Mum Tries To Make The TI-99/4a Speak (1981) - OSFirstTimer Advanced #12

Diana hasn't really explored the 80's much on OSFirstTimer and yet here we are trying out a Texas Instruments TI-99/4a. Some of the software Diana tries out in this episode was written in the late 70s! Can she make the computer speak? Keep watching to find out!
This task was Suggested by Patreon Donator, Jakey Pearce, check out his channel here: / jakeypearce
If you like, you can join Patreon here (rank 4 donators get to pick OSFirstTimer Tasks): / astralphaser_osfirsttimer
If you haven't already be sure join in on an OSFirstTimer Weekly chat. You can watch the few chat episodes here:
- Chat 1: • Video
- Chat 2: • Video
- Chat 3: • Video
Be sure to keep an eye out on KZbin Millionaire for monthly information about all my channels: / @youtubemillionaire
Oh and as for that MightyEagle73 reference at the end, here is the video we were referring to: • OSFT VLog | March 5th ...
OSFirstTimer Advanced ditches the original 5 basic tasks and introduces a new random advanced task each episode. The task can involve literally anything from video editing to 3d modelling to programming and even attempting to destroy an operating system.
Random tasks using random software in random operating systems from random time periods... now this will be a lot more interesting! Don't worry though as we may occasionally go back to our roots and do a few "original series" episodes.
I hope you guys enjoy this episode and look forward to whatever crazy task we do next episode on OSFirstTimer Advanced.

[@allistergraham9448]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1341">22:21</a> a standard cat 🤣 I laughed so hard. I WANT A SLOW DUMB STANDARD CAT

[@playsamay4]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="658">10:58</a> "What am I, 90?" LOL

[@FallenNarrator]

Your mom is very interesting and I mean it! I LOVED her stories!! It was really nice to hear the recaps!

[@ELECTROHAXZ]

Let her do what she wants! THAT is what we the viewers want to see, not you restricting her! If she bores us then we can skip it like she said!

[@Moviesxp]

.....

[@AdamZugone]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="659">10:59</a> "what am I. 90?" xD

[@realausome]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="750">12:30</a> Thats probrably what she said back in school when she ran her first program.

[@childishbeat]

You should do videos where your mum tests out video game consoles. This is a task list I came up with for such videos: 1. Find out the time. 2. Open the web browser, open a tab in it, change the webpage the web browser is on, explore the webpage for a minute then close the web browser. 3. Calculate 43 x 19 in a web browser. 4. Change the system menu's background. 5. Explore the system menu yourself. 6. Turn off the games console.

[@nataniellullaby1095]

When I was 15 yo I learned to program using PASCAL, and I also made a really simple program that "chat" with you, but basically only repeat information that you give to the program, like your name, age, country, and then it says something like "Oh, then you are (name), (age) and you're from (country). It's nice to meet you! " and then it says goodbye and shuts down. I really liked PASCAL.

[@Photoreviver]

Actually for its day it was quite a good computer especially with the Basic programs you could type out from magazines. I still have my TI994A and it still works.

[@jakeypearce]

Wow... didn't expect you Dad! :P

[@beltanebabe55]

Bet you didn't expect Granny either LOL

[@OsFirstTimer]

Programming on computers back then sounded like it was more promoted and fun for the users of the time. These days you don't really get general magazines with code etc and turning on the computer doesn't instantly open an area where you can start programming. Quite a shame really. Also, you've got an awesome son, he prepared me well for this episode and is very intelligent :)

[@EgoShredder]

I grew up in the 70s and 80s and home computing was much more direct, e.g. apart from loading games and stuff you always had to know how to code to make it do anything. I'm not sure if any of this has helped me when I got into using PCs and modern tech in general......hard to say.......maybe with little scripts and tweaking perhaps.

