Computers and me

                                      Computers and me
I was born before computers were invented. The first computers were housed in large rooms. When I was in college they did not have a computer at Weber College.
When I was in medical school they did not have any computers available to the students or most of the faculty. We did have a presentation in one of our classes by Dr. Homer Warner, but it was on servo systems and not really about computers.
Sinclair ZX 81

In 1980, British company Sinclair released their ZX80 computer for $199.95.
One year later, they released the new and improved ZX81. Compared to the ZX80, the ZX81 was much cheaper, at only $99.95, the first computer for under $100. The ZX81 had the same microprocessor and ran at the same speed as the ZX80, but it had a better BASIC programming language and was cheaper to produce, due to having fewer chips and a simpler design.
Although cheap and quite popular, the ZX81 was, well, cheap. The keyboard is a 'touch sensitive membrane', a flexible plastic surface with the actual switches under the surface. While easy to clean and water resistant, it was very difficult and slow to type on, because you had to press hard and very deliberately to use the tiny, closely-spaced keys. Touch-typing was impossible.
I had to assemble the computer by soldering the connections.  I also bought some expansion memory. We hooked it up to the TV for a monitor and used it mostly for games.

Commodore 64

The next computer that I had was a Commodore 64. Although it looked like an unimpressive keyboard-like box, the Commodore 64 was incredibly popular. More C64s had been sold than any other single computer system, even to this day. That's about 17 million systems, according to the Commodore 1993 Annual Report.

In a 1989 interview Sam Tramiel, then-president of Commodore, said that "When I was at Commodore we were building 400,000 C64s a month for a couple of years."

The C64's microprocessors support two high-resolution graphic modes, smooth scrolling, "sprites", bit mapping, character collision resolution and character mapped graphics, not to mention three channels of complex sound. All this make it an excellent game machine, which is what it excelled at the most, with thousands of software titles release and numerous peripherals to extend its capabilities.

Originally, the only method of storing your own data was on the proprietary Commodore Datasette recorder. It was rather slow, transferring data at only 300 baud.

A floppy drive was eventually released - the famous 1541. Famous for being very slow (serial), noisy, and prone to failure.

We used this for games.

I also bought a Commodore 128

This was a better computer, but still was not adapted to my medical practice. I wanted to be able to use a computer to do medical billing.

Computer billing out of house
I was using a pegboard system for recording the office patient visits. The account cards were then copied and sent as bills to the patient. We did this for quite some time.  I wanted to go to computer billing, because I felt that this was the wave of the future. There was a company that would do computer billing.  I had to send the information to the company and they would use their computer to generate bills. We had to the send them out to the patients.  I did not like this very well, so this never really go off the ground.  This occurred before we moved from Dr. Wilmoth's office to Capitol Hill.
Billing program from Dick Hunter's store in Riverton.
Dick Hunter was a member of the church that ran an office supply store in Riverton. It was a programmable machine, but not a personal computer. I had him program the machine and one of the office girls would key in the data and it would print out on letter size card stock which we would then copy with our Xerox copier and send out the bills that way.
Apple II plus 48k with two 137k floppy disk drives and Paper Tiger dot matrix printer $5000.

John wanted me to buy an Apple computer so that he could learn to program games. The Apple II Plus (stylized as Apple ][+) was the second model of the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer, Inc. It was sold new from June 1979 to December 1982. I wanted to use it for my office billing. I needed a program for billing that would run on the Apple computer. I do not know how I found a medical billing program that would run on the Apple computer, but I found one from someone in California. The bills would come out on pin feed paper with all the office encounters and payments detailed on each bill.  There were adjustments that needed to be made to tailor the way I wanted the program to work for me. Since it was written in Apple basic, I was able to write some code to personalize the output. We used two floppy drives and had to insert floppy disks quite often while using the program. I later added a 5 megabyte Corvus hard disk drive and we did not have to use the floppy disks except for backup.
I wanted to be an Apple computer dealer. At that time Apple decided to limit sales only through approved dealers. This cut me out, because there were no dealers in Wyoming.
Laser 128 computers with built in floppy

The Laser 128 was a clone of the Apple II series of personal computers, first released by VTech in 1984.
As its name suggests, the $479 Laser 128 had 128 KB of RAM. Like the Apple IIc, it was a one-piece semi-portable design with a carrying handle and a single built-in 5¼-inch floppy disk drive, and used the 65C02 microprocessor. Unlike the Apple IIc, it had a numeric keypad, a Centronics printer port, and two Laser 128-only graphics modes. The Laser 128 also had a single Apple IIe-compatible expansion slot, which gave it better expansion capabilities than a IIc, but cards remained exposed; the slot was intended for an expansion chassis that provided slots compatible with the Apple's Slot 5 and Slot 7. The computer also had a separate, internal memory-expansion slot. I sold these computers and programs to run on them to schools in the area along with Epson dot matrix printers.

