Mall directory computers - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

1 Aug 2016

You know.. come to think of it.. it might have been something like this software I used to
play with obsessively as a kid. ?My Dad had it for our PC. ?I completely forgrt the name.
?It was a CGA graphics proto-Powerpoint kind of deal. ?You could draw pictures, graphs
etc.. and it also had clip art. ?You could do fade ins and outs and other effects. ?I
think we had it later on.. 85 or after. ?But the colors and way it drew graphics was
similar. ?And I think you could hotkey it to go to specific 'slides'. ?The mall
computer just had a series of buttons alongside the screen from what I remember. ?Could
have been rigged up to replicate certain keys. ?
Wish I could remember the program name..

Sent from my Samsung device

-------- Original message --------
From: Brad H <vintagecomputer at bettercomputing.net> 
Date: 2016-08-01  12:08 PM  (GMT-08:00) 
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org> 
Subject: Re: Mall directory computers 

??? 
I've been searching the dim recesses of my mind trying to remember the one at
Oakville. ?As I recalled the graphics output was quite slow.. it'd draw shapes
individually and then fill in. ?And the color was not great. ?Must have been a CGA PC or
some derivative. ?This would have been around 1982-1983. ?I just remember being fascinated
as a kid pushing buttons and having stores and locations of things show up. ?For early
1980s it was a pretty cool idea vs the big directory board you had to look all over.

Sent from my Samsung device

-------- Original message --------
From: Ian Finder <ian.finder at gmail.com> 
Date: 2016-08-01? 11:22 AM? (GMT-08:00) 
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at
classiccmp.org> 
Subject: Re: Mall directory computers 

you should certainly open it up and remove the battery. I would guess the
add on shell is a power supply, video modulator of some kind, and possibly
a hard drive controller.

On Mon, Aug 1, 2016 at 3:06 AM, Kevin Parker <trash80 at internode.on.net>
wrote:

...
  I'm not exactly sure - it was one of those things
that someone gave me and
 I put it away - my policy is grab first and ask questions later so it
 doesn't become landfill.

 I have tried to research this based on info from another reply but no joy.

 I might open it up and see if there are any clues inside.

 My understanding was that it was connected to a large flat panel monitor
 and just used for displaying advertisements and specials etc. It has a
 floppy disk "jammed" in the floppy drive which won't come out - not sure
 why.

 Kevin Parker

 -----Original Message-----
 From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of
 drlegendre .
 Sent: Monday, 1 August 2016 09:41
 To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <
 cctalk at classiccmp.org>
 Subject: Re: Mall directory computers

 It's not +just+ an A500. What's the extra hardware piggybacked on the A500
 case?

 Looks to have a set of six RCA (F) type jacks on it. Is this for
 connection of a touchscreen display?

 On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 2:43 AM, Kevin Parker <trash80 at internode.on.net>
 wrote:

  Thanks for the clarity and the extra info? - as I
said I haven?t
 opened it or fired it up much less had a good look at it.

 Kevin Parker

 -----Original Message-----
 From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Ian
 Finder
 Sent: Sunday, 31 July 2016 17:28
 To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <
 cctalk at classiccmp.org>
 Subject: Re: Mall directory computers

 That is certainly not a C= 64 as the title in your link suggests but
 rather an Amiga 500.

 These were quite popular for "video billboard" sort of purposes- I
 imagine they had it running SCALAMultimedia or a similar authoring  environment.

 My local high school district channel ran on a similar setup for many
 years. I recall seeing it stuck on the Amiga Workbench one day...

 On Sunday, July 31, 2016, Kevin Parker <trash80 at internode.on.net> wrote:

 > Just spotted this Brad clearing up email after a 4 week break. I
 > can't answer your question but it reminded me of something that
 > other list users may be able to help with or it might just be of  interest.
  >
 > Quite some time ago a friend of mine bought a travel agent in a
 > shopping mall, did a refit of the shop and then later went bust.
 > Fortunately before the refit and going bust he gave me his old shop
 > display which was run on a modified Commodore.
 >
 > I haven't opened it up or powered it up but if anyone knows what
 > this is I'd be grateful. I've posted some photos:
 >
 >
 > http://koken.advancedimaging.com.au/index.php?/albums/shop-mall-comm
 > od
 > ore-64/
 >
 >
 >
 > Kevin Parker
 >
 > -----Original Message-----
 > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org <javascript:;>]
 > On Behalf Of Brad H
 > Sent: Thursday, 14 July 2016 12:25
 > To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' <
 > cctalk at classiccmp.org <javascript:;>>
 > Subject: Mall directory computers
 >
 > Been wondering about this for a while.?? Just one of those odd  childhood
  > memories.
 >
 >
 >
 > When I was a kid growing up in Oakville, Ontario, I remember
 > Oakville Mall getting one of those very early mall directory computers.
 > This would have been like, 1982-84, somewhere thereabouts.? From
 > what I remember, they had kind of CGA-sh graphics and a chiclet 
'keyboard'
   you used
to browse the directory.? I'm wondering, were they just
 PCs, most likely?? Or some kind of custom job?

 --
??? Ian Finder
??? (206) 395-MIPS
??? ian.finder at gmail.com

-- 
?? Ian Finder
?? (206) 395-MIPS
?? ian.finder at gmail.com