PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER MARCH 1989 EDITORS NOTE: The following series of articles was received by the Lima UG directly from the author, Harold Bingham. Mr.^Bingham has corresponded with the Lima UG for several years and has contributed many of the programs in the Lima UG software library. Harold likes to trade software, and any reader of this newsletter is invited to write Harold about possible software trades. He is a member of the Ogden Utah user group, and some of the following articles have appeared in the Ogden UG's newsletter. -------------------------------------------------- DOCUMENTING YOUR PROGRAMS By Harold Bingham 1147 36th Street Ogden, Utah 84403 Ogden 99ERS I am going to make comment on the documentation or "DOC'S" that accompany a program. Some programs don't even have doc's on the disk, and alot of these programs are not very user friendly. Some documentation is written to high level, and the average user is perplexed and bewildered. The person that created the program knows how to run it and what it will do, but leaves the user confused on it's use. Programs should be user friendly and easy to use too. There are some programs that give the user a menu with selections. These are easy to run. Other programs have secret FCTN and CTRL and number combinations in order to make it do certain things. If one a FCTN or CTRL is used, why not put that on the screen as a guide? Some programs are in Basics, while others are in Extended Basics, others are in Editor Assembly. These are the most confusing to load and run. No matter what language a program is written in, simple instructions should be written in the doc's on how to load and run, and what the program is used for. *DONE* -------------------------------------------------- LABELING YOUR DISKS WITH CATALOGS By Harold Bingham 1147 36th. Street Ogden, Utah 84403 Ogden TI-99/4A User Group I would like to discuss the Disk Labeler 99 Version 2.0 by Paul E. Scheidemantle of 2762 Lovington, Troy, Michigan 48083. This disk label program is the best one I have come across. By selecting configuration from the menu you can set up various ways that you can print your disk labels on two sizes of labels. You can print the header with one line or two in Pica or condensed and add a date and a sub header. This is a good place to indicate wrether your disk is games, utilities, education, artist, writer or what ever grouping you choose. This helps to pigeonhole the disks. You can also have the programs listed in one, two or three columns and choose the print either compact, subscript, or pica for paper only. Also on the menu it tells you if you can fit the catalog on one label or not. If it won't fit, you can change the configuration and use one line header, and print the programs in three columns. If it still does not fit you can change the size of labels. You can select PIO, or RS 232 and change the color of the menu screen. A lot of work has gone into creating this fine program. If you would like a catalog listing information of what each program on your disk is for, if it is in Basic, XB, E/A you can add this information to each file and save it on another disk in Dis/Var 80 with this program. You can then edit the comments further with Funnelweb and re-save it on disk. No need to have just the disk title on your disks. You can add the catalog and then there will be no question what you have on the disk. If you use this disk you should send Paul E. Scheidemantle a contribution for the good work he has done in creating this program. **DONE** -------------------------------------------------- LABELING YOUR DISKS WITH CATALOGS By Harold Bingham 1147 36th. Street Ogden, Utah 84403 Ogden TI-99/4A User Group I would like to discuss the Disk Labeler 99 Version 2.0 by Paul E. Scheidemantle of 2762 Lovington, Troy, Michigan 48083. This disk label program is the best one I have come across. By selecting configuration from the menu you can set up various ways that you can print your disk labels on two sizes of labels. You can print the header with one line or two in Pica or condensed and add a date and a sub header. This is a good place to indicate rather your disk is games, utilities, education, artist, writer or what ever grouping you choose. This helps to pigeonhole the disks. You can also have the programs listed in one, two or three columns and choose the print either compact, subscript, or pica for paper only. Also on the menu it tells you if you can fit the catalog on one label or not. If it won't fit, you can change the configuration and use one line header, and print the programs in three columns. If it still does not fit you can change the size of labels. You can select PIO, or RS 232 and change the color of the menu screen. A lot of work has gone into creating this fine program. If you would like a catalog listing information of what each program on your disk is for, if it is in Basic, XB, E/A you can add this information to each file and save it on another disk in Dis/Var 80 with this program. You can then edit the comments further with Funnelweb and re-save it on disk. No need to have just the disk title on your disks. You can add the catalog and then there will be no question what you have on the disk. If you use this disk you should send Paul E. Scheidemantle a contribution for the good work he has done in creating this program. *DONE* -------------------------------------------------- ADVANTAGES OF BELONGING TO A USER GROUP ^^^^AND HOW TO KEEP THE GROUP ACTIVE By Harold Bingham 1147 36th Street Ogden, Utah 84403 The advantages of belonging to a user group is to obtain help and information from other users on using programs and the use of your computer. To gain knowledge from one another about programing. To discuss problems you are having and obtain help to resolve those problems. Another big advantage of being a member of a user group is the use of the club's disk and cassette library, and to exchange programs with other users. The newsletter that your club produces gives help too. If your club has a newsletter, chances are it exchanges newsletters from other user groups. If you read all these newsletters you will gain a broader understanding on the use of your computer and how to use various programs. Now that I have listed some of the advantages of being a member of a user group, I would like to suggest ways to keep that group active. First of all I would suggest that there should be a program chairman, and that he delegates different members to demonstrate at least one program at each meeting. Copies of the program that is being demonstrated should be available on disk and cassettes so that those attending the demonstration can go home and try it themselves. These can be sold for cost + a small profit for the club. Try and get every member involved into this project. This will get the inactive members to attend if they have been asked to demonstrate a program. We can all gain and need each other. When asking help from each member, you make them feel needed and an essential part of the group. If the number of people attending your meetings are few, and seem to be getting fewer, assign a telephone committee to call and remind people of the meetings and what the program will be. This is particulary important for members who seldom attend. The club's library which includes the disk library as well as a library of newsletters. A catalog should be available of the club's disk library. Newsletters of other user groups should be made and be available to those requesting it. Library material should be readily accessed by all members. There is usually not enough time at the meetings to read all the material, therefore an organized library check out system should be employed on a time limit basis. Workshops should be included in your programs. These work sessions can include a wide range of subjects. One of the most important of them that should be scheduled on a regular basis is programing. It doesn't hurt to have parties. It doesn't hurt to get member's mates involved. The last thing I would like to remind those in charge of meetings is that you want to leave every member who attends a meeting satisfied, as they go home, that they have gained something for attending the meeting. This will make each member to look forward in attending the next meeting. *DONE* .PL 1