3/29/92 7:51:09 PM Opening "Chat Log 3/29/92" for recording. AFL Gayle : OK. Our chat guest for tonight is Phil Shapiro, owner of Balloons Software. AFL Gayle : He's here to talk to us tonight about Big Text Machine (BTM). As some of you Wigster : Time for me to go... Sorry I can't be here for the chat... See you all next week! KarenS30 : Thanks for the suggestions everyone. AFL Gayle : may have noticed, unfortunately, the advance promo screens called it BMT, but MIDGEF : :) Glad to see you again Wiggy AFL Gayle : Phil will tell us all about it. AFL Gayle : Your turn to say a general introduction, Phil, and then we'll open up the AFL Gayle : floor for questions. PShapiro : The toolkit is sort of like The Print Shop. It can be used for practical, adult PShapiro : purposes, or inspirational, classroom purposes. PShapiro : There are two disks that give you a better idea of this software. Large-Text PShapiro : JoyReader is a shareware disk, from with BTM was derived. And the BTM Demo PShapiro : Disk gives detailed info about the toolkit. Both are available for downloading PShapiro : from the AED library. PShapiro : In some ways the toolkit is like "laser writing" on the Apple II hi-res AFL Gayle : They are currently in the New Files Library, along with Phil's Number Games I AFL Gayle : disk. PShapiro : screen. The font is large, attractive and has few jaggies. You can read text PShapiro : from about 20 feet away from the monitor. You create text files in your PShapiro : word processor, and then display them with BTM. The program can also display PShapiro : files continuously, over and over again. The neat thing about BTM is that PShapiro : it can even run on a 64K Apple II. Or the output can be captured to videotape. PShapiro : Questions? AFL Gayle : Remember, as always, we have one free hour to award to the lucky person who MIDGEF : Release set for May? AFC Tooter : Captured to videotape without any extra cards? AFL Gayle : says the secret word tonight. You must say the word in context and stay until PShapiro : Yup, release set for May. Software virtually completed. Docs in the works. AFL Gayle : the end of the chat. (Go ahead answering questions, Phil.) Sandy40692 : Can the files be printed? PShapiro : Yes, files can be printed on any ImageWriter. PShapiro : Yes, can be captured without any special cards. (Video output to VCR input.) AFC Tooter : What output do you use to go from a IIe to the VCR? MIDGEF : My docs say card in slot 2 (error?) AFC Tooter : Ahhh, you got the question answered before asked. PShapiro : Yes, Midge. You have the pre-release version. MaryEz : Yes, Toot, anything can be captured to video without a special card except a camera image. AFL Gayle : Right, Midge. That should read slot 1. MIDGEF : I think I have directions on how to output a IIE to a VCR MaryEz : monitor cable out to vcr in. MaryEz : video in, that is. PShapiro : What could be neat is getting kids to introduce their story, on video, and then MIDGEF : Good, I like this grest idea PShapiro : show the story from BTM. (Something like the intros on Reading Rainbow.) MIDGEF : I teach special ed teachers and I think this would be great for visual MIDGEF : impaired kids PShapiro : You can control the rate of display interactively, from 60 WPM to 400 WPM MIDGEF : Not to mention us old guys with bifocals PShapiro : (Faster on a faster Apple II.) AFL Gayle : Wow! I LIKE that idea, Phil! :) (the Reading Rainbow analogy. :) PShapiro : Teachers can upload creative writing right here on AOL. Sandy40692 : Sounds good to me! My class loves anything visual, especially if they're in it! MIDGEF : I'd like to type some of the "regular" reading assignments for the kids to MIDGEF : read on the computer AFL Gayle : Sandy, with BTM, the kids' writings will be in it, too! They can be a published PShapiro : The program was designed to celebrate writing. AFL Gayle : author. It's highly appealing. Even my 9th graders were impressed. PShapiro : It should be noted that it does require work and effort to make an attractive PShapiro : BTM display. MIDGEF : It's the only large text I've seen except Magic Slate II 20 column Sandy40692 : I'm working on a Reading Rainbow type video with them now. PShapiro : The program will do word wrapping, but you have to iron out the small "widows" PShapiro : that crop up from time to time. MaryEz : How large are you talking about? Beagle Write gives you large text. AFL Gayle : Not