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QOOOThe Loston Computer Socety |

SINCLAIR/TIMEX USER GROUP NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 4 October 1982

This newsletter is produced to inform group members of the agenda and logistics for future meetings, as well as to recap and amplify the information provided at the last meeting. It also provides a forum for members and interested parties to communicate what they have learned or developed relating to Sinclatr and Timex computer products.

NEXT MEETING ’ 2 Date: Wednesday, October 20, 1982. Time: 7:00 p.m. eae Place: Large Science Auditorium

UMass, Harbor Campus (Directions on last page) AGENDA

This meeting marks the first anniversity of the Sinclair/Timex User Group. We are planning a big celebration, and have executives of both Sinclair Research, Ltd. and Timex Computer Corporation coming to our meeting:

@ Ma. Maragret Bruzelius, Executive Vice President for the U. S. Operations of Sinclair Research, Ltd., will offer interesting insights into Sinclair’s history and its goals. Prior to becoming the head of U. S. Operations, Ms. ,Bruzelius was with Advent and Polaroid. She has been involved with the consumer electronics industry for the duration of her profeasional career.

@ Mr. Dan Ross, Vice President of Timex Computer Corporation, will speak about the background and goals of. the Timex Computer

ae Corporation, and functions of the newly formed Timex Computer Club.

Mr. Rossa has over 15 years experience in high technology areas, and has held positions with IBM, ITEL, and MEMOREX Corporation.

We are looking forward to what these two have to say about their companies and products. In addition, we have asked representatives of a number of local Sinclair/Timex related companies to display their products.

We will be advertising the meeting and anticipate a large turnout.

HEELLLP ...

We would like to encourage more direct participation in the planning and

implementation of group meetings and activities. Contact Sue or Cliff to volunteer.

aa:

©The Hoston Computer Society

SINCLAIR/TIMEX USER GROUP NEWSLETTER Volume 1, Issue 4 October 1982

Ti.us newsletter is produced to inform group members of the agenda and logistics for future meetings, as well as to recap and amplify the information provided at the last meeting. It also provides a forum for members and interested parties to communicate what they have learned or developed relating to Sinclair and Timex computer products.

NEXT MEETING ’ e Date: Wednesday, October 20, 1982. Time: 7:00 pm. ae oe Place: Large Science Auditorium UMass, Harbor Campus N (Directions on last page) AGENDA

@ Ms. Maragret Bruzelius, Executive Vice President for the U. S. Operations of Sinclair Research, Ltd., will offer interesting insights into Sinclair’s history and its goals. Prior to becoming the head of U. S. Operations, Ms. .,Bruzelius was with Advent and Polaroid. She has been involved with the consumer electronics industry for the duration of her professional career.

e@ Mr. Dan Ross, Vice President of Timex Computer Corporation, will speak about the background and goals of. the Timex Computer

_ Corporation, and functions of the newly formed Timex Computer Club.

Mr. Ross has over 15 years experience in high technology areas, and has held positions with IBM, ITEL, and MEMOREX Corporation.

We will be advertising the meeting and anticipate a large turnout.

HEELLLP ...

We would like to encourage more direct participation in the planning and

implementation of group meetings and activities. Contact Sue or Cliff to volunteer.

oN ~ NOVEMBER’S MEETING —-- ce

In November, we plan a meeting primarily for prospective buyers or new owners of a Sinclair or Timex.:computers. This meeting could help you decide if the Sinclair or Timex computer is an appropriate gift for someone you know this holiday season.

LAST MEETING ACTIVITIES

At the September meeting, Dave Wood described the new CAI (Widget) ” interface and printer which he recently purchased. Paul McGarry described and demonstrated parallel input/output to the computer. Also, Henry April gave us an update on the large keyboard he developed.

THE HISTORY OF THE SINCLAIR/TIMEX USER GROUP By Susan C. T. Mahoney, Founder ‘and' Director

Last fall, 1 started the user group to bring-owmers-vf the Sinctetr- computers together to share how they were using them, as well as to discuss problems and discover solutions. During late summer of 1981, I did some contract work with Sinclair Research in Boston. I was curious and anxious to meet people who were interested in or already using the Sinclair computer for applications in business, education, science, and the home.

Our first meeting was on October 14, 1981, one week after Clive Sinclair, founder of Sinclair Research, Ltd., introduced the ZX-81 to the United States at a press conference in Boston. The user group met in an office located in Kenmore Square, eighteen people attended the meeting. Since Sinclair had not started shipping the ZX-81, most of the attendees were owners of the ZX-80 (the model that preceeded the ZX-81). The meeting was very successful with a lot of enthusiasm exchanged.

The second meeting, however, almost did not occur. Two days prior to the meeting, I was informed that we no longer had access to our meeting place. The company that was letting us use the space went out of business. Frantically, I searched to find another place that was available for the right price (free) and near public transportation. After checking with many government agencies and failing to find a suitable place, we met in the BCS office. This change tequired posting signs at the old meeting site to inform people of the last

minute change. After ttying to squeeze 22 people into the BCS office, it was obvious that we needed to find a larger meeting place for the group.

