1st computer: TI 99/4a 1983. 16 bit processor, 16 bit video co-processor. It has speech module, 300 Baud external modem (Fast
) Had a huge expansion box. Dual steel walls. Had 16k ram built in, 32k expansion ram, 16k Basic rom, 32k Extended basic rom. 1 Single sided floppy 5 1/4, 90K ) which I later expanded to 2 Double sided, double density 360k floppies.
I still have it, it still works. I have forgotten how to use it for the most part as it is completely command line driven.
I used it for College (Mech. Engineering) and did most of my math and engineering homework with it as well as word processing etc.
The Ex. Basic was similar to Fortran (Had Global and local variables, you could declare variables) except for line #'s needed. I could write all my fortran programs on it, debug them, then print the program out and enter it on the mainframe in school just minus line #'s. We had terminals, but they were always busy so I used the punch card machine.
It is/was a great machine. Much more accurate (needed for Engineering and math) then the Commodores, Ataris and Apples as the processor was 16bit and used 32 bit words for math. Much fewer rounding errors which was important when working with large matrices.
Whew, brain cells lit up on that memory.