a really big problem, though, Phil. MIDGEF : It will work ok with the Mac LC in IIE emulation? PShapiro : The font is about 36 point. Proportionally spaced. PShapiro : Sure, runs fine on a Mac LC with IIe card. AFL Gayle : Yes, Mary, but BeagleWrite doesn't display it continuously on the screen. The MIDGEF : Great (worry about the future) AFL Gayle : story moves for you instead of you having to scroll to read the story. PShapiro : I'm thinking of donating a copy to the local Children's Museum, which has PShapiro : a wonderful Communications section. MIDGEF : It's cool to see words rolling along on the screen PShapiro : I've also been in contact with some adult literacy groups. MIDGEF : That's a good marketing idea AFL Gayle : The screen looks like a blackboard that has lines similar to writing paper on PShapiro : Will likely give away free copies to any adult literacy organizations with PShapiro : Apple II's. AFL Gayle : it. VERY easy to read. MIDGEF : OOOh..I can design a disk sleeve for you! AFL Gayle : Great, Midge! :) AFL Gayle : Welcome, Windsurfer! We're discussing Big Text Machine with Phil Shapiro. PShapiro : That would be swell, Midge. MIDGEF : I'll work on that! WINDSURFER : HELP HAS ANYONE DOWNLOADED A SPREADSHEET "BIPLANE" PShapiro : Eventually, I'd like to collect and distribute children's writing on a monthly MIDGEF : I remember when I used to shout! AFL Gayle : Windsurfer, is that an IBM program? PShapiro : basis, sort of like the TI&IE disks. AFL Gayle : Wow! I really like that idea, Phil! :) WINDSURFER : NO NOT BIG BLUE it's for Mac AFL Gayle : Welcome, Ken! We're discussing Big Text Machine with Phil Shapiro. PShapiro : Imagine kids from Maine reading creative writing from kids in Arizona, and PShapiro : vice versa. AFL Gayle : Sorry, Windsurfer. I knew it wasn't Apple //. This is the Apple // Education MIDGEF : That's a scrapbook idea..is Toot still here? WINDSURFER : OOp's AFL Gayle : Forum. We have a guest right now. I'd suggest you post a question in the Mac PShapiro : Creativity of that type is quite contagious. RagenT : Late as usual:(. Hi Ken Maltz : Hi, Gayle, I'm a teachers union leader from Long Island, NY and am new on AOL. Just checking out the MIDGEF : Ragen's got a NEW car! AFL Gayle : Forum where you downloaded the file from. (Was it from Mac Education?) Sandy40692 : I'll have to speak to you further about the writing idea, Phil. Ken Maltz : forums. AFL Gayle : Great to have you here, Ken! :) MIDGEF : Welcome Ken..this is the BEST forum on America Online! Ken Maltz : It's my pleasure! Sandy40692 : I have a project involving books by third graders, complete with original Sandy40692 : color illustrations. PShapiro : Sounds interesting, Sandy. PShapiro : (Although BTM doesn't display graphics screens.) AFA Andy : I Ragen :) PShapiro : Oh, I forgot to mention the special deal being offered. MIDGEF : I like changing the speed and using wait for keypress PShapiro : Anyone attending this chat is entitled to purchase the program for $15. MIDGEF : Sold! AFA Andy : Wow!!!! What a del! PShapiro : (Usual price: $35.) Just send e-mail. AFA Andy : I mean deal MIDGEF : Great! AFL Gayle : Wow! That's a GREAT deal, Andy! :) RagenT : Me Too! RagenT : Tell me how and where! PShapiro : Good software is too important to be kept out of the classroom... MIDGEF : I'll loan you my demo Ragen to try out! AFA Andy : GMTA Phil :) MIDGEF : Does everyone know Ragen and I live in the same town? PShapiro : Yes, the demo and Large-Text JoyReader disks may be freely duplicated. RagenT : Remember, I saw on your monitor, Midge and it looked good. RagenT : But, I won't refuse. MIDGEF : I wish all software cost $15 (or even $35) PShapiro : I'm also hoping to get writings by children's authors for BTM. There are tons PShapiro : of excellent writers out there whose writing has never been published in Sandy40692 : What's your e-mail name? Tried to send you a message and AOL told me there PShapiro : hardcopy. Sandy40692 : was no PShapiro! PShapiro : Silly, AOL. I'm right here. (Try after the chat.) AFA Andy : :) MIDGEF : That's happened to me before..try it again PShapiro : So author's can have their writing distributed on-disk, as freeware. PShapiro : Kids can have the benefit of reading un-published authors. And authors can Spelbinder : Sandy, it works. I just sent him mail! PShapiro : have their writings noticed and appreciated. PShapiro : Any of you all written stories