This company also built an IBM compatible computer and we had one of these as well and used it at home.
IBM compatible computers
I kept getting mail advertising IBM compatible computers for sale. Compac was one of the companies selling IBM compatible computers. I decided to change from an Apple to IBM computer for billing. I used a program called Medical Manager. I sold Dr. Lang a computer and the Medical Manager billing program.
Computer annex
Clark came home from his mission and did not have a job. I suggested that he sell computers and we could set up an Apple computer dealership. We called the business Computer Annex. I would run the business out of my medical office. He was to be the outside salesman. Fortunately for him he got a job at the steel mine on South Pass. I kept the business and sold computers, printers, monitors and software.  I repaired and serviced the computers.

I then needed a program to do financial records and found one that would run on an IBM compatible computer. The name of this program was Books.  It would also do some billing, so I sold the program to a few businesses in town.
Iomega drives

Most external storage was done on floppy drives.  Then external and internal hard disc drives were introduced.  A company called Iomega was selling a high-density floppy drive with interchangeable disks. Initially they were 5 ½ inch floppies and later they came in 3 ½ inch drives.  I used these drives for backup data. 

CPM operating system computers

My brother Martell and a friend built computers running CPM operating systems with and 8086 processor. They were large and fit with Iomega drives.  I sold to these and Wayne Nelson and doctor Peter Crane bought them from me.  I found a pharmacy program for Wayne and Dr. Crane wrote his own program.  CPM computers as personal computers went out of style and gave way to Microsoft operating systems.
Computers for children at college.

Since computers were becoming more accessible, I tried to furnish my children with this advantage.  They were usually small and relatively inexpensive and equipped with a word processing program.  I hoped that this would help them with their schoolwork.

Laptops

I bought my first laptop computer just before we went on our mission to Germany. I used it while I was there to do e-mail using Outlook Express, which I had installed when I first got the Internet.  My brother, Martell, introduced me to the Internet. I also was hooked up to AOL at home before I went on our mission to Germany.  While I was in Germany there was a senior missionary working in the microfilm-processing center.  He had put together a computer that was IBM compatible, so I wanted to have one computer for my wife and I would use the laptop.  I went to the same store where the other senior missionary went and got the parts and put together our desktop computer.

We have had a number of laptop computers since then.  

Pison 3C

While we were on our mission to Germany there was another AMA there who covered the Europe West Area.  His name was Dr. Homer Warner. He was a professor of medical informatics at the University of Utah before he retired. He wrote a program using Microsoft Access that would keep track of the calls that we received about the health issues of the missionaries.   He had a hand held computer called a Pison 3C.  It was manufactured in England and would sync with the desktop computer.  It had a built in word processing and a database program, which I programmed to log missionary encounters by mission and missionary.  It was 6.5x3.25 inches and 0.5 inches thick.  It was lightweight and powered by AA batteries. It synced with the desktop with a serial connection and was easy to use.

Dr. Warner wanted a new version, so I bought this from him and started using it.  It was very useful when we were on the road or out of the office. I would still use it, but all of my computers now do not have serial ports.

Palm Pilot

When we got home from our missions my children gave me a Palm Pilot for my birthday.

This I used for a while and then bought my son Phillip’s Palm Vx. I used this for notes and the GPS functions.

iPhone

The next computer that I purchased was an iPhone.  Most people do not think of this as a computer, but it really is a computer with a phone built in. I use it for the Internet, for GPS, a word processor, a voice recorder, a scanner, a camera, a database and a library. It has all the functions of what I use my laptop computer for in a small unit that fits in my shirt pocket. I also own an iPad and we have four of them, but only use two.  Alice likes hers and does Facebook and e-mail has the scriptures and church related material.

I have never had any formal instruction or training in most of the computers and programs that I use.  I probably would be better if I did. I did take an adult education class while we were living in Lander on Photoshop and took a class on a cruise that covered the Windows Live Photo program, but unless you use these on a regular basis, mastery is not achievable.

At the present time I have a very old desktop computer with maxed out memory, three laptop computers and Alice has a desktop computer. 

So in conclusion computers have been a part of my life for a number of years and will continue to be.

Love,

Grandpa

    

Medical records

As you know I answer the phone in the missionary department once a week. I have been doing this for about twelve years. As a result I have some advice for my family. It may seem a little odd, but things are changing and we need to change with them. 

