RetroChallenge 2008

[equant]

Thinking the Challenge was in June, I just rushed to get my entry in.

Anyway, I haven't been around much lately, and am looking forward to the challenge in order to get me to focus back on some 68k stuff.

Nathan

 

[Scott Baret]

How about a 50K word novel on a LISA???

 

[MacMan]

luddite, you must have some thing for torture. Hand writing all that? :S I can already feel the writers cramp :/

How do you think books were written in the days before typewriters and computers?

 

[~tl]

We got a little plug on the latest RetroMacCast!

http://retromaccast.libsyn.com/

 

[Cory5412]

How about a 50K word novel on a LISA???

Do any Lisa word processors have word counters? Other than transferring to a mac, going purely by pages, or counting by hand, how would you know? [] ]'>

 

[luddite]

Do any Lisa word processors have word counters? Other than transferring to a mac, going purely by pages, or counting by hand, how would you know? [] ]'>

For RetroChallenge purposes the word count doesn't really matter, though I'm sure you could get some extra points by writing a program/script that would do the counting for you.

 

[Scott Baret]

Hmmmm...come to think of it I DO have the Lisa developer's kit! Trouble is it's PASCAL based and I have never programmed in PASCAL.

The processor I would use is LisaWrite. It has a spell checker but I'm not sure of the word count function. I have to dig my Lisa out, haven't fired it up in a few years, and will check on that sometime.

Alternately I guess we could scan it in after printing it (on an Imagewriter I) and use OCR in a modern word processor.

Haven't used the Lisa keyboard much but it feels pretty good for long-term typing.

 

[Cory5412]

If the LISA keyboard is anything like that of the original Mac, I would be comfortable writing my novel on it. I don't think my roommate would appreciate that though.

(Unrelated: I have considered getting an Extended II or a Model M and the appropriate USB adapter for my iMac. My roommate advised me that I shouldn't. I think he even put in a comment about how my iMac's current keyboard is very loud. [] ]'&gt

I've got my ThinkPad 760ED (or was it the EL? I always forget) configured now, with a nice keyboard. I'm going to put OpenSTEP 4.2 on there pretty soon, and I think I may use that for some challenging retro activities.

I may shuffle my summer retro novel-writing activities around between the PB180, the PB520c, and the two TP760s, I'm not 100% sure yet.

 

[Scott Baret]

Tell him to type on either the Model M or Extended II. He will definitely reconsider after using them.

The IIGS Keyboard is nice if you're short on space. Good tactile feel on that one.

 

[Cory5412]

Oh I don't think it's that he feels like they're bad keyboards -- I just tend to get roommates that like sleeping. My roommate for the normal semester is fine, but my summer roommate is a very light sleeper, and I'm not sure he'd be able to sleep through me using the ThinkPad's keyboard. [] ]'>

 

[Scott Baret]

Haha, I know the feeling. I used to use an IBM Model M at school in study hall all the time and used to write stories on that particular computer. Let me tell you, the kids who were trying to read or take tests loved it I actually own that particular Model M today and took it into work for a while when I had a massive project to take care of and didn't want to use a mushy 2007-era HP keyboard. I got a lot of comments on its size, its noise, and its age. Stories of WordPerfect 5.1 and MS-DOS were shared--but my desktop picture was (and still is) a Mac Classic on that machine at work.

Anyways, I have decided to use the Plus and MacWrite II for my novel project. And yes, I will print it and send it to whoever is judging the RetroChallenge--or e-mail it after converting it to a more modern format. I would have used the Lisa, but I don't want to put excess wear and tear on the Widget hard drive since I'm trying to preserve it (especially since my system has the original box and manuals).

I'm also going to write it without any iPods. Instead, all music for inspiration will come from CDs. That's right, CDs. (I don't think most kids these days even know what CDs are, let alone records or tapes). Played on an Apple CD 300e connected to the Plus, they will be sure to stimulate my mind. Expect me to play a lot of Depeche Mode and ATB...especially since I found a CD containing "Enjoy the Silence: Quad Final Mix" at The Exchange, which I will probably buy at the end of the month when I get paid...

I have a lot of ideas for the novel and can't wait to start writing them!!!

 

[benjgvps]

Played on an Apple CD 300e connected to the Plus

Is that even possible! Youtube video or it didn't happen!

 

[Scott Baret]

It is indeed possible. CD-ROM Toolkit on System 6 handles it just fine. Since the Plus has SCSI a CD-ROM is as connectable to it as it is a Power Mac 7200.

I will definitely work on a video, but only after I prepare some special audio for it...give me a few days on that.

 

[dru]

Corey, have you suggested he try using ear plugs to sleep? I have a friend from my college days who used them and, I think, still does.

The Keyboard II was very cool. My uni had Model M keyboards in its labs. It's a wonder anyone could think with all the clacking. I'd go to the Mac lab for peace and quiet instead.

 

[DoctorClu]

Need to look up the rules on the endurance challenge. I'm really torn on which computer to use this year... Atari 800, a Commodore CX-64, or a Newton 2000. Wanna use the Newton 2000, but there are no other Atari users on the challenge. :{ Need to recruit more.

 

[luddite]

Need to look up the rules on the endurance challenge. I'm really torn on which computer to use this year... Atari 800, a Commodore CX-64, or a Newton 2000. Wanna use the Newton 2000, but there are no other Atari users on the challenge. :{ Need to recruit more.

No need to choose... the rule is "exclusive use of qualifying system(s)" – it's more about what you *don't* use than what you do.

 

[DoctorClu]

I like how simple they keep it.

 

[Cory5412]

Dru, yeah, actually my roommate probably could sleep through just about anything, at least my roommate from the normal school year.

My roommate over the summer wanted me to turn my iMac off because of the soft white glow from that little power indicator on the front, and says he can "barely sleep" when I use the ThinkPad. I daren't try to think of what would happen to him if I were in posession of a Model M or an AEK-II. [] ]'>

 

[DoctorClu]

Welp shut off the G4 Mac's last night at midnight and now the fun begins.

I'm thinking of getting my Duo 2300 working again. Well, correction, got it working, now to get my dock back out, get the internet/appletalk working again, and all that fun.

Have we all basically established that the Macintosh G3 Wallstreet (released May 1998) barely eeks into the ten year old bracket? Not that I plan to use the Wallstreet too much, but would be a good legal fall back machine if I need to pull resources for my other retro machines.

 

[equant]

10 years is 10 years Dr. Use it all you want.

Good luck to everyone, especially you endurance fools.