for children? MIDGEF : I started one..but it's not finished AFA Andy : I have. Sandy40692 : I'll try again! They couldn't find him yesterday. PShapiro : The "Sample Files" disk has a half dozen of my own stories. AFA Andy : I used PrintShop to write a story for first grade. PShapiro : Dig those old stories out of your files. AFA Andy : I will :) Sandy40692 : Yes, I write story poems for my classes. They've been pretty successful PShapiro : What was the subject, Andy? Sandy40692 : with my 8 year olds! AFA Andy : Teddy Bear's Birthday. Ken Maltz : This looks like an interesting place; I will try to gett the teachers in my area interested in AOL. PShapiro : When adults share their creativity with kids, kids latch on and come up Ken Maltz : Exactly! PShapiro : with their own imaginative stores. PShapiro : Stories. AFA Andy : Hi Vern!! PShapiro : I've also placed several children's writings on the BTM Sample Files disk. RagenT : I have written stories as samples for editing in word processing. PShapiro : These are short, simple stories dictated to me by preschoolers and first PShapiro : graders. RagenT : THe kids several years later will come back and tell me they remember the RagenT : stories. Pest II : Just looking tonight Andy Pest II : How're things? MIDGEF : I liked the feature for converting AWP to text even though I know how to AFA Andy : Great Vern. Glad you could be here. PShapiro : That must make you feel good, to have your students remember your lessons so MIDGEF : print to disk PShapiro : well, Ragen. AFA Andy : Hi Eric :) GS ERIC : Just got back from Boyne sking....glad I made it...HI ALL :) Pest II : have any of you 'published' your kid's stories in a book GS ERIC : Hi andy Pest II : with their own illustrations? RagenT : As an anthology for classroom use only. Pest II : I've heard of some people who do so Sandy40692 : Yes, I have. PShapiro : A local school requires all 2nd and 3rd graders to produce one book each year. MIDGEF : Ragen and I taught writing with Magic Slate back in the good old days MIDGEF : and I always hoped we could do a book Pest II : sounds like tenure PShapiro! PShapiro : Their school library has two whole shelves of "student produced" books. PShapiro : (I was exceedingly impressed. The kids seemed to enjoy publishing the books, PShapiro : too. PShapiro : ) MIDGEF : Oh, you live in Washington DC! MIDGEF : A place I hope to see someday PShapiro : Yes, me and George Walker get together often. Sandy40692 : Sorry, but I have to leave this interesting discussion. I'll be in touch, Phil. PShapiro : Thanks for stopping by, Sandy. MIDGEF : I want my husband to see the Vietnam memorial PShapiro : Midge, be sure to visit the Children's Museum in Washington D.C. GS ERIC : Hello Phil...just want to fit a "hi" in before you get engulfed in a ? :) PShapiro : Hiya, Eric. Nice to see you again. MIDGEF : Did you know you are listed in the Apple Computer newsletter, Phil? PShapiro : Educators Connect? MIDGEF : The one Apple publishes done by Cindy Field Ken Maltz : Goodnight everyone...will be back on Wednesday night. MIDGEF : Night Ken GS ERIC : MIDGEF, when did the latest one come out? Pest II : night Ken PShapiro : Oh, I haven't seen Cindy's new newsletter. MIDGEF : It's ready and I have a prelease copy MIDGEF : sent to me by Redgate with my Apple II Guide AFA Andy : Eric, the latest issue is March I think. PShapiro : I'll get a copy in due time. MIDGEF : Yes, she's planning to send one to all the companies listed PShapiro : Cindy Field is top notch. She's been very encouraging over the years. Pest II : how does one get these Apple publications? PShapiro : Pest II, check with your local user group, I imagine. MIDGEF : I think you call the 800 number PShapiro : Call Midge at her home phone, anytime, day or night. (only kidding). MIDGEF : Redgate sent me mine but Cindy says to try the 800 number GS ERIC : Is a new version of The Apple II Guide out...I heard that one was in the works MIDGEF : 800-776-2333 GS ERIC : but I didn't know when it was slated for release, I couldn't get anything out GS ERIC : of Apple....of course MIDGEF : Yes! there is a new Apple II Guide PShapiro : Thanks for the phone number, Midge. (scribble, scribble) GS ERIC : hehe Pest II : has it been sent out yet? GS ERIC : When I call them they sigh at me because i call often, they track phone calls MIDGEF : I don't know ..want Redgate's number? AFL Gayle : The phone number will