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They also sometimes included audible tutorials on how to use the software included with the machine.

They also sometimes included audible tutorials on how to use the software included with the machine.

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[–] • 1 pt

Kaypro was targeted towards business users, but they were the power user's computer. It actually had more manuals than my first IBM (yes, a real IBM) machine had. The IBM only came with some basic instructions, but had a GW-BASIC, PC-DOS, and an optional DOS reference guide. Since no software was bundled - no manuals.

I remember the stuff that came with the C64, I had a copy of those manuals up until a few years ago when I did some cleaning. Every peripheral came with it's own spiral bound manual or two.

Now, they just expect you to use Stack Overflow or Expert Sexchange to find your answers.

[–] [deleted] • 1 pt

Ah. I had assumed IBM PC came with all those books that are always being showcased on this or that internet video next to the computer... That machine was released a handful of years before I was even born. So was the C64, but at least I was able to get my hands on one of those, complete in box, for cheap back in maybe 2008. So I guess maybe you had to buy all the IBM books separately. They look expensive.

[–] • 1 pt

Yes. For a while, every software publisher for the PC followed a similar packaging format with their software, that of a hardback, looseleaf manual that fits in a shell.

I don't think IBM mandated this in any way, it was just follow-the-leader. So if you saw a picture of a bunch of similar manuals, then they had to have bought all of them save the few that came with the machine. The only time I can think of more software being bundled was back around the MS-DOS 1.25 days, when some of the OEMs would include a full copy of MASM with the machine. I used that version clear up into the 90s because it didn't require all the useless definitions later assemblers did, and it would still produce a single-segment .COM program if your code was small enough and didn't need to leap outside the current segment.

[–] [deleted] • 1 pt

Hate to change the subject, but I've been using TASM/TLINK lately to "practice." It's the first one I've used, I like it so far. Would you say trash TASM for MASM?

Wanted to write something to utilize my Tandy 1000 SL or TL's Mode E video mode, 640x200x16. There's no BIOS routine to set up this video mode, so all of the video registers have to be set up manually. Made a A-Z font set in PC-PAINT in uncompressed TIFF format, I found TIFF format makes it easy to rasterize the image. All I've got so far is setting the video mode and displaying either the entire font set or just one character of it. Next thing I'm going to try is smooth bouncing ball animation utilizing both 64k pages of this video mode and switching back and forth between the two.