On 3/11/2012 9:22 PM, Keith Nuttle wrote:

My first computer was also a TI99/4a with a total of 16kb of ram. I
wrote my first basic program on a TI-99/4a. It was a very basic
spreadsheet that filled up the memory the first time I ran it. I
purchased a spreadsheet for it and used it to develop my departments
budget. It was better that a paper spreadsheet.

My second computer was a 99/4A. It was actually a 16 bit processor
beast, IIRC.

I used a GE cassette deck for a "hard drive". I wrote an oil and gas
lease records program on it, in TI basic, and actually sold a few copies
to clients at the time, who were tickled to get their lease records onto
something besides paper. I also started learning TI assembly language on
it ... that was a tough learn in those times, as there was not much
documentation.

That thing seemed like cutting edge at the time, at least if you
couldn't afford an IBM 360. Our company CPA actually used one for his
business at one point.

My oldest daughter, as a youngster, used to play on it using the
"Turtle" logo programming language.

The very first computer game I ever played (and may have been the last,
except Pong in a bar), "Pirate", was on the 99/4A. Totally text based,
and any "graphics" were totally and solely the result of your own
imagination.

Can you imagine that today?


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