NEWARK, Del. - The
university of Delaware
Georgetown substation has pur
chased and installed a TRSBO
- 16 Radio Shack
Microcomputer for use by
research and Extension personnel.
The unit also is available to
Delaware residents through
county Extension agricultural,
home economics and 4-H agents.
According to Extension farm
management specialist Don
Tilmon, the new computer can help
farmers and consumers make
decisions on a wide range of topics.
“We now have about 65 programs
and are acquiring more all the
tune,” he says. These are ready
and running on the machine.
"We have obtained programs
from a number of land grant
universities including Clemson,
Mississippi State, Oklahoma State
and Penn State, he says.
Georgetown substation gets new computer
There are programs tor
analyzing grain storage decisions,
formulating dairy cow rations, and
keeping swine reproductive
records. One called “Crops”
compares double-cropping
soybeans to growing them full
season. Two farm records
program*? a.-m-m,. a third,
wtuch i'lUuun developed on the
University of Delaware’s mam
frame computer, is now being
transferred onto the TBSBO.
Progams for young people in
clude “Teen” from Clemson
University which establishes a
budget routine for teenagers.
Another analyzes the cost of
driving a car.
For Taxpayers there are
programs on income tax
estimation and estate tax plan
ning. A program called “Speedy”
is for family budgeting.
Since the advent of the
microcomputer several years ago,
extension specialists at land grant
colleges across the country have
been busy developing such
programs to help both farmers and
nonfarmers.
Tilmon considers the TRSBO
among the most powerful of
currently available microcom
puters in terms of computing speed
and data storage capacity. The
machine is described by its
manufacturer as a small business
computer. The all-m-one unit in
cludes a built-in 12-mch black and
whits video screen, S-inch floppy
disk drive (Us memory system)
and a detachable keyboard similar
to that of a standard IBM
typewriter. There is also a high
quality printer.
A single 8-inch diskette costs
only $5.50 and can store in
formation equal to what would be
produced by typing 70 words a
Extension farm management specialist Don Tilmon checks out new microcomputer
acquired for use at U. of Del. Georgetown substation. Computer can help farmers and
other Delaware residents with decision-making tasks.
minute nonstop over a 24-hour
period. Home computers like this
now cost less than half the price of
a pick-up truck.
There is no service charge for
using the new computer at the sub
station. “It is available as an
educational tool,” Tilmon says. A
comparable unit is already m
place lit Newark.
Delaware residents interested in
using either of these TRSBO units
should contact the county - ex
tension office in Newark 302-728-
2506, Dover 302-736-1448 or
Georgetown 302-856-5250.