This is a nice portable computer ! It comes with a few built-in software (the 'IS' in 'IS-11' standed for 'Integrated Software'):
- P.I.P.S is a spreadsheet which can hold 45000 characters. The calculation results can be represented as graphics through pie-charts or histograms. It is also possible to declare macros which will do your common operations. Files created with PIPS can be transmitted to other computers.
- CALC is an intelligent calculator software which holds in memory all the operations for later reference.
- while EDIT is a simple editor, WP is a real processor with block editing functions and justify functions.
- COMM makes it possible to use the IS-11 as a terminal for another computer. You can thus consult databases, transfer files to or from the microcassette tape at a 9600 bauds rate.
- there is also a tool to import files from Lotus-123, Wordstar or Supercalc to PIPS.
An orignal feature is that the microcassette recorder is used as a disk-drive ! Files are indexed on the tape so you don't to have know where there are on the tape. Of course it's a bit slow but a C30 tape can hold as much as 128kb.
Above the nice keyboard there are 6 functions keys which are used in most applications to navigate through the functions. To help you visualize these, F1 through F6 are written just below the screen.
There is a ROM cartridge slot which can be used to plug-in new applications or extra ROM memory (up to 128kb). These ROM cartridges can hold from 8kb to 64kb.
CREATIVE COMPUTING wrote in September 85 :
"The operating system is so difficult to learn that by the time you get it down, the batteries run out."
(France, 1984)
