>What worries me is that in a lot of cases, the older machines are more
>useable than the modern Wintel equivalents. This applies both to a new
>user (somebody who just wants to write 2 page letters does _NOT_ (or
>should not) need a 166MHz Pentium with 16Mbytes of RAM), and to 'hackers'
>who want to understand their machines. It's possible for one person to
>complete understand both the hardware and software of most classic
>computers - something that (IMHO) is not possible with a Wintel box.
>Same here. In reality I use my s100 crate, ampro, and sb180 to produce
>8048/9 and 8051 code as they really are faster and easier to use. Also
>being as I have them interconnected it's easier to blast proms in the
>s100 crate. Efficient, very! I've had nearly 20 years to refine the code
>and tools! I have the advantage of having source code for those tools so
>and long latent bugs are easily squashed. This is not doable on PCs.
>I still do my banking/checkbook on the kaypro! Faster than the PC
>overall.
For a while there, I was thinking maybe I'm in the wrong group.
I see a LOT of traffic about restoring and collecting old computers,
and the typical member here is one who has a large collection of
different machines, but except for a rare question about boot disks,
there isn't much said about using these machines. When I turn on my
99/4A or Geneve, it isn't primarily to bask in a nostalgic glow, but
to write something or balance my budget or do some programming.
Certainly the nostalgic glow is there, and it adds a dimension to
the computing experience that peecee devotees cannot understand. But
it IS my primary workhorse, not just a desk queen.
Don't get me wrong; I love to hear about these old machines, so keep
those messages coming. But I would like to hear from others out there
who use their obsolete machines (I prefer "non-mainstream machines")
for practical, everyday, household computing uses.
In fact, I'm wondering how widespread my idea is (shared by a
few, apparently) that the smaller, simpler machines really are well
suited for home use, and you don't need a high-end peecee for nearly
everything you want to do.
--
**********************************************
* David Ormand *** Southwest 99ers *
* dlormand(a)aztec.asu.edu *** Tucson, Arizona *
**************************** TMS9900 Lives! *
> Of course if you were a real hacker you had an M-code box that let you
> write the native 10 bit (?) instructions for the 41's CPU (I forget what
> it's called).
I got more into the guts of the HP-71, which was a 20-bit, nybble-oriented.
It had a Saturn chip (I think), on which I programmed in FORTH. A FORTH
chip was talked about for the HP-41 (never heard it called a coco, though)
but I don't know if it jelled.
> Anyone remember a trivial-pursuit-like Computer Trivia game? It was
being
> touted at one of the last West Coast Computer Faires here in San
Francisco.
> Anyone have a copy?
I have computer-based trivia game (shareware, I think) on a CD-ROM. I could
dig it up, if anyone want it...it had pretty hard questions, which went
'way back to the dawn of time (you know, like the 1950's :> ))
IIRC the TRS-80 was introduced in September 1977.
----------
From: e.tedeschi
Sent: Friday, June 27, 1997 7:39 AM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: which month?
I wonder if anybody here has the *exact* months of introduction of the
three first *real* home computers introduced in 1977:
a) the Apple II
b) the Tandy TRS-80
c) the Commodore Pet
I need them for a book on collecting home computers I am researching
for.
Thank you
enrico
--
================================================================
Enrico Tedeschi, 54, Easthill Drive, BRIGHTON BN41 2FD, U.K.
tel/fax +(0)1273 701650 (24 hours) or 0850 104725 mobile
website <http://www.ndirect.co.uk/~e.tedeschi>
================================================================
visit Brighton: <http://www.brighton.co.uk/tourist/welcome.htm>
As much as I would love to get this stuff directly myself, I would much
prefer that you send them to Don Maslin, the CP/M boot disk archivist,
>from whom I (and many others) can obtain copies.
Kai
> ----------
> From: Doug Rich
> Reply To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 1997 9:27 PM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Northstar Software
>
> I was a northstar dealer for many years and have a box (about the size
> of a
> case of paper) full of northstar software on original disks. I am not
> sure
> what to do with them. I would like them to be of some use to someone.
> Any suggestions?
>
> Doug
>
> Remember... No mater where you go... there you are!
>
At 04:07 PM 6/26/97 -0700, you wrote:
>
>
>>What worries me is that in a lot of cases, the older machines are more
>>useable than the modern Wintel equivalents. This applies both to a new
>>user (somebody who just wants to write 2 page letters does _NOT_ (or
>>should not) need a 166MHz Pentium with 16Mbytes of RAM), and to 'hackers'
>>who want to understand their machines. It's possible for one person to
>>complete understand both the hardware and software of most classic
>>computers - something that (IMHO) is not possible with a Wintel box.
