• James Warren Peterson, better known to most 99ers as the Tigercub, dies at his home on January 12th, at age 70.

• In a letter to MICROpendium, Bill Gaskill alerts the TI-99 Community that the Personal Record Keeping cartridge will not accept dates prior to 1979, nor after 1999.

• Texaments of Patchogue, NY moves to Stillwater, OK when owner Steve Lamberti takes a job with the Customer Service Dept. of Creative Labs, makers of the Sound Blaster card for PCs. The company's new address is 701 S. Wicklow #506 Stillwater, OK 74074 (405) 372-0819.

• Jerry Kielser reports in MICROpendium that the Paris, TX TI-99 Users Group has officially disbanded.

• Toronto's 9T9 User Group changes addresses to 52 Graystone Gardens Islington, Ontario, Canada M8Z 3C4. The contact person is Neil Allen.

• Jerry Price, owner of Tex-Comp Users Supply in Granada Hills, CA, reports that the January 17th earthquake which rocked southern California shook his warehouses, and caused the loss of some TI-99 equipment, but for the most part left things intact so he could remain in business.

• APPLE -- Apple introduces a board that offers the ultimate oxymoron of software and hardware: a Mac running DOS programs. This feat is accomplished by placing a 25-MHz 486SX processor, a Chips & Technologies BIOS, a VGA chip set, and some of Apple's custom ASICs (application-specific ICs) on a 68040 Processor Direct Slot plug-in board. The whole affair is dropped into a competitively priced Quadra 610, offering the best of both worlds on one system.

• COMMODORE -- Writing in PC Magazine, John C. Dvorak states in his article entitled "SOHO? Ho Ho!," that "Too many people thought a Commodore 64. . .was a computer that they might actually use," and he goes on to remark that it worked well as a doorstop.

"What's in the news? Expensive game machines. There's the 3DO and the Atari Jaguar, and now Silicon Graphics and Nintendo have linked up to promise still another one. Recently Radio Shack rolled out a pricey pseudo-CD-ROM thingamajig on the heels of the incredibly unsuccessful device from Commodore. All these entertainment devices are doomed to failure.

"It doesn't take a genius to look at the progenitor of all these machines--the Amiga--and see that the high-end game world is hopeless. Nobody wants to spend over $500 for a game machine. 3DO even had the gall to go public before shipping one single unit. And the public gobbled up the stock. Why? The only reason I can fathom is that there's a really, really good list of strategic partners. Yawn. So what? Nowadays anyone with a decent Rolodex can line up so-called strategic partners. Of course, these promoters will tell you the strategic partners are investors as well. Yeah, if these guys are so hot and into it, why did they go public? We're talking about one of the biggest venture capital firms in the world (Kleiner, Perkins) and a company like Matsushita. What do they need public funds for so soon? If you ask me, it sounds like lack of confidence. Back to my main point. Why this sudden infatuation with high-end game machines?

"First, the unit sales of games on the plain old PC have surpassed other categories. People are playing games on the PC, now that sound and SVGA dominate the scene and make game playing at least as fun as it is on the Sega or Nintendo machines. Second, we all know that a machine designed just for games will outperform a PC.

"Third, the people behind all these ideas are getting to be middle-aged fogies trying to recapture their youth. Apparently, the Ferraris and Lamborghinis aren't really that satisfying. Overlooked in this pursuit of lost youth and greater wealth is reality. Reality is quite simple.

"First, people don't want to spend over $100 on a game-only machine, period. These promoters have no grasp of what consumers can afford. Ask anyone closely involved in 3DO when last they stepped into a Kmart. They're as out of touch as poor George Bush was when he played the Gomer and yelped upon seeing a laser scanner at a grocery store checkout counter.

"Second, most of the games appearing on these machines are just ports of games already on Nintendo and Sega. "Oh, but the music is so superior!" Sure, the new machines are superior, but so what? People don't play Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario because the graphics and sound are so great. The games don't have to be hi-res with Dolby Surround Sound to be good games. Kids play these games because the games are great.

