Re: ANN: Retiring from A2 world - Good Bye All!

[Exegete <millers@noneofyourbusiness.com>]

Ronin Hyde wrote:

> Obsbedia2 wrote:
>
> > << What about an online programming course
> > specficially geared towards the II or IIgs? >>
> >
> >        Sounds like a great idea!  Might this even be a plus for signing up to
> > Syndicom?
>
>    I wouldn't want that to start with. Use the drug dealer approach,
> first one
> is free. Give lessons in Basic for free and advanced languages behind a login
> or something to provide more personal interaction. (Like assigning a group
> of 10 people for IRC chats with an instructor or something.) The main problem
> that causes a breakdown is capitalism. People want money for it but it would
> do more good if people understood it.
>     When I worked for a computer dealer as tech support I always tried
> to get
> the customer to understand basic maintenance of their machines. If they
> understand how to solve the simple problems, they will only come when it is
> serious. Saves money for them, increases their knowledge, saves the techs
> some sanity and, if all goes well, the informed customer buys higher
> ticket items because they know what they want and how to use it.
>     Unfortunately my programming skills would make a 12 year old wet
> themselves with laughter. Lots of ideas but books alone won't cut it for
> me. I need to bounce ideas off of someone and most times nobody in the
> area has an Apple 2 nor is interested in teaching someone from the
> ground up. 


There is the c.s.a.programmer newsgroup, I see no reason why that can't 
function as you would like, provided, of course, there are programmers 
who can and would help. L.J.Silicon probably could, would he? Bev has 
skills, does she have the time and interest? The Delphi a2pro forum has 
lots of info in the past, including a "course" by Nathan Mates on 
creating and using sprites on the IIgs (WAY over my head, kind of like 
reading a commentary on Akkadian literature)

This newsgroup has really settled down in the last year or so, with 
almost no flamewars. QC has rarely been around, ditto for Tom. I can't 
remember the last debate over copyrights, and, frankly, I'm bored by it. 
What has happened is people have helped others.


Someone needs to if we are going to be able to truly master the
> care of these aging beasts.
>
>
> >        I've had few Nibble Articles to work from, but that's as friendly as I've
> > found.  Bev tried to do something similar with AppleWorks, emailed lessons as a
> > beginner's guide, but it only lasted a couple of lessons.
>
>     If it is for profit, it is almost always bound to fail. The demand just
> isn't there. 


Joe Kohn is still making a living from the II.
It would seem that a few others are making a living, in whole or in 
part, the same way. Granted, this isn't even the early 1990s, but if you 
have something that people want, they'll pay for it. Just check out 
eBay, search on Apple II, IIgs, IIe, IIc, etc. Not everything is for 
collectors. Focus drives go for much more than you could buy them from 
the maker....

Roy

Anything beyond basic use or specific programs (like a
> secretary trying to understand Microsoft Office) is geared to a smaller
> audience.
>
>
> >        I still remember typing in the one and two liner from Nibble, and the short
> > Beagle Bros programs from their ads.  It's fun and amazing to learn what some
> > programming knowledge can achieve on an Apple ][.
>
>   Beagle Bros. ads always amazed me that so much could be done with so
> little. Heh.