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From: gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com (George Madison)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy
Subject: Re: TRS-80 Model 4
Message-ID: <17961@gryphon.COM>
Date: 22 Jul 89 03:40:13 GMT
Sender: root@gryphon.COM
Organization: People-Net [pnet02], Redondo Beach, CA.
Lines: 51

jefu@pawl.rpi.edu (Jeffrey Putnam) writes:
>An acquaintance of mine just got a TRS-80 Model 4 on a "permanent loan"
>
>So, my questions are:
>   1) Is there a shareware or freeware database and/or spreadsheet available?
>      If so, where?

There may be a freeware or shareware database available; the spreadsheet will
be harder.  Check around; you might be able to find a copy of Microsoft
Multiplan available cheap at a Radio Shack clearance sale.  In any case, one
of the *BEST* sources for Model 4 PD/Share/FreeWare is The File Cabinet.  They
are currently moving, so I'll try to find and post the correct address soon.
>
>   2) I have a modem on my IBM PC clone and can reach ftp sites, and can read
>      news and stuff.  Is there any way to talk my machine (or his) into
>      constructing compatable disks?  (Im assuming that the disks are 
>      normally incompatable, which may not even be the case.)

To take these questions one at a time: No, the disk formats are *NOT* directly
compatible, and YES, there is software that can read each other's disks
available commercially.
>
>   3) He has no modem at this point.  Is one available that might work for
>      him (inexpensively) that might be moved to another machine should he
>      decide to upgrade at some point?

Any modem that can plug into a standard RS-232 port will work with the TRS-80,
presuming his M4 has the RS-232 board installed.  :-)  As for terminal
software, I strongly recommend FastTerm II by Mel Patrick, which is ShareWare.
>
>   4) How about real word processing?  I mean stuff like newsletter quality.

Hm.  If you want to do lots of fancy fonts, there's DotWriter, with hundreds
and hundreds of different fonts.  (DotWriter was the predecessor of Fontasy
for the IBM world.)  If you're talking just powerful text formatting, I
suggest looking at AllWrite! by ProSoft first, then LeScript by Anitek. 
AVOID anything named any variety of "Scripsit".
>
>Thanks...
>
You're welcome.  I suggest you look around for TrsLINK, the electronic
magazine, as well as TRSTimes, Computer News 80, and The Misosys Quarterly. 
All have info and pointers he might find useful.


|George Madison, a/k/a George The Bear Cub, a/k/a Furr     ** BEAR POWER **|
|gmadison@pnet02.gryphon.com    8-{)>    ames!elroy!gryphon!pnet02!gmadison|
|GEnie: GEORGE.M     Arctophiles & Barbophiles Unite!     PLink: BEARDLOVER|

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