Sharp PC-E500S or Sharp PC-G850VS?

[xerxes]

(06-19-2022 12:27 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:  The Z-1GR(A) (and fx-890p) can use a floppy disk drive for files. They can also save/load files to the RS-232 port so you can use a PC as the disk drive.

IIRC, the Z-1GR(A) allows to use a part of the RAM as ram disk. This is not the case on the Z-1 or FX-890P. This is also mentioned in the BASIC Comparison Sheet as "RAM FS with Load/Save to area". I hope I'm not confusing anything.

[jonmoore]

(06-19-2022 11:47 AM)xerxes Wrote:  

(06-19-2022 12:27 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:  The Z-1GR(A) (and fx-890p) can use a floppy disk drive for files. They can also save/load files to the RS-232 port so you can use a PC as the disk drive.

IIRC, the Z-1GR(A) allows to use a part of the RAM as ram disk. This is not the case on the Z-1 or FX-890P. This is also mentioned in the BASIC Comparison Sheet as "RAM FS with Load/Save to area". I hope I'm not confusing anything.

I read the information in the Basic comparison sheet to suggest much the same.

My early exploration of the Z-1GR has proved positive. I may now pubrchase both the Sharp PC-E500S and a Casio Z1-GR (if I can source them at the right price).

On a related note. I looked through my documentation archive and re-discovered this early 80's gem on the Basic Programming language (it's the book I first used to learn Basic).

https://d.pr/f/Ckwos7

Its production style reminds me a lot of the early Grapevine Publications books (especially their early 80s books for the 11/15C and the 41).

It's long ago out of print so hopefully nobody objects to me sharing it here.

[Steve Simpkin]

(06-19-2022 12:18 PM)jonmoore Wrote:  [quote='xerxes' pid='161464' dateline='1655639266']
….
On a related note. I looked through my documentation archive and re-discovered this early 80's gem on the Basic Programming language (it's the book I first used to learn Basic).

https://d.pr/f/Ckwos7

Its production style reminds me a lot of the early Grapevine Publications books (especially their early 80s books for the 11/15C and the 41).

It's long ago out of print so hopefully nobody objects to me sharing it here.

Jonmoore, Thank you for sharing that. I learned BASIC from a User Manual for the original Radio Shack TRS-80 computer. It was also written in a lighthearted manner. I bought the manual just before going on vacation with my family in 1977. I didn’t own a computer until 1979 when I bought an Ohio Scientific Challenger 1P. 8K Microsoft BASIC in ROM and 4K of RAM. Such raw power!

https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/sys...Manual.pdf

[jonmoore]

(06-19-2022 12:56 PM)Steve Simpkin Wrote:  

(06-19-2022 12:18 PM)jonmoore Wrote:  [quote='xerxes' pid='161464' dateline='1655639266']
….
On a related note. I looked through my documentation archive and re-discovered this early 80's gem on the Basic Programming language (it's the book I first used to learn Basic).

https://d.pr/f/Ckwos7

Its production style reminds me a lot of the early Grapevine Publications books (especially their early 80s books for the 11/15C and the 41).

It's long ago out of print so hopefully nobody objects to me sharing it here.

Jonmoore, Thank you for sharing that. I learned BASIC from a User Manual for the original Radio Shack TRS-80 computer. It was also written in a lighthearted manner. I bought the manual just before going on vacation with my family in 1977. I didn’t own a computer until 1979 when I bought an Ohio Scientific Challenger 1P. 8K Microsoft BASIC in ROM and 4K of RAM. Such raw power!

https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/sys...Manual.pdf

Nice, makes for very good bedfellows with Illustrating Basic, especially in the context of pocket computers.

I learned Basic at school on a Research Machines 380Z (which were dominant in UK education at the time).

From there I went BBC Model B (Acorn Machines) - the first computer I owned, Atari ST and Amiga. At that point, I entered the world of grown-up computers (and always a mix of Mac, Linux and Windows machines).

[jonmoore]

I forgot to mention that I have a scan of the Level 2 guide for the TRS-80. You probably have it but it might be useful to someone else.

https://d.pr/f/LXCFRb

[Dan C]

(06-19-2022 12:18 PM)jonmoore Wrote:  On a related note. I looked through my documentation archive and re-discovered this early 80's gem on the Basic Programming language (it's the book I first used to learn Basic).

https://d.pr/f/Ckwos7

Its production style reminds me a lot of the early Grapevine Publications books (especially their early 80s books for the 11/15C and the 41).

It's long ago out of print so hopefully nobody objects to me sharing it here.

Thank you for this! This book seems to be a very fun and easy way to learn Basic!
Great for kids today, and older kids like me also