James Franklin Uzzell
Founder of DDI Software and prolific programmer in Myarc Advanced Basic

photo of jim uzzell

Doing business as DDI Software, Jim Uzzell provided some of the best and probably the most Myarc Advanced BASIC software available for the Myarc “Geneve” 9640 computer. Jim’s efforts were good enough to earn him two Jim Peterson Memorial Achievement Award nominations. The first nomination came in 1998 for his MYBASIC 4.0 and then again in 2000 for his release of ABASIC 4.0. Jim also identified and reported specific bugs he found within MDOS. Jim was widely considered to be the world authority in Myarc Advanced Basic.

Jim released his first Myarc Geneve products in 1989 with the announcement of Appointment Scheduler and Artist Utility. MYBASE followed in 1990 and then a seemingly continuous stream of Geneve software over the next 10 to 12 years, including the following:

BKUP CIA DDI-DISM
DDI- ICON DDI-WORD GRABBER
MYARK MYBANDIT MYBINGO
MYFORMAT MYFX MYGAMMON
MYGOLF MYMENU2+ MYPLAN
MYPOKER MYSAM MYSTRIKE
MYSIDEPRINTER MYWHEEL MYAHTZEE
QLABEL    

There were probably many more programs that were still in the works in the mind of this prolific programmer and devout Myarc “Geneve” 9640 supporter.

Charles Good wrote in his published review of Jim’s MYMENU2+, “I like MYMENU2+ so much that I have my Geneve set up to automatically boot the program every time I select Advanced Basic from my customized Geneve startup menu. From the MYMENU2+ display, I can, from a menu, run all the other Advanced Basic programs on my hard drive. Jim Uzzell’s MYMENU2+ is the only Geneve software that can do this.”

Jim was a member of the Houston, Texas user group while DDI Software was headquartered in Austin, Texas. Jim was also a frequent contributor to MICROpendium magazine.

James Franklin Uzzell was born Nov 9, 1939, in Hazen, Arkansas. In 1957, Jim attended what was then Arkansas State Teacher’s College in Conway, Arkansas, majoring in Business and Accounting. While there, he met and married Barbara Jean. They had two daughters, Sonya and Cherlynn.

From 1963 through 1985, Jim held the positions of either Chief or Senior Accountant for several companies and worked on many projects throughout the United States and in Saudi Arabia. During this period, Jim opened his own fiberglass company.

Jim was always interested in computers. His cousin once remarked about a computer that Jim had taken completely apart and had scattered all over the apartment. Jim told his cousin that it was broken and he was trying to figure out how it worked. Jim eventually reassembled it in perfect working order.

In 1985, Jim turned his attention to computer software development by starting his own software company, DDI Software, and wrote many programs for the TI and MYARC community. Jim began releasing his software for the Myarc "Geneve" 9640 in 1989. Jim also freely gave programming advice and help to all who asked. In 1998, Jim moved to Valdosta, Georgia, and resided there until his death in October 2005.

We honor Jim Uzzell, for his knowledge and comradeship and for his dedicated involvement in the circle of support that surrounds the TI-99/4A / Geneve Community.

Biography prepared by Glenn Bernasek
with contributions from Jim Uzzell’s daughter, Sonya,
TI-99/4A and Myarc “Geneve” 9640 historian Bill Gaskill,
and DDI Software review by Charles Good

Inducted to the TI99ers Hall of Fame on November 24, 2005