• Times Is A'changin'
• Fighting Writers Block
• For or Against Being Told What to Do
  
  

TIMES IS A'CHANGIN' -- AND DUN CHANGED, FER SURE


When the PC first hit the retail market, I never dreamed of what would become of me due to its existence.

Tandy Radio Shack's version of a PC was only challenged by IBM's own computer version. The main difference -- two little things called TRSdos and MSdos -- now who would'a thunk that. See how simple it all is. TRS = TandyRadioShack-dos, and its counterpart, MicroSoft-dos. And, by the way, fer those who dusn't know, DOS stands for Disk Operatin' System. So there!

That's when the real battle for supremacy all began -- the fight over who would dominate and become the industry's DOS standard.

TRS was a mighty big business back then in the seventies and early eighties, but no match fer the giant of all giants, IBM. TRS's largest setback was the fact they were a 'franchised' organization of many small independent owners; whereas, IBM was a huge and solid single non-franchised company. Where was ol' Bill Gates in all of this goin'ons? Another whole story, for another time, fer sure, fer sure.

Bottom line: IBM dun won the battle as hard as ol' TRS tried.

Wouldn't ya know it, my first computer jest happened ta be a 'Model IV - TRS model, and I got hooked faster then a catfish a'taken my bait on a moonlit night (jest 'fore I dun got caught poachin' stripers).

Not to mention that I dun bought three of 'em right off'n the bat at $1,999.99 each, and they was obsolete two years later and a'sellin' fer $399.99 a piece -- brand smackin' new, too.

I wound up with six all total for my business, and will have to admit got my money's worth outta them. You see, while all this was a'goin' on, I dun went out and bought me a Compugraphic Typesetting system that only cost $175,000.00 fer the basic computer setup. By the time fonts were bought for it and a special previewer, a quarter of a mill had dun been invested. Why all this? Photo typesetting was the new rage and on its way to closing the Typesetter's Union, and ending the demand for Linotype Typesetting altogether -- agin, another story, another time.

You guessed right, if'n ya was a'takin' a guess in the first place the entire system was obsolete in another two years that's when the MAC hit the scene with its 'Desktop Publishing' abilities. Ya could'a knocked me fer a loop, fer sure, fer sure.

But, I reckon, in a way, us small time publishers back then dun got the last laugh on the field. You see, a goodly amount of my Association and Institutional clientele dun got the idea they's could save all kinds of money by doin' their own typesettin' and make-ready for press. They got fooled real good in the long run, ya see. By the time they spent somewhere between five- ta ten- thousand dollars for the MAC system; then had to hire someone qualified to operate it -- usually someone with computer knowledge and a graphics education or background, and had ta pay 'em somewhere about, or above, thirty-thousand a year, it was a'costin' 'em more than they ever dun spent before.

I got's my kicks outta it, fer sure, fer sure. But lost a'bundle a'profits in the process.

Anyway, I got rid of all that useless stuff I'd accumulated and went out and bought my first IBM compatible machine. Ya guessed it again -- a dern ol' Tandy MS Dos version that still didn't have a hard drive, as yet. Whatever. Them ol' models dun did the trick fer what I needed 'em ta do, fer sure, fer sure. Finally, about ten years later, I bought my first 'full-fledged' brand name computer -- a Packard Bell -- like a'jumpin' from the fryin' pan inta the fire,' so ta speak. At least this one had a hard drive in it and did away with the ol' five-and-a-quarter inch floppies -- replaced by the three-and-a-half inch ones -- nowadays: replaced by CD ROM Drives and Burners Lawd-a'mercy, what comes next?

Well, think it's time ta give up on the cup of java, and get inta some 'shine.' This is Ol' Billy Bob signin' off fer now, hopin' ta see ya 'round these parts agin -- y'all hear? God bless.


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FIGHTING WRITERS BLOCK


I've tried jogging through the park, going on a shopping spree, and even chilling out with a box of Godiva chocolates, but nothing seems to work. Any suggestions?

Hopeless in Seattle


COMMENT REPLY . . .

Hopeless. Have you tried working on something else for a while. Sometimes starting a new project and then coming back to the first one later helps me a great deal.

David


COMMENT REPLY . . .

What a horrible disease it is. I think our minds are just too quick to keep up with our fingers sometimes and a great idea can get lost in the process. And that leads to Writers Block. If these thoughts don't help, I'll come over and share the Godiva with you. LOL

Chocoholic Pat


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FOR OR AGAINST BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO


I've got a bone to pick, so I might as well begin.

I just can't understand how Congress can get involved in a matter involving the use of steroids when steroids are not illegal when they are purchased or received legally. Beats the heck out of me. If the men on the hill have the power to crucify an individual sports player, then why don't they go after the teams who have turned their backs and, even sometimes, condoned the practice. Again, steroids are not illegal. Every time we turn around some athlete somewhere, either amateur of professional, is being accused of some kind of drug use to enhance their abilities. Maybe true -- maybe not. Even those having legitimate reasons, such as suffering from asthma or some other disorder, are subject to scrutiny and disqualification constantly dangles over their heads.

Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Raphael Palmero, and a number of others have been accused of having used physical enhancement drugs. I'm not sure about some of the others, but don't you think it takes a little bit more than just physical power to hit home runs and carry batting averages in the .300 or more range? There has to be an exceptional skill somewhere there to stand in a batter's box with a 99 mph fastball on its way and even come close to hitting it -- these guys could do it, and at least one of them still is -- maybe not as good as he once was, but when does old age come into the equation?

What's my opinion about all this? Leave them the 'H' alone. If they want to risk ruining their bodies over the long haul for an extra measure of fame -- let them do it. Every athlete who dons a uniform all have the same opportunity -- some are just smarter than others. Would I do it if I were in their position -- no way -- for more than one reason. First, I don't even like taking Tylenol for a headache, or a hangover -- and, if I was making the money many of the 'second-line' players are making (a mill or so a year), why would I risk my future health or possible death from abusing my body with enhancement drugs? Guarantee you, I'd be pretty happy with a couple hundred grand a year now that I think about it. Chalk some of it up to greed.

What role should Congress play in all of this? NONE!!! They should get off their fat butts and do something about the costs of gasolene and the crooks owning the petroleum companies and markets. As far as I'm concerned, Congress has no right to get involved into the day-to-day business of professional or amateur sports as long as criminal activity is not the case -- but they still do. They can't wait to get in front of the media no matter what the reason, nor how stupid or unjust the cause, especially during re-election years.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Ever thought about how the Oil Cartel can boost the price of a barrel every time a sheik gets a hang nail, and minutes later the local corner gas station is bumping his prices per gallon? Hold on now! Petroleum is used for a lot more things than just gas or other chemicals to produce heat or 'go power,' it's used to make all kinds of plastic products, medicines, and a dozen and one other things, but I don't see Walmart, or even the Dollar Store, raising the price of trash bags or food wraps every time you turn around. Doesn't make sense to me for some reason or another. If you get the chance to read my gripe, just answer me here or post your response on the Blog in this site. I'd be interested to know how you feel.

Happy Gilmore
(Just joking. 'RedWriter')



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