Re: Tiger Learning Computer

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Obsbedia2 writes ...
> 
> Just hit it lucky (sort of) on eBay.  Has the orginal box, but none of the
> directions.  All the pieces, but the communication cartridge is openned up and
> hot glued together (hey, at least it works).
> Yes, I've been looking for this since about Nov/Dec. 1996 when a member of my
> Apple II SIG brought in the ad for it.
> I can tell you that the 80column display that is displayed with the
> communication cartridge is amazingly easy to read on the old color TV.  Makes
> me think that the AW display would also be acceptable.
 ....

     Tiger's LC was a clever idea; but, the implementation left a lot to be
desired. Actually, it was like the thing never went through a prototype review
stage.

     The keyboard's feel, etc. are something you can live with. Missing
keystrokes is another matter. The interface circuitry and/or firmware just
doesn't work right.

     Another silly oversight is the mouse. There is no way to just pop out the
ball and clean the sensor wheels. You have to disassemble the dumb thing to clean
it.

     If your LC starts up reliably, yours is better than the one I checked.
(Sometimes it would complete the startup sequence and sometimes it wouldn't.) 
You would think that having a reliable power-on Reset sequence would be a given.

     By the way, don't worry too much about not having the 'directions'. The
computer came with only a few pages of information. (The manual for any of the
SSI AD&D adventures is much larger!)


     Warts and all, Tiger LC is a cute computer. It's too bad the maker did not
get better tech support from the designer.



Rubywand