"Third, a super game machine has been tried before and failed miserably. It was called the Amiga. Nobody questions the fact that the Amiga, when introduced, was technologically superior to anything on the market. But it was perceived as a trivial game computer, and that perception killed it. Only when you get to the $100 price point will the trivial become acceptable.

"There's another thing that annoys me. All the hoopla over these machines is a distraction from the mainstream computer scene. I don't like it. Development effort should be focused on multimedia computers, not edu-tainment (ugh!) titles for the 3DO. And if you have to write a game, there is nothing wrong with the established 16-bit universe of Nintendo and Sega. If these new game platforms don't do well, there will be a lot of wasted time and even more wasted money."

His comments will generate mail from die-hard home Computer Era fans for months to come.

FEB 1994:

• Don O'Neil, dba Western Horizon Technologies, announces the availability of a SCSI interface card for the PEB. It is not fully functional however.

• FEST-WEST '94 takes place in Tucson, AZ on February 19-20, hosted by the Southwest 99ers.

• Mike Maksimak of Crystal Technologies announces the release of the Digi-Port digital sound player. It is to be marketed by Western Horizon Technologies and Bud Mills Services.

• Beery Miller releases MDOS 2.0 for the Myarc Geneve 9640.

• Asgard Software's new owner, Harry Brashear, announces that effective February 18th, it is discontinuing sale of Art Gibson's First Draft/Final Copy word processor. The decision comes after Gibson fails to respond to requests for bug fixes from Asgard.

• Robert P. Caine, long-time member of the Rocky Mountain 99ers in Denver, CO, dies on February 10th in Logan, UT.

• MISC -- Shareholders closed the book on SoftKey Software Products Inc., and gave final approval to the three-way merger that creates the world's number two player in the growing consumer software market. SoftKey, formerly headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., has merged with Spinnaker Software Corp., of Cambridge, MA, and WordStar Corp., formerly headquartered in Novato, CA. The new entity -- SoftKey International Inc., will be based in Cambridge, and should take 12th spot in the entire software industry, with expected annual revenues of US$130 million, and net income of US$19-US$20 million.

• MISC -- Electronic Arts acquires Broderbund Software in a $400 million deal.

• PC/MS-DOS -- Windows 3.11 ships as what will be the last big 16-bit operating system upgrade.

MAR 1994:

• Bill Gaskill begins a series of articles on TI-99 Trivia for the Lima, OH User Group that may be viewed from here.

• March 1994 Things That Have Come and Gone, and Some That Never Were...
• April 1994 Things That Have Come and Gone, and Some That Never Were...
• July 1994 Things That Have Come and Gone, and Some That Never Were...
• September 1994 Things That Have Come and Gone, and Some That Never Were...

• Edward Schwartz of Georgetown TX releases a TI-99 emulator for PCs.

• MICROpendium announces the availability of the 1993 MPII index compiled by Bill Gaskill.

• Schematics for the Asgard Memory System (AMS Card) are released to the public domain according to Jim Krych, director of Asgard Peripherals research and development.

• APPLE -- Apple ships its first PowerPC-based Macs.

• PC/MS-DOS -- Intel ships its first clock-tripled 486 chips, called the DX4, clocking 25MHz externally and 75MHz internally.

APR 1994:

• Dee Turner 641 S. Laughlin Lane Merced, CA 95340 (209) 722-7352 announces that he has become an authorized distributor for all McCann Software products including The Printers Apprentice.

• Sam Carey, dba Machicolation Systems, announces the release of Constitution Reader for the TI-99/4A. The 100% assembly language coded application contains the entire text of the United States Constitution. 32K RAM and the Editor Assembler cartridge are required. The program sells for $14.95.

• Patrick Graham, newsletter editor of the North Bay (Canada) 99ers dies.

• COMMODORE -- Commodore Business Machines files for bankruptcy protection on April 29th.