be in the log, posted tomorrow in the New Files Library:) AFA Andy : G'night all! I have to get ready for work. Pest II : my local UG has a copy of GS/OS 6.0 (though they can't distribute it till the end of the month) GS ERIC : Is Cindy's new newsletter called 'Apple II Software' Spring '92? MIDGEF : Try calling them first Gayle to see if they'll send one to you Pest II : see you Andy Pest II : oops PShapiro : Can anyone recommend any books on "whole language" writing? MIDGEF : Apple II Software Opportunities for Apple II Users Winter 1992 MIDGEF : I'm not a classroom teacher..so I'm stumped PShapiro : I've been reading some of Lucy Calkins writings. She's really very perceptive. GS ERIC : Thanks a lot Midge, I have been trying to get this infor for a long time GS ERIC : without success MIDGEF : Kiss for luck. Apple can be unpredictable GS ERIC : :) PShapiro : Any Carmen Sandiego fans out there. Check out the new book: The Ultimate PShapiro : Unofficial Carmen Sandiego Companion. It's very well done. Costs only $12. MIDGEF : Redgate Coomunications: Wendy Marx: 415-777-3911 MIDGEF : I bought that book Phil and it's great! AFC Tooter : Boy, Midge, you're a wealth of info! PShapiro : I like the humor in the book, don't you, Midge? MIDGEF : I wish America's Past was ready MIDGEF : Yes..funny PShapiro : America's past is ready. But America's Past isn't. MIDGEF : Cindy Field knows so much..I love doing stuff with ther PShapiro : RagenT : That's one of the advantages of knowing Midge! PShapiro : Anyone seen Headline Harry and the Great Paper Chase? MIDGEF : My daughter has American History next year MIDGEF : What's that? AFL Gayle : No. Tell us about it, Phil, please. :) GS ERIC : A lot of APple II articles would not be here today if it wasn't for her :0 PShapiro : I saw it on a friend's MS/DOS system, and fell love with it. Pest II : brb PShapiro : It's a tough simulation game. In the style of Carmen Sandiego, except much PShapiro : harder. You need to gather clues for a newspaper story, and file your story PShapiro : before your villain competitor newspaper. Pest II : what's the 'Big text machine?' PShapiro : The appeal of this game is that it takes perserverance and general knowledge PShapiro : to win. MIDGEF : Sound great! I remember fondly the day I caught Carmen! GS ERIC : Did you guys read the Apple press release about the new GS stuff...I couldn't PShapiro : Pest II, you might want to download the log of the chat. GS ERIC : believe it MIDGEF : Is this press release in the Press release online? PShapiro : What was unbelievable, Eric? Pest II : anything about System 6? GS ERIC : Yes.... GS ERIC : I can send a copy to whomever wants it PShapiro : I'm personally hankering for Prodos 2.0. GS ERIC : It was unbelievable that it was actually "official" like on AP, UPI and stuff AFL Gayle : Due out soon, Vernon. GS ERIC : Ususally there is never one about the II AFA Bard : ** Remember that you can get an idea of what BIG TEXT MACHINE is all about if you'll check the AED New AFA Bard : Files Forum. *** MIDGEF : What's the latest ProDos 8? 1.9? AFA Bard : Rehi, Gayle. :) PShapiro : Yup, 1.9 is the latest. Prodos 2.0 has much improved disk access. (Much Pest II : 2.0 as of tomorrow PShapiro : faster disk read/writes.) AFL Gayle : It's time to announce our winner for tonight. First a commercial... Our chat MIDGEF : That's good.. must tell Jeff at Power Ind AFL Gayle : guest next week will be Jim Wiggenhorn talking about British National AFL Gayle : Curriculum. AFC Tooter : Hillview!!!! AFL Gayle : You can find Phil's files in the New Files Library. Pest II : Wiggy? RagenT : Fellow scrappers! AFL Gayle : Our winner tonight is MidgeF for the word read! :) AFA Bard : Hooorrraaayy MIDGE!!! Yea!!!!!!!!!! ()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() AFL Gayle : Right, Wiggy! :) PShapiro : Bravo, Midge. RagenT : Yeh! Midge! Atta girl! Way to go! OPA! AFC Tooter : And for all of Midge's good phone numbers. GS ERIC : SHE DESERVES IT!!!!!! AFL Gayle : A GREAT big thanks to Phil for being our guest! :)) Pest II : the guy with the legs? :) MIDGEF : Hope you can get stuff with those numbers Let me know! MIDGEF : Thanks! PShapiro : Thanks, Gayle, for inviting to be a guest a second time. PShapiro : (me) AFA Bard : You were terrific, Phil. Hope folks will check out your files, and your great work! MIDGEF : Good night all AED rules! GS ERIC : BYE PShapiro : Bard, you're the best.