[@Photoreviver]

EgoShredder Totally agree, the approach to using a computer was different and I guess prepared me beneficially for todays operation system which seem a breeze :)

[@snowblindu]

I just wanted to say. I enjoyed your Mum working with the finance program. It was interesting. Lot more interesting and fun than if she was going to use the calculator program. Trust me OSFirstTimer you should respect your moms wishes. :D Keep up the great content!

[@BBC600]

I liked watching Diana in the personal finance program! I would like to see her to run more businesslike applications. Maybe she can run an old spreadsheet program or an old word processor in another episode.

[@OsFirstTimer]

Someone on patreon might choose that :)

[@nintendogames3149]

T

[@starleaf-luna]

@@nintendogames3149 I

[@_S.H_]

Diana is almost my age, and I remember in the late 80 when I got my MSX computer and started learning Basic and playing with line numbers and the Goto command, and I used to be top my class in the computer courses as well! This video brought back some memories indeed.

[@isaiahswan8830]

Aw, Diana I felt so sad when you were talking about your past, Monopoly with Dad etc. That makes me feel like I am not spending enough time with my family.

[@jakeypearce]

Thanks for making this episode Philip. :) You should've made her try out Parsec, as that utilized the speech synthesizer and is also considered to be the most memorable TI game, next to Alpiner (another game you should've made her try). My Dad never got to try out Tombstone City. :)

[@loganlowe2546]

Are you the JakeyPearce that lead the development of Histacom?

[@jakeypearce]

Yes, I have already heard of "Histacom 2" (aka TIMEHACK).

[@EnderCraft1337]

AShifter histawhat?

[@emiliasky6117]

TheStargazerMC histacom 2

[@michel_langelo.]

I want to listen to Diana telling stories about her past for hours.

[@rolandcsibrei6504]

Mum tries to make a malware using VBS.

[@maxhyam7658]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="658">10:58</a> "What am I, 90?"

[@PikachuJamaa]

I remember a few days ago I was looking through things on the table and found a Texas Instruments calculator. It was pretty weird, and I got it stuck on a weird graph. I am not used to that lol

[@PantsYT]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1127">18:47</a> "HELLO I AM AN F" TI-99, 2017

[@MacBack123]

"UNNY THING THAT IS GOOD" TI-99, 2017

[@robloxiastudios9072]

"HELLO I AM AN F U" TI-99, 2019

[@TheComputerGuy96]

As jakeypearce said, you should have tried Alpiner and Parsec, they use the speech synthesizer (even if in Classic99 the emulated speech is quite crappy). Hunt The Wumpus was also a great classic.

[@malfidus10]

I loved Diana's reaction when she wrote the first program. I had a BBC Micro when I was younger and loved playing around with BASIC.

[@nonchalantree6604]

Syntax error, YOU KILLED ME

[@charlieT299]

"I need to figure out how to get you off this conversation so you don't bore the viewers" Both me and my dad litterally with a notepad and pen trying to figure out how to work it out

[@bobsobol]

Oh! And I think the product Ti is most famous for, the world over, is the Speak'n'Spell. (another talking computer)

[@b.war08]

This feels like a gaming through time episode 🤣

[@talyndavis7522]

its a good day when theres a new osfirsttimer video

[@sea-cf9fo]

i live in texas

[@bobandmaryw4336]

i had one of these....lots a fun. Did Basic programming to do email at the University of Texas... We set up EE lab with 30 TRS-80's! I was there working as EE tech when the first 1 MEG chip came across the bench from Texas Instruments. I worked at Sunoco in Dallas before this in a mainframe room.

[@feelsaxelman]

I'm happy to see you making videos so often again. :)

[@rapidfiringneurons]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="800">13:20</a> FCTN+4 was the Break on the TI-99... normally mapped to F4 in an emulator

[@WedgeBob]

My childhood computer! I remember the fun I had with this thing!

