THIS FILE WAS DOWNLOADED FROM AWAUG BBS.  THIS FILE IS THE WORK OF THE A KRON BBS SYSOP-RON COLLINS.


                      A LOOK AT THE ADAMOUSE
 
                  From N.O.A.H. Hardware Reviews
                    Northern Ohio Adam Hackers
                         by Ronald Collins
 
      Well, I have just acquired the "pivotal point" in Adam 
 hardware for the next few years.  It's been called a lot of 
 things by a wide range of computer distributors, but it's only 
 now been made available to the Adam Computer owner.  It's called 
 a mouse.  Such an un-assuming name isn't it?  Don't worry!  This 
 one doesn't squeek, crawl under your feet or scare the daylights 
 out of your loved ones when seen!  It's just another hardware 
 device... or is it?  
 
     The basic idea behind the mouse is simple.  After you spend 
a few minutes trying to draw a respectable looking picture with 
your joystick or arrow keys you tend to wish for something 
better.  The mouse was a natural answer to this issue.  It is a 
small palm sized device with a floating ball underneath (sort of 
a reverse roller controller on a different scale).  You can make 
any type of drawings from curves to circles, squares, etc.  Just 
a slight movement of your hand is all it takes.  When the mouse 
moves any any direction, so does your onscreen cursor!  
     
     This particular mouse is a product of THOMAS Electronics. 
If you are interested in more information on the mouse, you can 
write the manufacturer at 151 Devonshire Crescent, Saskatoon, 
Saskatchewan, CANADA, S7L 5V6.  The mouse can be purchased in the 
USA from M.W.  Ruth and from Orphanware Business Systems.  I 
suggest that you call them for a current price.  I found the 
mouse to be very well made.  It is a fully proportional mouse.  
This means when you draw with it, your screen representation 
won't be either elongated or squished.  A tiny 8 line SmartBASIC 
program is listed in the ADAMOUSE installation manual to give you 
an idea of it's ability.

     I received my ADAMOUSE from Orphanware Business Systems.  I 
wanted to do a review of the mouse as well as it's installation.  
Not being a hardware person, I figured that if I could do it, 
then it couldn't be too hard.  The advertisements I had seen 
mentioned that it would only take about 20 minutes to install 
with normal hand tools.  I suppose an experienced technician 
could do the job in about that length of time.  He'd even have 
the ordinary hand tools (tools of HIS trade) on hand.  To do the 
entire job, I only needed 5 tools..(A) a phillips head screw- 
driver, (B) a small tipped low wattage soldering pencil, (C) a 
wire stripping tool, (D) an X-ACTO knife and (E) a small file.  

     To be honest, it took me more time to get ready to install 
the mouse than it took to do the installation.  I had to remove 
all the devices I've added over the years such as my modem, PIA2, 
auto-dialer, 256K memory board and both digital data drives.  I 
also had to disconnect my disk drive and keyboard cables. The 
manual stresses the need to ground yourself from static charges.  
I suggest that you follow the expert advice they give you to 
avoid a catastrophic disaster in your memory console.  The next 
step is to take the console apart.  It's held together with 
phillips screws, so the screw-driver gets well used!  Next, the 
game board has to be removed, the solder connections identified 
and the parts location determined.  You are given simple 
instructions on picking the internal location of the mouse 
interface.  You will find it necessary to remove 3 of the small 
louvers in the case to allow access to the port after 
installation.  The X-Acto knife served this purpose quite well 
and the file was used to smooth out the job.  This was for MY 
machine, and I wanted it to look NICE!  The wire stripper is used 
to remove a small section of jacket from the 11 wires you will 
need to solder to the game board.  The soldering pencil should be 
low wattage to avoid component damage to your memory console.  
The tip should be small so that it can solder the points without 
bridging connections.  

     After all this is finished, you still have to put the memory 
console back together.  All in all, I spent about 2 hours 
installing the device.  The time was well spent because it looks 
almost as if it WERE factory installed!  I even have an extra 
joystick port if I ever need it!  Now, what can I use it for?

     Some Coleco programs such as AdamCALC and SmartWriter which 
let you use the joystick to navigate the screen will work easy 
with the Adamouse.  Coleco or Adam games that don't rely on 
joystick key input will also work well.  If a game uses the pause 
feature, it will have problems with the mouse.  Games like GYRUS 
and ZAXXON work amazingly well with the mouse!  Under SmartBASIC, 
the mouse has easily programmable capabilities.  

     My greatest complaint was the lack of current software 
support.  I guess I shouldn't feel to bad though...as a new 
device, I couldn't really expect too much support.  As a step 
into the "state of the art", I feel that with user support, our 
Adam could easily become as effective in such fields as desk top 
publishing as a Macintosh or IBM.  Just think of the 
possibilities of a patch to PowerPaint that would provide for the 
simple mouse device requirements.  It would be nice to simply use 
the mouse to move an arrow, let's say, to the SmartKey label, tap 
the button and see the next menu.  Drawing would be easier too!  
Dr.  Swift has done a fantastic job of making PowerPaint user 
friendly based on the hardware available.  Now, with a mouse 
driver, the possibilities are no less than astounding! 
Programming isn't my department, but as an EOS expert, I'm quite 
sure Dr. Swift could make it work.  While were on the subject of 
DEI, what about using a mouse with GO-DOS?  Those pull down menus 
and such would certainly benefit!  In the meantime, Thomas 
Electronics mentions an upcoming program called the ADAMOUSE 
GRAPHIC UTILITY.  The manual states that it will have in excess 
of 4000, and perhaps as high as 16,000 drawing options!  WOW!  In 
conclusion, I leave you with a paragraph from the installation 
manual Thomas Electronics distributes with the mouse....

                        OVER THE HORIZON

     Because the ADAMOUSE has opened an entirely new area for the 
ADAM, we will be constantly endeavoring to develop NEW and 
SUPERIOR SOFTWARE, to take FULL ADVANTAGE of the ADAMOUSE!  
ADAMOUSE CAD, and ADAMOUSE ARCHITECT, are only the start!  What 
about a WORD PROCESSOR, or SPREAD SHEET, driven by the ADAMOUSE!  

     Well, that sure does spark some interest in me!  Until next 
time, keep using your ADAM!  It may be old, but it gets better 
and better every day!  
                              
                              Ronald Collins
 
LTR> 