• MISC -- In an attempt to head off proposed legislation that would require game manufacturers to include a universal ratings system designed to warn consumers about violent, profane, and sexually explicit content, game companies Acclaim, Atari, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Philips, Sega, and 3DO form the Interactive Entertainment Industry Rating System Committee to develop an industry-wide ratings system that could handle the expected 2,000 new releases a year.(PC Magazine: Apr 12, 1994)

MAY 1994:

• Terry Miller, owner of TM Direct Marketing, announces that his company will produce its last 99/4A products catalog in May, prior to closing out its support for the TI-99/4A Home Computer.

• Mickey Schmitt Cendrowski announces that she will shut down MS Express Software effective May 31st.

• COMMODORE -- The Commodore Semiconductor Group shuts down, victim of the same financial fiasco that caused Commodore Business Machines to file for bankruptcy in April 1994. Jack Tramiel must be smiling at Irving Gould's turn of bad luck.

JUN 1994:

• Chris Bobbitt, founder and former owner of Asgard Software, quits the business totally, leaving Asgard Software to new owner Harry Brashear, and Asgard Peripherals to R&D Vice President Jim Krych. From MICROpen publisher John Koloen, "Asgard Peripherals, at one time the hardware end of Asgard Software, has closed its doors. It hasn't actually made an announcement, but it is unlikely that you"ll see any more products from the company, though Jim Krych continues to support the AMS card. The company had great plans for future products, but the lack of success with its AMS (Asgard Memory System) and problems witih its XBIII cartridge card doomed it to failure. It's a sad but inevitable ending to a story that began in the early days of the TI when Chris Bobbitt started the company to produce and market third party software for the TI. During the mid-1980s, it was one of the major players in TI software, marketing an impressive line of software. Several years ago Bobbitt made Harry Brashear a partner in the company, eventually transferring ownership to Harry while concentrating on the newer Asgard Peripherals. Problems with suppliers eventually took their toll on Bobbitt and the result is that the TI communnity loses another player. Bobbitt played a significant role in the TI community, and he did it for years. OFten a controversial subject, his commitment to the TI was never questioned. I"ll miss Chris and his enthusiasm for the TI. I wish him all the luck in the future." -John Koloen (MP Jun94,p.5)

• MS Express Software dissolved in a public announcment made by co-owner Michelle "Mickey" Cendrowski. "Due to irreconcilable differences following the Lima show on May 14, 1994, .between myself (Mickey Schmitt Cendrowski) and Mike Sealy, I felt it best to dissolve our software business, known as MS Express Software. Thus, effective May 31, 1994, Express Software has been dissolved. This announcement DOES NOT give anyone a license to distribute any of those products which we distributed, nor does it automatically place any of those products in the Fairware or Public Domain markets. All software titles and copyrights remain the property of their respective authors, and each author has been asked to make a decision regarding the distribution of their software programs. It is with great joy that I make the following announcement: Effective June 1, 1994, Notoung Software has exclusive permission to market and distribute the following products previously released through MS EXpress Software:
  
• Adventure Hints - Series I, and Adventure Hints - Series II, both written by Lynn Gardner
• Page Pro Cataloger Sliding Block Puzzles - Series I, Sliding Block Puzzles - Series II, Sliding Block Puzzles - Series III Sliding Block Solutions - Series I Sliding Block Solutions - Series II, and Sliding Block Solutions - Series III, all written by Norman Rokke
• Oliver's Twist, written by Lynn Gardner and myself, Mickey Schmitt Cendrowski
• Adventure Data Base, Genealogy Plus!, Rattlesnake Bend, and TI-99/4A Software Data Base, all written by myself, Mickey Schmitt Cendrowski

• Bill Gaskill announces the release of Card File 3.0 sporting the ability to create electronic 3x5 index cards.

