Where do YOU fit in the TI hobby?

[Omega-TI]

This is an anonymous poll, but if you feel comfortable making any comments or suggestions, please feel free.

[+jedimatt42]

I vote N/A on the enough time question. I've never in my life seen 'enough time' so I'm pretty sure I don't understand what 'enough time' is. I get to put a lot of time in though.

[+Schmitzi]

...what is time ?

[+Ksarul]

I definitely need a LOT more hobby time. . .LOLOL

[PeBo]

Promised myself when I bought my first TI in 30 years that I would not fall into the "collector" pit, but I've never been good at keeping promises to myself.

 

Of course at first it was easy to do...most original TI-branded hardware/software is still quite inexpensive (from a vintage system perspective). I was able to build an expanded console (PEB/32K/RS232/drives/controller), a complete TI-branded game collection and a couple modern niceties (nanoPEB, F18A, XB2.7s) for much less than I would have spent on a similar collection for another classic computer. The collector bug may not have been what I had originally planned, but it wasn't breaking the bank either, so all was good.

 

Adding TI productivity and home finance software (which, let's face it, is for nostagia purposes far more than practical for use in 2015) is even cheaper, so was able to add a basic collection of those titles without adding much to the budget costs. Same with TI educational software which has suprisingly withstood the test of time VERY WELL, while conversely being the least expensive TI software to buy today (why is that anyway?)).

 

For a few hundred bucks (and far less than I spent 'back-in-the-day'), I was able to build a system and library that far exceeds what I owned in 1983! Quite a feat for a vintage system hobby and a tight budget.

 

Unfortunately, now that the addiction is fully developped, I am finding the remaining hardware and software is far less common (trying to avoid the word "Rare" which is so overused), and so each additional "fix" is falling increasingly outside of my budget (add a failing Canadian dollar, and an impending retirement, and my new purchases have been reduced to a slow crawl). When a single original cartridge without a box or manual can sell for more than $200, then this is a game I can no longer play.

 

So maybe now it's time for make good on my original plan of getting back into amateur programming (which I enjoyed so much in my youth).

 

One thing is certain. No matter what from this hobby takes, my love of this machine, with all it's limitations and quirks, is as strong today as it was the first time I brought one home over 30 years ago.

[Omega-TI]

Well said PeBo! Actually cost is a major component in why I prefer 'modern' reproduction parts. Add in the fact that new usually means more reliable as well. Now sometimes the new stuff has a 'little extra' and that is a nice bonus.

[Omega-TI]

 

... and my new purchases have been reduced to a slow crawl).

 

PeBo, if you are in need of a TI hardware fix, you could try a little 'modification' to your baby. I'm in sort of the same situation you are, so when the boredom factor got too high, I came up with a couple of 'make-do' projects to keep me going in the hobby.

 

#1

You could try << this inexpensive little project >> I came up with to "Jazz Up" the TI a little.

(Assuming you want to run your system in a tower configuration, it would not look good in the standard orientation).

 

#2

<< Another project I did >> was to buy and spruce up a piece of hardware to match the TI's color scheme.

 

Sometimes just taking a stroll over to << Mainbyte >> will give you a few ideas as well. Hey you might come up with something new that we'll all want to copy.