I’m in love with- Tandy 102
Posted by noblebravewarrior@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 14 comments
I went to buy a modern cyberdeck yesterday (Clockwork DevTerm) and the seller offered me this machine for $50.
I came home and I just can’t put it down, playing with BASIC makes me feel like I have a new purpose.
There is a label that read VAC.LAB.B18 (not sure about last 3 char)
I want to hear more about it, stories and how some of you might have used it.
I was born in 90s and miss my 486 so much.. never thought about the cool portable writing gadget existed in 80s I’m beyond happy, no words to describe my feelings
Gadgetman_1@reddit
Story has it that this is the last machine BillG actually did any coding for.
The first time I started any of the programs it threw an error at me because there were no default file for it to load. Yeah, that sounds like BillG at work.
I have both the 100 and the 102, Decent screen, and good keyboard, but yeah, I prefer my Epson HX-20. Smaller screen, there's a slot of a small printer, and it was a Dual CPU design.
The 80s was full of cool machines.
You got a great deal for $50.
FlyByPC@reddit
Those will talk to just about anything with an RS232 port, no matter how weird, at up to 19,200 baud. Six-bit, two stop bits, Mark parity? No problemo.
I once used a M100 (essentially the same thing) to record several hours of live Loran-C nav data, all using just the built-in memory. In BASIC.
ZoeBlade@reddit
Why, you can even check your e-mail on it using an acoustic coupler modem!
FlyByPC@reddit
We actually used the phone cable that it came with (mostly because it was cheaper than the acoustic coupler.) 300 baud, and it could dial in itself (using pulse dial, not Touch Tones.)
Mom worked for a magazine publisher with an Atex word processing system back then, and they had a setup where you could dial in and send stories from the field with M100 or similar machines. I used mine to send her "emails" before it was common. Good times.
AutofluorescentPuku@reddit
An example of a machine that was limited but did what it intended extremely well.
sunnyinchernobyl@reddit
Make sure you join the email list: http://lists.bitchin100.com/listinfo.cgi/m100-bitchin100.com
And check out the resource site: https://bitchin100.com/
AllReflection@reddit
Been thinking about getting one…had one about 25 years ago, miss it 😅
A1batross@reddit
I had the NEC-PC8201a which is the same device. Walked into computer science class in 1983 with one of these in hand to take notes, I was nerd cool.
I remember I got a program that shrank the font so the screen could display more text.
cchaven1965@reddit
The NEC's arrow cluster is better than that of the 100/102. They're definately fun machines!
noblebravewarrior@reddit (OP)
Wow that’s crazy, early 80s?
How was your experience with it? Wrote papers? How did you share the documents?
A1batross@reddit
It was one of my main machines for a long time. I used it to manage my business in the 80s, and even 20 years later I was using it to configure my cable modem.
PainlessPhil@reddit
I used one all through University for notes… transferred the files to my Amiga and then later my first PC…. A great device
muse_head@reddit
I have a Model 100 which looks very similar. I'm a little too young to remember the 80s, but I got hold of it when I was a teenager around 1997, it was easy to get 80s tech for free at that time because it was being thrown out and scrapped all over the place.
It was a fun machine and I used it and typed out programs on it on family holidays etc. Really great that it could be battery powered and stored programs internally even when turned off.
I still have it, opened it up last year to remove the rechargeable varta battery which thankfully had not leaked!
AppendixN@reddit
This whole family of machines is just the best. I have a Model 100 that I use regularly, and it's so much more enjoyable than a modern laptop.