Ruth purchased this
TRS-80 Model II in 1982 for almost $4,000, quite a tidy little
sum for a computer with all of 64k of memory, 8" disks that
stored 64k of data, and no hard drive. Add to this the cost of
an additional dual-drive system at $1,700, and the Model II became
twice as pricey as the souped-up computer she uses today.
The Model II was one
of the first computers to move away from tape storage to disk
storage. Radio Shack called it their "Big Business Computer"
when it made its debut in the early 1980's. It ran on either TRSDOS
(Tandy Radio Shack Disk Operating System) or CP/M (Control Program/Microprocessor,
which many thought would become an industry standard). The screen
resolution was incredibly good, with smoothly rounded yellow characters
against a dark gray background.
With Radio Shack's
neat little Scripsit word processing program Ruth managed
to write eight computer books published by Microsoft Press, Howard
W. Sams, Hayden Books, and John Wiley & Sons. These books
gave readers hands-on instruction in working with productivity
software including Microsoft Multiplan, Microsoft Works, AppleWorks,
and Microsoft Excel. She worked in both the PC and Apple platforms,
with several computers running at one time in what her children
called, "The Mole Hole," her basement.
Ruth was the "AppleWorks
in Action" columnist for inCider/A+ for eight years and created
their AppleWorks templates. The magazine was a powerful force
in the Apple II community until its demise in 1993, a casualty
of Apple's decision to do away with the Apple II in favor of the
Mac. She wrote over 100 columns for inCider/A+ and other magazines,
including Business Software, on this Model II.
Ruth says she is thrilled
that her Model II has found a home in this wonderful museum where
many people can see it and delight in its quaintness and history.