At the Northeast Computer Show, I happened to sit next to an enthustastic new owner of a ZX-81. After we spoke for a while, she offered her place of work, which was the Countwav Library (the Harvard Medical Library). That worked out for two maeting., but again we outgrew the space.

Things were beginning to look a bit grim for finding a permanent meeting Place that could accommodate our rapid growth. Then, Rick Kane called and offered me the use of the whole Physics Department at UMass, Boston, Hatbor Campus. When I learned we could have TV monitors, places to store some of our equipment, a choice between an auditorium that could seat 150 and one for 550, smaller rooms for breakout sessions, access by public transportation, and parking, it was obvious where our home would be. Futhermore, Rick is director of the Source and Compuserve users’ groups of the BCS. I knew that some day we would have a modem for the computer and that cooperation between our groups would prove very beneficial.

‘ oe ~ Since February we have been meeting in the small auditorium which

accommodates 150 people. During the summer months attendance varied between 50

eS and 75 people. Our September newsletter had a mailing of over 300. Now, with people returning from vacation, the number of attendees will grow. Also, due to increased sales of both the ZX~81 and the TS-1000, we expect a very large increase in attendance. Therefore, as of October, we will be meeting in the large auditorium, one floor above the present meeting room. We hope that UMass will continue to be our home until the BCS gets its new building. (See the article in the July-August issue of the Computer Update. )

In July our group’s name was changed from Sinclair User Group to * Sinclatr/Timex User Group to reflect our interest and support for owners of both Sinclair and Timex computers.

I’m excited for the future of the group. With che rapid growth, we have the potential of becoming the largest group within the Boston Computer Society. However, we will always try to structure the meetings so that everyone is served. We are always open to new suggestions and ideas. If you have any for the next meetings, please contact me. i

SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Skip Hammel Sinclair Technical Information

David Ornstein Computer Display, Keyboard Scanning, ZX-81 Parser Dave Wood Fl. Pt. Numbers, Tape Utilities, Linking BASIC Programs John Baskies Timex Marketing Planning

Kirt Olson How to Write for SYNTAX

Ann Zevnik SYNTAX Group Discount, TS-1000 Press Conference Mike Gonnerman London 2X Microfair Report

Mary Reiman New Things to Come from Sinclair

Mike Levy New Hardware/Software in England, Mindware Products Henry April, ~ Design of the E~Z Key Keyboaid _

John King Clock/Family Bulletin Board Program

Bob Smith 64K Memory Applications

Mike Weiskoff£ Computer Education

Walter Stepanski Survey ‘of Support Resources Rick Kane Computer Bulletin Boards Paul McGarry Parallel 1/0 Denonetration’ ~

We wish to acknowledge the following companies whose representatives made contributions ta our-meetings! Agnew, Carter, and McCarthy; Deaystifying Computers; E-Z Key; Heuristics; Jordan Kahn; King Software; Mindware Company; Sinclair Research, Ltd.3 Siriusware; The Harvard Group; and Timex Computer Corporation.

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TRY THIS

It has been suggested that we have a program in each letter. Here is a simple program that plots Ligsajous patterts, such as you may see on an oscilloscope. Enter the first two inputs as small integers, less than ten. The third parameter controls the resolution of the plot. Try 2, 3, 50.

r i - 10 INPUT A < ave “Li 8s 20 INPUT B 30 INPUT N 40 FOR I=0 TO 24PI STEP PL/N 50 PLOT 32+20*8SIN (A*L), 21+20*COS (B*I) 60 NEXT I

(Remember TO, PL, STEP, SIN, and COS are tokens.)

DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETING

The Sinclair/Timex User Group meets in the Large Science Auditorium (Room 8/1/009) of the University of Massachusets of Boston, Harbor Campus. The Harbor Campus is only three miles from downtown Boston and easily accessible by public or private transportation. From the north or west, take the Southeast Expressway to Exit 17, Turn left onto Columbia Road. Enter the rotary and take the first right (Morrissey Boulevard). Bear right on the traffic island, following UMass/Boston sign. Turn left into the campus. From the south, take the Southeast Expressway to Exit 18 (near the Boston Gas tanks). Follow Morrissey Boulevard northward to the campus. On the MBTA, take the Red Line (Ashmont Train) to Columbia Station. Transfer to the free University suttlebus in the T parking lot.

ENFORMATION

For more information, contact either:

Sue Mahoney, Director Cliff Danielson, Editor c/o The Boston Computer Society or 14 Davis Road

or leave a message at Chelmsford, MA 01824 (617) 361-4736 or 361-5819 (617) 256-4638 (Home)

QS The Bost oo Computer Soc iety

Three Center Plaza Boston, MA 02108 617-367-8080