In the time that I practiced medicine it was the common practice to keep a record of each visit on paper in the patient’s chart. Hospital records were also on paper including all the x-ray and laboratory results. These were kept in the doctor's office and the hospital. The patient or the family had free access to the information. When the person moved they took copies or the original records with them. 

When I retired I sent letters to all my patients to come and pick up those records and left all the records for the new doctor. 

Since then the government has stepped in and instituted a law (HIPPA) that makes it very difficult for family members to get information. The next thing that happened was the institution of the electronic medical records. These records were required by some insurance companies.

The problem with these records is that they may be accessed by hackers or worse yet may disappear into cyberspace. 

Some electronic medical records are purged on a regular basis. I learned Tuesday that in the state of Utah medical records are only required to be saved for 7 years. Since we started the eMED program in the missionary department we keep the records for two years after the missionary goes home and then they are no longer easily available. 

At least two or three times a month I get calls from returned missionaries who are wanting to know what immunizations they received for their mission. They did not keep their own shot records. 

I received a call this week from someone who wanted to know what medical treatment and what doctor they saw 14 years ago. We didn't even keep those records in the missionary department at that time. 

Now with that prologue I will offer this suggestion. Keep your own records of shots with the dates. Document every time you have been seen by a doctor or been to the ER or urgent care or hospital. 

Keep a list of medications that you take, when you start and when you stop. 

Keep a hard copy and a digital copy in a safe place so that if you have a fire that you'll be able to retrieve the information. I keep all Alice’s visits to the doctor on my smart phone and I have medical data on the flash drive on my key chain.

If you have any x-rays or MRI or CAT scans then have them burn you a copy. If you can, make a copy of these for storage off site. 

The population is more mobile today and medical providers come and go.  You will never know when these records will be needed.  If you follow this advice you will be prepared.

Love,

Grandpa

Of social media and other things

Social media can be like the dog that bites the hand that feeds it. There is a young girl who used to live in our ward until they split it. We are well acquainted with the family. 

She happened to post a photo of her in a dress she wore to prom. One would think that something this innocuous would not make the national news. Lo and behold it did. 

                     

Click Here

"When 42,000 people hate your prom dress."

We have become a nation and a world of people who take offense at almost anything that does not agree with their thinking. The blessing of instant communication that we now have has, as most things in life, a positive, a neutral and a negative aspect. 

When I was growing up what happened in the next state or often in the next city did not come to our attention. 

Now if someone has a bad day and posts it on social media every one in the world with access to a smart phone or a computer will know and can make a remark. 

Many of these remarks may be appropriate, but the opportunity is there for cyber bullying or inappropriate or hurtful remarks. 

The movie "Bambi" has a little rabbit named Thumper who makes an inappropriate remark. His mother responded, "Thumper, what did your father say?" Thumper responded, " If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin’ at all."

We have freedom of speech and can express our opinion. Christ admonished us to be careful about the words we use, because we will be held accountable for every idle word. The Luther translation renders it unnützlich or not useful. Most people do not realize that they will be held accountable before the judgment bar of God for everything they say. That is a sobering thought!

We need to model our speech after that of our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus. When we are in their presence we will be most uncomfortable if we use inappropriate language and conversation. 

As my parents would say,” Watch your language."

Grandpa reminds you to remember what Thumper's father told him. 

Love,

Grandpa

Demonstrations

It seems to me that there isn't a week goes by that there are people marching or gathering to demonstrate about something. Yesterday on the news they referred to a demonstration some years ago. 

This photo appeared on the front page of the Deseret News.  Do these people look happy to you? Do you want to be around them? Would you want to follow them? Do they look like they have love in their hearts?

It seems as though people have the idea that this type of behavior will accomplish their purposes. 

There are even demonstrations against the church. 

Contention in any form is not condoned by God. It is inspired by Satan. After all he was expelled from his heavenly home and the presence of God because of this action. He stirs up the hearts of men to contend with each other. 

Nowhere in the scriptures that I know of has the Lord given us permission to contend or demonstrate. If we do this we are just following Satan. 

If you will remember it was a hostile demonstration that resulted in the crucifixion of Christ. 

It was a demonstration on Kristalnacht that began the persecution and extermination of over six million Jews. 

We should never allow ourselves to be tempted to join in such activities. There is Satanic way and the Lord's way. 

We can read about the Lord's way in the 4th and 107th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. The principles are; gentleness, meekness and love.  If we all treated each other with these three attributes and let the Lord lead us then there would be no need to rise up in anger. 

Our thoughts should be, let the Lord do the judging and reward according to the person's works. 

We need to follow the Savior.

Love,

Grandpa

Taking joy in someone's misfortune.

