RickR Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 All: There's a great new TI newsletter available for everyone interested in the TI computers. Please take a look here: https://www.chicagotiug.org/chicago-times-newsletter We're also lucky enough to have creator @John Behnke here. Please spread the word and make sure you ask any questions you might have or help you need here in the atari.io forums. DegasElite and socrates63 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 Thank you Rick for allowing us the space here to help distribute as well as solicit contributions for the newsletter. It's a bit hard re-starting something that has been dormant for decades but I remember how excited I was to get each issue every month in the mail. There were many other excellent newsletters by other user groups and some are still being printed but this was the one that was most dear. In restarting this we made a few changes. The first, of course, is that it will not be distributed by mail and it will be free of charge. The cost alone to mail this would be huge but today it's far easier to distribute it in PDF format which also allows us to print it in color. You download it, you print it, read it on your computer or on your phone. It's that simple. Now we will be printing hard copies for those who take the time to attend one of our meetings in person as well as having copies available at the TI Faire but the cost to print those is small vs a worldwide distribution. So what is the purpose of this newsletter? 1. Nostagia - We're going to handpick some great articles, ads, programs and pictures from the good old days. Right now we have a bit more of this than we would like but until we start gaining fresh sources of new material, we have to fill the pages and I'm sure you do not want to see nothing but my ramblings LOL 2. Drum up support for the community and rekindle some of the fun we all had in better times. Sure we're a bit older and we have even lost a few great friends by way of relocation or in passing but communication is one of the most outstanding things in modern times and we can meet old freinds as well as new by means of great forums such as this and if a newsletter helps in a small way then so be it! 3. If I can create a newsletter in a few hours, so can you! If re-starting this newsletter helps nudge your group into doing the same, let's trade ideas and exchange newsletters and rediscover the special place in our hearts for this little machine we bought so long ago. 4. We'd like this to be an international edition. We've already gotten a few outside contributions and even a few from England. Now before I end this long post, I'd like to ask everyone out there what they would like to see. What they liked about the first few issues and what we could make better. I'd also welcome articles, game and program reviews and we'll even accept small ads for new items for sale that would be of interest to the community. We want to make this the best we can and we could use your help! Thanks again to this great forum for not only supporting the TI community but also allowing us this space. Thanks! socrates63, RickR and DegasElite 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socrates63 Posted April 6 Report Share Posted April 6 (edited) That's awesome! Thanks for sharing the news, Rick. It's incredible that the Chicago TI user group has been meeting regularly, and true to old school, in a library room, and there's videos of the meetings 👏 👏 Trivia about Scott Adams, Infocom ❤️ I miss those user group days. I told my wife recently that I want to fly to Texas to attend a T.A.C.O. Atari user group meeting. Edited April 6 by socrates63 RickR and DegasElite 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted April 13 Report Share Posted April 13 I have started work on our Super Summer Edition of the Chicago TImes Newsletter. This newsletter is larger than normal and takes the place of the June-July-August Editions. So with all this extra space I need stuff to put in them. If anyone is selling TI related hardware/software and would like a free 1/2 page ad, please forward the ad to me. I'm also looking for articles and game/program reviews of both new or old software. If you're not great at writing, no worries as I'll clean it up for you if needed. Please forward any material you wish to submit to: chicago.ti994a.usersgroup@gmail.com Thanks! DegasElite and RickR 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Ω - Posted April 16 Report Share Posted April 16 On 4/13/2024 at 1:18 AM, John Behnke said: I'm also looking for articles and game/program reviews of both new or old software. Please forward any material you wish to submit to: chicago.ti994a.usersgroup@gmail.com I'll keep this in mind for future reference. 🙂 DegasElite 1 Quote <<< My YouTube Page >>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Ω - Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Hey all, I thought I'd "BUMP UP" this thread to remind everyone about the link put here by @RickR in the first message about the Newsletter. It's high quality, in color and has some good info in it, so be sure to check it out! RickR, MistaMaddog, socrates63 and 1 other 3 1 Quote <<< My YouTube Page >>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Thank you for your kind words and the plug. I know that some may be asking why, in 2024, a newsletter is even needed. Well the short answer is that it is not. To be fair, however, you must also answer why the TI-99/4A is needed in 2024. The short answer is that it is not. Much like old things that serve little practical use in 2024, things from the past server another purpose. Often the term "retro" is tossed around in regard to "accepted" items from the past that people tend to collect which holds a warm spot in their heart of times past. Such is the TI and, hopefully, this newsletter. Much like newspapers and magazines are dying, newsletters are a product of the past when you would actually find out useful information in that monthly periodical. In the age of instant communication via the internet, text messages and e-mail, I know full well that there is nothing practical about a newsletter. To be direct, we brought this back for pure nostalgia and as a means of trying to unify the members of our community that we have left. I have tried to fill it with humor, nostalgia, games and retro graphics. I've even printed old ads along with some new and tossed in a few type in games for good measure. Almost all of this, of course, can be found somewhere on the internet. So in closing, if you take 5 mins to look at the newsletter each month and something in it stirs up a fond memory or makes you smile, well then I consider the work involved to be worth it. In the end, this is only going to work if the community wishes it as I will eventually run out of material and without some fresh input, this newsletter will have a short run. While it is my intent to keep this baby going for as long as possible, in the end it will be up to the contributors. When the Chicago Group had 