Re: Tiger Learning Computer

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

Shawn Beattie <shawn@beattie.net> wrote:
>I had a chance to use a Tiger Learning Computer for a couple hours.
>Here are some remarks:
>
>* The colors are crisp - no noticable fringing.  The startup screen and
>  desktop seem to use double high-res.  80 column was pretty readable.

Wait, are you saying that 80 columns is readable on a TV?  That would
indeed be impressive.


>* The battery-backed RAM cart is a nice option.  From the Desktop, I was
>  able to format, copy ProDOS and BASIC.SYSTEM, and boot using the
>  rudimentary interface for copying and booting.
>
>* The two cartridge slots appear as S6,D1 and S6,D2.  When there are no
>  carts, the ROMdisk is S6,D1.
>
>* Appleworks 4.3 is pretty unusable because of the poor keyboard, 19K
>  desktop, inability to run UltraMacros (not enough memory), lack of a
>  clock, and inability to save settings (because of ROMdisk).  The
>  TimeOut Paint program doesn't seem to recognize the mouse, or it just
>  locks up.  Choosing other Timeout menu items just returns a
>  "UltraMacros must be enabled" message.

Have you tried to plug the AppleWorks cart into one slot and the RAM
cart into another?  AppleWorks will usually make use of slot based
RAM expansion cards.  It seems that the RAM cart, except for being
battery backed, is essentially a slinky RAM card in cart form.  When
AppleWorks has access to it, it should use it as desktop RAM, provided
you don't format it first.  If you use the computer again, give this
method a try.  There has to be a reason they put v4.3 on the cart.
If the Tiger really is stuck with just 128K and the RAM cart does
nothing but provide a RAM disk, I would expect them to use v3.0 of
AppleWorks.

-Scott G.