---
title: "Member Profile"
type: "article"
slug: "member-profile-6"
url: "http://localhost/article/member-profile-6/"
markdown_url: "http://localhost/article/member-profile-6.md"
published_at: "2022-10-07T12:23:39+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-06-21T23:23:23+00:00"
featured_image:
  url: "http://localhost/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20230809-041332.jpg"
excerpt: "On a personal note, I'm married and live in Richmond, both quite happily now for many years. My other spare-time interests include photography, star-gazing, and travel, all of which go together quite well. From formal and other education, I hold the classification of Applied Science Technologist (Civil). Except for one 12-year stint with a major…"
category:
  - name: "ZX-Appeal"
    slug: "zx-appeal"
    taxonomy: "category"
    url: "http://localhost/category/periodicals/zx-appeal/"
post_tag:
  - name: "Full Text"
    slug: "fulltext"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/fulltext/"
  - name: "timexbook"
    slug: "timexbook"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/timexbook/"
  - name: "Vancouver Sinclair User Group"
    slug: "vancouver-sinclair-user-group"
    taxonomy: "post_tag"
    url: "http://localhost/tag/vancouver-sinclair-user-group/"
indiv:
  - name: "Rusty Townsend"
    slug: "rusty-townsend"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/rusty-townsend/"
publication_r:
  id: 36087
  title: "ZX-Appeal"
  type: "periodical"
  url: "http://localhost/periodical/zx-appeal/"
authors: "Rusty Townsend"
authors_r:
  - name: "Rusty Townsend"
    slug: "rusty-townsend"
    taxonomy: "indiv"
    url: "http://localhost/indiv/rusty-townsend/"
issues_articles:
  - id: 39689
    title: "ZX-Appeal Mar 87"
    type: "issue"
    url: "http://localhost/issue/zx-appeal-mar-87/"
pages: "14"
pubdate: "March 1987"
archive_link: false
---

On a personal note, I’m married and live in Richmond, both quite happily now for many years. My other spare-time interests include photography, star-gazing, and travel, all of which go together quite well.

From formal and other education, I hold the classification of Applied Science Technologist (Civil). Except for one 12-year stint with a major civil engineering company, I’ve spent most of my working years in the construction industry, and am currently employed here in Richmond by Progressive Construction Ltd. as a project manager.

By comparison, most of my electrical and electronic experience has been gained from trying to keep our Christmas tree lights working, and that was before I found out that you could buy light strings that all didn’t go out just because one bulb had burnt out.

I bought my first computer, a TS1000, in 1982 with the thought that it would be a learning experience towards my eventual purchase of a bigger and better machine. With the addition of a 16K Memopac and Memocalc, I was soon and still am amazed with the capabilities of that so-called “disposable computer”. I did join the TS User’s Group for a short while, but dropped out because most of the other members were more technically oriented than I, and tended to speak a language I didn’t understand.

In 1984, my work-load shifted almost exclusively into estimating, budgetting, and cost control and analysis. Progressive was not computerized at that time, but from my experience with my TS1000 set-up I recognized the benefits that would come from a better key-board, a more extensive spread-sheet, and a big printer. So I sold my TS1000 and other hardware, and sprung for an Apple II+ (compatible of course), monitor, double disk drives, Magicalc, and a Roland 1111 printer, all of which made my work much easier.

By 1986 my work-load had shifted away from paper-work and back into project management, and Progressive had computerized much of their accounting procedures (IBM-oriented naturally). So, even though my Apple system was not getting as much use, I was considering switching to an IBM system, and when a good opportunity came up I sold the entire Apple system retaining only the Roland printer.

While I was still trying to decide which IBM compatible to buy, I picked up an unused and virtually-new TS1500 at a local flea market. This was soon hooked up to my small TV and cassette player, and I was enjoying the use of the programs that I had written and SAVEd back in 1982/83.

Maybe it was fate, but a few weeks later I picked up an even newer-looking TS2068 at that same flea market!

With this prize acquisition and with my interest in an IBM system now waning, I “walked my fingers through the yellow pages” looking for a source of software and other support for both computers without any success. Then I remembered and dug out a TS Users Group membership list from 1983. After several phone calls, being referred from one person to another, I was soon talking to [Rod Humphrys](http://localhost/indiv/rod-humphreys/) who invited me to come to the club meeting on the following evening. (Fate again, eh?)

I soon found there was still much interest and support for all the TS machines. At that point my interest in an IBM system pretty well died, and the next day I bought a Zenith monitor so I could have both computers running at the same time.

Since then I have acquired numerous supplier’s catalogs, a Spectrum emulator, an OS-64 cartridge, several programs on tape or cartridge, some other instructional books, and obviously a TS2040 printer. I have put off ordering some other goodies, such as a Centronics interface to connect this TS2068 to my idle Roland printer, as I am one of those who have a QL kit on order, and want to get it assembled and running, and then maybe hook it up instead to the Roland printer.

I’ll give you an up-date when all of that has happened.