2000 members, we had a ton of submissions but in 2024, I'm not sure we have that many worldwide. So thank you for all the support, kind words and submissions that keep this thing going. The Super Summer Edition is about 75% done. It's going to be a huge issue and I hope it's the best so far. Later All! RickR, DegasElite, socrates63 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Ω - Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 14 minutes ago, John Behnke said: Thank you for your kind words and the plug. I know that some may be asking why, in 2024, a newsletter is even needed. Well the short answer is that it is not. To be fair, however, you must also answer why the TI-99/4A is needed in 2024. The short answer is that it is not. Much like old things that serve little practical use in 2024, things from the past server another purpose. Often the term "retro" is tossed around in regard to "accepted" items from the past that people tend to collect which holds a warm spot in their heart of times past. Such is the TI and, hopefully, this newsletter. Much like newspapers and magazines are dying, newsletters are a product of the past when you would actually find out useful information in that monthly periodical. In the age of instant communication via the internet, text messages and e-mail, I know full well that there is nothing practical about a newsletter. To be direct, we brought this back for pure nostalgia and as a means of trying to unify the members of our community that we have left. I have tried to fill it with humor, nostalgia, games and retro graphics. I've even printed old ads along with some new and tossed in a few type in games for good measure. Almost all of this, of course, can be found somewhere on the internet. So in closing, if you take 5 mins to look at the newsletter each month and something in it stirs up a fond memory or makes you smile, well then I consider the work involved to be worth it. In the end, this is only going to work if the community wishes it as I will eventually run out of material and without some fresh input, this newsletter will have a short run. While it is my intent to keep this baby going for as long as possible, in the end it will be up to the contributors. When the Chicago Group had 2000 members, we had a ton of submissions but in 2024, I'm not sure we have that many worldwide. So thank you for all the support, kind words and submissions that keep this thing going. The Super Summer Edition is about 75% done. It's going to be a huge issue and I hope it's the best so far. Later All! Well, as an old man I actually PREFER the newsletter type format for informational and non-discussion type of stuff. I printed up each and every Shift 838 Newsletter when Chris was making them. I also printed up each and every Yesterday's Newsletter the late Sparkdrummer made. Both of those newsletters are stored in their own individual binders. After issue six of this newsletter I plan to do the same. Quote <<< My YouTube Page >>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Well from one old man to another bravo 🙂 - Ω - 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistaMaddog Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 On 5/24/2024 at 3:54 PM, John Behnke said: Thank you for your kind words and the plug. I know that some may be asking why, in 2024, a newsletter is even needed. Well the short answer is that it is not. To be fair, however, you must also answer why the TI-99/4A is needed in 2024. The short answer is that it is not. Much like old things that serve little practical use in 2024, things from the past server another purpose. Often the term "retro" is tossed around in regard to "accepted" items from the past that people tend to collect which holds a warm spot in their heart of times past. Such is the TI and, hopefully, this newsletter. Much like newspapers and magazines are dying, newsletters are a product of the past when you would actually find out useful information in that monthly periodical. In the age of instant communication via the internet, text messages and e-mail, I know full well that there is nothing practical about a newsletter. That's why I like to read old newsletters & magazines about vintage computers like the Ataris, it also gives a sense on how people used those machines back then long before there even was the current Internet. Of course I do have to read them online not only for convience but b/c I can't read printed material w/o bifocals. 🧓 I'm happy that the TI community has a current newletter to read... - Ω - 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Ω - Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 14 hours ago, MistaMaddog said: That's why I like to read old newsletters & magazines about vintage computers like the Ataris, it also gives a sense on how people used those machines back then long before there even was the current Internet. Of course I do have to read them online not only for convience but b/c I can't read printed material w/o bifocals. 🧓 I'm happy that the TI community has a current newletter to read... I've alway liked being able to get real comfortable in the recliner before reading, with a bright light behind me and some music in the background. Not having to boot up the computer every time I want to read something is a plus as well. Lately, another reason is arthritis, moving that little wheel on the mouse repeatedly can get quite painful. Quote <<< My YouTube Page >>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Ω - Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 Since the Chicago TImes Newsletter & Club has been around for so long, it's a good bet that we'll continue seeing many newsletters from @John Behnke in the future, so I uploaded a PDF for anyone wanting to insert into the spine of a large 3 ring binder. Awesome newsletters deserve to be printed up and stored. Anyway this is what it looks like... Chicago Times - Spine.pdf John Behnke and RickR 1 1 Quote <<< My YouTube Page >>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Ω - Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 I put my spine in a spare TI-Writer binder. This is what it looks like finished... RickR and John Behnke 2 Quote <<< My YouTube Page >>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 Wow that's great work! Thanks for doing this and I hope the Super Summer Edition is one everyone enjoys. It should be out early in a week or two. - Ω - and RickR 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted June 13 Report Share Posted June 13 (edited) The Super Summer Edition of the Chicago TImes is now available at www.chicagotiug.org Edited June 13 by John Behnke RickR and - Ω - 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Behnke Posted June 14 Report Share Posted June 14 It has come to my attention that some of the newsletter links were not working. All issues should be resolved. Please let me know if you have any problems. Thanks RickR and - Ω - 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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