I have been reading in the newspaper and listening to the news on TV about a number of people whose mistakes are reported in depth. Their sins and missteps are detailed in the extreme and the accusers wear their disclosures as a badge of honor. 

It reminds me of how far we have come from the teachings of the Savior. We figuratively cast our stones at those individuals and cluck our tongues at what we perceive to be the weakness and frailty of men and women. We fail to take into account that the natural man is an enemy to God and will be until he yields to the enticing of the Spirit and puts off the natural man and becomes a Saint. This can only come through obedience to the commandments of God. 

Christ admonished us to let the Lord do the judging and let the Lord reward those according to their works. 

When Christ was posed with a situation where he was asked to condemn a woman his response was to let the person who was without sin be the first to cast the stone to cause her death. She was already dead spiritually. Christ offered her spiritual as well as well as physical life by telling her that he did not condemn her and to go her way and sin no more. 

It was not his role at that time to be a judge. His role at that time was to bring salvation to all through bringing the fullness of the gospel and preaching repentance and then provide the saving ordinances for all who would accept. 

The question that pops into my mind is; where was the man? They did not bring him to be stoned. 

Now my grandchildren be slow to judge and let the Lord do it, for with which judgment you judge, you may also be judged.  Try to save people and bring them to Christ and our Father. You will find that more satisfying in the end.

Love,

Grandpa

The power of a good marriage

The power of a good marriage 

The other day I heard that phrase and it struck me and started me to thinking about my own marriage and how true it was in my life. 

We do not often think of a good marriage being powerful. Yet when we contemplate on the words of the ceremony we should not be at all surprised that a good marriage provides us with an extreme amount of power. 

If we cultivate a good marriage we can reap the benefits that are reserved for that effort. We have to realize that energy or power is required for all good results. 

I have observed a good many marriages in my life. Those that are cultivated and carefully nourished seem to stand out and have a certain brilliance as if they were illuminated from within. 

The marriage that is good and strong has power to overcome the storms of life that descend upon each marriage. Satan has it in his design to break apart and destroy every couple and particularly those married in the new and everlasting covenant. We do not often think about that as we go blissfully along in our daily lives. The covenant gives us power to overcome all the fiery darts of the adversary if we are not lulled into a false sense of security. 

Satan can never be married or have an intimate relationship. Therefore he doesn't want you to have one either. 

We, in a marriage, have the power of procreation. Properly exercised the power of procreation can bring us an untold amount of joy. Of course children bring us challenges, but with the power of a good marriage these challenges can bring us growth that is otherwise not possible. 

We develop the power to love unconditionally. At first our spouse and then our family and then all our neighbors as ourselves. 

A good marriage gives us power to overcome all things and to eventually enter into the presence of God to become like him. 

A good marriage gives us power to have and raise children in an uncertain world. 

I can assuredly say that ours has been a good marriage that has helped us raise eight exceptional children. 

It required working together and did not come without effort. 

Now my grandchildren, do not loose the opportunity to avail yourself of this blessing in your life. 

Love,

Grandpa

What good would it do?

What good would it do?

Years ago when I was serving as the stake president I had some one come to me to confess a previous transgression. It happened before the individual was married and they asked me if they should tell their spouse. I did not know what to tell them, so I called the church office and asked to speak to a general authority. They put me through to Elder Boyd K. Packer. I explained the situation to him and his response was,"What good would it do?"

That response has been stuck in my mind ever since. 

We sometimes forget the teachings of the scriptures and rely on our own wisdom or seek opinions from other people. 

Elder Packer did not explain the reason for his reply, but the spirit gave me the answer as I was reading the scriptures. 

Once we have repented and the Lord has forgiven us we do not need to involve any other person other than the person/s involved. As President Spencer Kimball explained in "The Miracle of Forgiveness" the bandage only needs to be big enough to cover the wound. 

We do not need to post all our feelings on social media for all our friends and those who are privy to our accounts to see. "What good will it do?" Does it bring any one closer to Christ or build up anyone?

There is so much negativity in the world that we who are in possession of the truth need to be a light shining in the darkness. 

It is said of Christ that he went about doing good. Can we not follow his example and lift up the hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble knees? 

Another quote that I like is from the movie "Bridge of Spies". The Russian spy says on a couple of occasions, "Would it help?"  

We are to be a light unto the world. If we cannot be helpful to others and lighten their burdens and show them the way to eternal life, what good is our earthly existence? Will we help?

Now my beloved grandchildren, before you post all your thoughts, tweets and troubles on social media think of what you can do to be of service to someone. Seek out someone to lift. It will help you to feel better about yourself. 

"For inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these thy brethren, ye have done it unto me(Christ)"

 

Love,

 

Grandpa