Re: What do you do with an Apple //?

[Paul Henry Wehr <pwehr@gol1.gol.com>]

The Apple IIgs (ROM 1) has been my primary computer for about
8-9 years. For a while, I had an Apple IIe as a secondary
computer but gave that to my father. I use it for word
processing, spread sheet and database work. Sound like
AppleWorks? Yes, classic 8-bit with many Time-Outs. I use
DBMaster Pro to maintain home financial records while I do
analysis with AW spreadsheets.
 
With AWGS, I do the layout and printing for a small quarterly
family newsletter with a distribution of about 150.
 
Obviously, I am connected to the internet and several newsgoups
and do some browsing with Lynx.
 
There are some other computers in the house. I have a secondary
Micro$loth based 286 laptop computer that I use solely to
transfer files from work. I put in a 3.5" disk and run
CrossWorks to get the files to my Apple. This one came out of
the trash at no cost a year ago. Lately, I've been transferring
htm(l) files from work to write and code at home. I use
AppleWorks and some UltraMacros I made to code in HTML then
return the files to work to upload for our web site.
 
There is also an Apple //c in the corner, which my 13 year-old
daughter thinks is "cute." Even more, she likes the "cute" of
the glitzy display fonts and graphics on _her_ Apple IIgs. Just
like any other 13 year-old I suppose.
 
Also in the house is my wife's Micro$loth 486 notebook. Though I
don't use it for serious work, I have to explain to her how it
is supposed to work. At my job, I attempt to do graphic design
and layout on a Pentium-based machine running WinDoze 95 NT. My
vocabulary of expletives has grown immeasurably since using this
setup. Every time I note the inadequacies of the environment to
our Computer Disservices Department, their best solution is,
"Oh, you need to upgrade your ... or whatever."
 
On the Apple, I've written an Art Education program for junior
high school students, as well as a number of small "task
specific" programs. I have stacks of games, most of which I
don't have time to play. I've been playing and trying to solve
_Wraith_ from Nite Owl Productions for the past six years. I've
enjoyed it enough that I paid for it twice.
 
My GS and the software I have does what I _need_ to do without
crashing six times a day. There are many things that I could do
that I don't have the time or inclination to do. I might set up
and run a BBS, control household appliances, monitor and control
remote robots, design houses, gardens and model railroads, do
the accounting for someone else's business or write slight
variations of games and call them my own.
 
I do wish I had time to teach myself programming in the 16-bit
environment, but we each have our own strengths -- and
weaknesses.
 ___
 |__)                          Of all the places to be,
 |  aul Wehr  pwehr@gol.com    You are where you are.