• Compuserve Offers New Video Games Section. Game players are offered a chance to get together with one another and with game designers and publishers through Compuserve's two new forums -- Video Game Publishers Forum and Video Games Forum. In the Video Game Publishers Forum, Compuserve will provide users an opportunity to meet and discuss ideas and techniques with representatives of companies such as Accolade, Data East, Electronic Arts, Game Genie, Koei, Konami, Spectrum Holobyte, Takara and Working Designs. These companies will provide product support, screen samples, new product introductions, game hints and other information.

Meanwhile, the Video Games Forum, will provide a communication area where players can discuss hardware, the merits of games, personal tips and suggestions, and their own reviews. Players of Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, 3DO Multiplayer, Atari Jaguar, Phillips CD-I, and other game consoles will be able to join with users of the same systems to expand more specific issues.

Speaking with NewsBytes, Jim Pasqua, Compuserve product marketing associate, said, "The growth of new game hardware has produced a new and expanded audience of game players in dramatic numbers. We felt that we should offer an opportunity for them to communicate with one another and with the publishers as well. As well as these new forums, we also provide users with downloadable and online games in our gaming section. We have more than 18,000 game files for downloading."

Existing members can find the Video Game Publishers Forum by typing "VIDPUB" at the "GO" command and "VIDGAMES" for the Video Games Forum. These new forums are not part of the basic services package offered by Compuserve and users will be charged $4.80 per hour at 1,200 and 2,400 bits-per-second (bps) speeds and $9.60 per hour for 9,600 or 14,400 bps. CompuServe, 614-538-3497)

JUL 1994:

• George Campbell, long-time member of the Southern Nevada Users Group (SNUG) in Las Vegas, Nv dies on July 22nd. George was the club librarian for many years, a frequent contributor to the club newsletter and the first SNUG member to leave a message on the User Gruop's BBS. He was also among the SNUG team who put together the TI-XPO at the Palace Hotel in 1988.

• A TI-99 emulator for PCs, released by Edward Schwartz of Georgetown TX in March 1994, is discontinued after Texas Instruments demands that Schwartz pay licensing fees for ROMs he uses in the emulator.

• MISC -- CP/M pioneer Gary Kildall dies at 52.

AUG 1994:

• Texas Instruments contracts with Don Walden, dba Cecure Electronics, to be their authorized repair center for TI-99/4A products sold during the home computer era.

• MISC -- Marc Andreessen, who led the Mosaic development team, joins a new firm that will ultimately become Netscape.

SEP 1994:

• Jerry Coffey is named manager of Delphi's TI-NET, a Special Interest Group for Myarc Geneve 9640 users.

• MISC -- Sierra On-Line begins offering the Sierra Mastercard credit card?

OCT 1994:

• In an effort to attract new users, General Electric's GEnie Roundtable begins offering a $50 on-line usage credit valid until December 31, 1994.

• Raymond Frantz of Phoenix, AZ announces the creation of a brokerage house for used TI-99/4A hardware, software and books.

• The TI Special Interest Group portion of the San Diego Computer Society disbands.

• Don O'Neil, owner of Western Horizon Technologies, announces the availability of a $65 AT-style keyboard for the TI-99/4A.

NOV 1994:

• Harry Brashear, author of a scathing 1987 letter condemning the introduction of PCs into TI-99/4A User Groups, writes another letter to the TI Community announcing his intention of moving to PC-based Geoworks, a product which grew out of 1986's GEOS, written by former Mattel Intellivision programmer Brian Daugherty, specifically for the Commodore 64.

• German Michael Becker announces the creation of a new 80-column card for the TI-99/4A, dubbed the EVPC for Enhanced Video Processor Card.

DEC 1994:

• Due to cost and lack of traffic among members of the TI Community, MICROpendium announces that effective January 31, 1995 it will no longer be available via CompuServe's TI Forum.

• Jan Alexandersson of Transgund, Sweden announces that the December 1994 issue of Programbitten magazine will be the last.

• Netscape Navigator is released.

Click here to print This Page