[@juheeseo7739]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="746">12:26</a> hellohellohellohellohello

[@Miler97487]

I believe the reason Diana never heard of the TI-99/4A was I'm fairly certain they were rather unknown in Australia. I live in America and my father bought one in 1981 and it was fairly popular here but that wasn't too surprising as they were made here. The TI-99/4A wasn't competing with PET in the States as the PET was pretty much on the way out. They were competing with the VIC-20. PET did compete with TRS-80 in the States since they both appeared the same year 1977.

[@gklinger]

Forgive me if this is inappropriate but Diana is an incredibly beautiful woman. Wow!

[@playsamay4]

Finally, another episode! Thanks!

[@james-5560]

Should get Diana to set up a Raspberry Pi Nano with Raspbian or Kodi, including setting up the sd card and stuff. You can buy them for about $15

[@bobsobol]

Haha. Friendly invaders don't shoot you, they blow you kisses. Instead of cattle mutilation, they drop extra cows into your farms. XD

[@canprince]

Yikes. This was my very first computer which I still have wrapped and packed away. 😝

[@OsFirstTimer]

Wow, how long you planning to keep storing it for?

[@canprince]

OSFirstTimer I have such a hard time parting with things. Maybe it will be a collector's item one day? 😀

[@EgoShredder]

Great episode! One of your very best!

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="540">9:00</a> that explains why Mom is so willing and patient to be tortured this way. Most moms around here anyway would literally tell their kid to fuck off. [NEXT] I don't remember the computer voices being that creepy. You guys are hilarious.

[@mctv6486]

did she just say "what am i 90?"?

[@kennysbusdrawings]

Thanks for creating that HTML application! Ive been using it a lot. The first good thing for you to do!

[@queasothequaker3806]

Phillip: Read the last sentence from the second paragraph Diana reads the third paragraph.

[@seanwongcf]

Let Mum do her thing!

[@XPEric123]

"Maybe it was more common in other countries." Hence, the "Texas" in "Texas Instruments".

[@bobsobol]

I liked the home finance. Well done Dianna. :)

[@NextinHKRY]

oh no! a new episode of osfirsttimer!

[@EnderCraft1337]

Windows Red ?

[@kyororio881]

this was actually so hilarious

[@bobsobol]

With a little Gnumeric calculation, *I* think you'd have $20,172.00 after 20 years, saving $10 a week, at 2% APR. Assuming the interest is added annually, as I believe it was in savings accounts of the time. Current accounts tend to calculate daily, but have never been as high as 2%. IMS, an 80's current account was closer to 0.7% APR. But, I'm a couple of years younger than Dianna, and British... And _very_ bad with numbers, so I could well be remembering wildly wrong, and am definitely trusting to Gnumerics' calculation. The interest seems high, even for 2%.

[@TheAgedGamer]

Phillip! Please reply! First i see the mum tries out parody systems video! Then i dont see it anymore! Why is the video keep dissapearing?

[@Loco-uh6hp]

I've been a bit inactive lately, glad to be back.

[@Anonym-bq9zr]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="644">10:44</a> What am I 90? HAHAHAHA

[@NtQueryInformationProcess]

Another video by my fav channel :)

[@garfield267]

Take your hand off it, Daryl

[@xueangel1]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="747">12:27</a> Diana is sooooooooo happy

[@xueangel1]

I

[@stphinkle]

I remember playing those games in elementary school.

[@minecrafter1651]

BEST CHANNEL EVER!!

[@JerTheGeek]

"They can just switch it off!" XD

[@thesparklingemerald]

how come your windows doors video got removed.

[@14RChico]

I was surprised about Philip's birth ruined her life, especially said by Philip himself

[@CommodoreGreg]

The reason she has no memory of the TI is Jack Tramiel of Commodore drove TI out of the market before the C64 hit the market (he severely price reduced the VIC-20 software). So if she was looking at a C64, the TI was already long dead.

[@potato-jo4ym]

Phillip, do you know a pet shop that has slow, dumb standard cats? :)

[@BrainforBrains]

hello fellow kerbal man may i interest you in some crafts?

[@cfischer691]

C64 was the bomb!

