M600AA.THD --- Copyright 1987 by Phil Wheeler An original compilation of Compuserve Model 100 Forum messages for use by Forum members only. This file is a collection of miscellaneous messages regarding the Tandy 600. Topics covered include: installing expansion RAM; Basic ROM's for the 600; and computer obsolescence (focused on the 600). <> Message range: 147914 to 148437 Dates: 5/13/98 to 5/22/87 Installation of Model 600 RAM ----------------------------- Fm: DICK SPINDLER 76537,1623 To: ALL I have a friend who is buying a Mod 600 and wonders what kind of a job it would be to install the additional RAM himself. Anyone have experience to share on what kind of a job this is? Any info on a good place to order the RAM? Any help would be appreciated. --- Dick Spindler Fm: Tony Anderson 76703,4062 To: DICK SPINDLER 76537,1623 The RAM module for the 600 is similar to the ones for the 100 or 200, only larger. You open up the case by removing the screws from the bottom and lifting off the top (very carefully, I might add), and plug it into the marked socket. Instructions come with the RAM module if purchased from one of the third-party sources. See the file EXPAND.600 in DL11. - There are only 3 places to get the RAM modules. Basic ROM's for the Tandy 600 ---------------------------- Fm: Dwight Ernest 70210,523 To: All Does anyone know of a 3rd-party source for the BASIC ROM for the 600? I'm tired of waiting for Radio Shack to come up with it! Fm: Tony Anderson 76703,4062 To: Dwight Ernest 70210,523 The BASIC ROM chip is a proprietary item, available only from Radio Shack stores, Tandy Computer stores, or authorized Tandy dealers. Some of which do business by mail order. See the file DISCNT.INF in DL13 for a list of some mail order dealers. Fm: DICK SPINDLER 76537,1623 To: Dwight Ernest 70210,523 Yes, I bought one yesterday from Bodex Corp, who has them in stock The number is (617) 485-5115. Ft. Worth Computers also says they have them, but I ordered one from them about three weeks ago, and it was never delivered - backordered, you see... so I cancelled and ordered from Bodex. The price from Bodex is $108.00. Computer Obsolescence --------------------- Fm: FRANK TRZESNIOWSKI 71056,722 To: sysop I've just read, in PCM Magazine, that the Tandy 600 will be phased out because of the tarrifs imposed on Japaneese 16 bit computer chips. I'll bet Tandy was thrilled to be able to dump the ill conceived, and unpopular, with magazine reviewers, computer, and be able to blame the dumping on the tarrifs. I was one of the unfortunates who bought the thing for 1600 bucks, put in 96K for another 400, and waited for support from somebody, while I read the editors, and columnists moan about it not being MS-DOS compatible. This moaning and groaning, I feel, is the reason for the 600 not getting off the ground. Who would want to write software for a computer, when it's obituaries are read shortly after it's birth. I'm getting used to this. I had a Model 1, I have a Model 3, I have a brace of PC-2 pocket computers, and now the Tandy 1000(That's the 1000, not the 1000A, SX, EX, or whatever they' they're going to come out with next week. Let's not forget the Model 100, which they haven't dared "phase out" yet, though they did try to squeeze some extra dough out of the market by upgrading to the Model 102. I wonder what it feels like to own a Tandy computer that is not obsolete? You want to hear some stories about printers? I have some about the LP-7, the TRP-100, DMP-200, DWP-410. I've just bought a DMP-130A, so I guess it's curtains for that printer , too. I guess there's one born every minute, and I'm doing my part. Fm: Tony Anderson 76703,4062 To: FRANK TRZESNIOWSKI 71056,722 Gee, Frank, would you mind telling me what you're planning on buying the rest of the year? I'd like to steer clear of the losers. (grin) You sure have a track record there. But one thing we have to deal with in this high-technology market, is rapid obsolescence. No sooner than one company comes out with a major advance, then six others try to come out with one that's better, has more power, greater speed, or whatever... It's getting so the life cycle of any new computer is projected to be less than two years. That's two years before the manufacturer figures it's obsolete, and will be replacing it with a newer model. That's just one of the facts of life in this rapidly developing field. Best bet, find a computer that does what you need now, and forget about whether it will be obsolete in a couple of years. I am still using one of the first microcomputers made, hand-assembled from a kit, serial number 4198, which is ten years old, and it works every day, doing the job it was originally bought for. Sure there are newer, brighter, and bigger toys on the market, and they'll all be obsolete some day; but they'll still get most jobs done. But next time, look for one that has the support _before_ you buy it, or plan on supporting it yourself; then you won't be concerned if it's another in the long line of "here today, gone tomorrow" computers. Fm: FRANK TRZESNIOWSKI 71056,722 To: Tony Anderson 76703,4062 Tony I know that these computers will be useful for a long while, but I still can't help but envy the guys who bought the Commodore 64, the CoCo, and the AppleII. It seems that these will go on forever. Oh! Oh! Better sell your shares, if you have any in these areas. As it's turning out, the Model 100 would have been plenty sufficient for my needs of writing short-stories. But, there was always the haunting idea of whether one could store a novel in the 100. Now, with the peripherals offered, one could easily do that. I really did want the Tandy 600 to succeed. I wish it would have hung on long enough to get a good spell checker, and a header printing enhancement to its word program. With just a little more, it could have been a good stand-alone computer for my purposes. Having a few computers does serve a purpose. I don't always find it easy to get myself to sit down and try to write something. The novelty of being able to jump around from chair to chair, from computer to computer, and from location to location helps to keep it a fresh experience for me. When one writes for years, with very little publication, one has to keep finding new ways to get back up on the horse. If I ever find out I don't need all these computers, maybe I'll have a gigantic yard sale, or something. Thanks for the forum. I've just been published again--on the Model 100 SIG. (Some of us will do quite a lot to be published) Frank Trzesniowski