Date   : Fri, 09 Oct 1992 20:43:40 GMT
From   : ogicse!mintaka.lcs.mit.edu!hal.gnu.ai.mit.edu!regnad@decwrl.dec.com (Paul Prescott)
Subject: Re: Is KA9Q still available for CP/M systems?

I have never understood the basis for the apparently widely held philosophy
of "upgrade, or throw away your computer".  The existence of this newsgroup
at least shows that I'm not alone in my confusion.  :)  I still use 4MHz
Z80 computers every day.  I've been playing with the idea of "upgrading" one
to 8MHz. (Which I may very well take up more seriously after I finish building
the partially assembled Heathkit H89 I was recently given.)  I find these
machines to be quite adequate for my computing and communications needs.

I have also just gotten involved with amateur packet radio, but find the
"standard" 1200 baud AX.25 system to be a bit too slow for my liking.  For
about $100 I can upgrade my TNC to support 9600 baud KISS mode, and I already
have an old transceiver just begging to be put to use in this sort of service,
but without TCP/IP software for any of my computers I'm pretty much stuck right
where I am.  Shelling out a few hundred dollars (or more) for a new (or
"newer", anyway) computer simply isn't a justifiable option.

I realize it is rediculous to expect any kind of serious support for every
orphaned computer in existance, but if the software already exists, it seems
rather a shame that it is not made available.


Paul Prescott
N1AAC
regnad@gnu.ai.mit.edu
(Someone with lots more time than money, at the moment.)