[@thespacemonkeyist]

I Hope Dick Smith's Electronics has restructured. A good bit of Aussie and Kiwi history!

[@sholja]

diana if you wanna remember a little bit of basic the 8 bit guy recently uploaded a basic programming history

[@holyhelga]

i never knew texas instuments ever made home computers but i do know they may advanced calculators

[@Truttle1]

GREETINGS PROFESSOR FALKEN

[@mareecrawford5672]

I supported you on Patreon.

[@rockettaco]

Ti. No other company describes high school better!

[@dg8844]

TRS80 was from Tandy (Radio Shack). Dick Smith had the VZ200.

[@TheAgedGamer]

Hey Philip! Why was the mum tries out parody systems Video Deleted?!

[@krass76]

your moms short story time was really interesting! it would be so cool if she still had a copy of the text-AI-thing to show us..

[@rvbvbaservices]

Using a real TI 99/4A for this 40 minutes chat? Emulating every computer or operating system, you can go on for ages :)

[@igano111]

The laser cannon looks a bit funny in the TI-99 version of space invaders...

[@fabian6514.cr3]

YESS! BTW. I have internet now :D

[@EP1CxEMAN08]

Now I want to try out the TI-99/4a, but I don't know how I would do that.

[@valentinpapadopoulos512]

thanks

[@liamcummings5341]

Back then: Wow!!! 16 colors! Now: wtf? 16 colors? Pfft, I have 256.

[@Xnoob545]

I have 16,777,216

[@OldAussieAds]

The TI994/A was never a big hit. Certainly not in Australia. But I think I have the answer as to why Diana got the TRS-80 over the Commodore 64. Her father wouldn't have gone to Dick Smith Chatswood, but rather Tandy (Australia's version of Radio Shack). Given Tandy made the TRS-80, Diana's Dad would have gone in there for advice and of course been steered towards their computer. That said, if programming with BASIC was a goal, the TRS-80 was probably the better choice as Commodore's BASIC was pretty bad. But for games, there Commodore 64 was the machine to own hands down!

[@MightyEagle73]

I was trying out commodore 64 before this... it feels so weird watching this now...

[@eveo1437]

They should make Diana make DianaOS.

[@ChristopherLiu]

the demo cartrige sounds like a gameboy music

[@GravyTheAwesome]

says spongebob

[@guffingtonreal]

I'm also top of my Computer Studys class in year 7.

[@johnchen5796]

Just asking what is the music used for the osfirsttimer advanced intro

[@TumbleGamerTK]

my dad had a c64 and he made his name get printed over and over again

[@iankorob5180]

Pause break is the key combination to stop.

[@feandesign]

Great!

[@Lukas99g]

Well there wasn’t much of a difficulty system back then so the difficulties range from medium to hard (and sometimes even harder) Also friendly difficulty sounds weird

[@DJComputerguy]

Never thought i'd say this, i would trust that thing a lot more with calculating money related stuff than i would windows 10.

[@mattciscool]

YESS I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MrDan1466]

Is this even possible? This machine is donkeys' years old!

[@parkschoolcamper2]

The text to speech sounds like Cookie Monster.

[@blakebedford-palmer6676]

You should have her try a TRS-80 since that was her first computer

[@olafolex8015]

in the middle of the commadore 64 and and commader pet was the commadore vic 20

[@tylenelson-techandmore.7074]

Hey what happened to the Windows RG and Windows Door Video?

[@diamondmcpro]

Yea!

[@thespacemonkeyist]

The TI/994a demo program sold me on the machine in the early 80s. I would travel downtown to "CompuCentre: to watch the demo every weekend. The TI99/4a computer was one of the first colour computers and the graphics were pretty good for the time. I bought the machine and found out it was a piece of crap. lousy slow basic, all the software was in expensive cartridge form.

[@georgefogwill6484]

is there like a website you can download the emulator from?

[@StephenSE9]

40 minutes flew by.

[@theodoros_1234]

I would like to know what the music for the outro is.