five years. Wait a little longer. Then, if better computer has come out, and been confirmed as being what you need, or if your old one has become too slow. Then, and only then should you buy a new computer. Jake Bickhard JBickhard@GMail.com ----------------------- +---$$Classifieds$$---+ --------Wanted--------- Nuthin' here at the moment. If there's anything you want, just shoot me an E-Mail. --------For Sale------- Nope. Nuthin' here either. If you have anything you're gettin rid of, send me the price, item, and your E-mail.