>
>>Same here. In reality I use my s100 crate, ampro, and sb180 to produce
>>8048/9 and 8051 code as they really are faster and easier to use. Also
>>being as I have them interconnected it's easier to blast proms in the
>>s100 crate. Efficient, very! I've had nearly 20 years to refine the code
>>and tools! I have the advantage of having source code for those tools so
>>and long latent bugs are easily squashed. This is not doable on PCs.
>
>>I still do my banking/checkbook on the kaypro! Faster than the PC
>>overall.
>
>For a while there, I was thinking maybe I'm in the wrong group.
>
>I see a LOT of traffic about restoring and collecting old computers,
>and the typical member here is one who has a large collection of
>different machines, but except for a rare question about boot disks,
>there isn't much said about using these machines. When I turn on my
>99/4A or Geneve, it isn't primarily to bask in a nostalgic glow, but
>to write something or balance my budget or do some programming.
>Certainly the nostalgic glow is there, and it adds a dimension to
>the computing experience that peecee devotees cannot understand. But
>it IS my primary workhorse, not just a desk queen.
>
>Don't get me wrong; I love to hear about these old machines, so keep
>those messages coming. But I would like to hear from others out there
>who use their obsolete machines (I prefer "non-mainstream machines")
>for practical, everyday, household computing uses.
>
>In fact, I'm wondering how widespread my idea is (shared by a
>few, apparently) that the smaller, simpler machines really are well
>suited for home use, and you don't need a high-end peecee for nearly
>everything you want to do.
>
>--
>**********************************************
>* David Ormand *** Southwest 99ers *
>* dlormand(a)aztec.asu.edu *** Tucson, Arizona *
>**************************** TMS9900 Lives! *
>
I do use my old machines now and then, but if anyone here has never ran a
modern MAC or PC, they have NO idea what is bieng missed. web pages in full
photo quality color, realistic games, PPP connections, Realaudio etc. I am
not a member of the dark force, I just have a multitude of machines, and I
have EXPERIANCED running them, from an apple ][ +, C=64, IBM XT, and a 586-133.
we must have an open mind about this, as there are some who still never ran
anything NEW, and pass judgment about how bad a machine is when they have
never used one.
Thought someone may be interested.
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "News User" <tbinet(a)ic.net>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2.marketplace
Subject: Apple III computer & Monitor FS
Date: 25 Jun 1997 12:57:25 GMT
I have an Apple III computer & Monitor III for sale with Manuals
and software for sale, or Trade. Please let me know if you are
interested.
Robert
Please respond to:
rdoerr(a)bizserve.com
--
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
> From hacking Commodore 1541 disks, I have seen that it used a system as you
> mentioned above, and in block 0 of each file the first 2 bytes was the load
> address if it was a program file, or data in a sequnetial file, and each
> block had pointers to the next block. too bad that ms-dos is not as simple..
But MS-DOS _is_ that simple. It just stores the linked list in a
different part of the disk than it stores the data...
Roger Ivie
ivie(a)cc.usu.edu
> Does anyone have information / know where I could find information on
> building a computer using 2901's? I know they were fairly common and
> I have (I'm almost positive) a few of the bare chips laying around
> home.
Find an old (early 80s) copy of the amd or motorola data books.
These are bipolar 4 bit slices and can be used to make a fairly fast
cpu (10mhz) of variying designs from 4 bit to over 64 bits. Warning
microcoding can be habit forming. You will also want 2909/10/11 microcode
sequencer chips. Those are less common.
It's rather fun designing a cpu to your specs, hten of course you'll write
all the other code too as it's one up design.
Allison
thanks to a pointer originally posted on this list i met up with someone
yesterday who bequeathed me his old Z-100 (Heath/Zenith pre-pc era dual CPU
system). it took me a while to replace a bunch of the keyboard switches
(they were gunked up with glue) and some bad video RAM, but now the system
hums along nicely. he had souped it up in a number of ways (except no hard
disk, darn) and had tons of software. i'll undoubtedly have extra and will
post a listing of duplicates at some point in case anyone's interested. he
included lots of cp/m stuff including cp/m85 and cp/m86 and, interestingly,
mp/m. so thanks for the pointer guys!
(P.S. i've noticed a markedly improved signal to noise ratio on this list
lately so people are thinking twice before hitting the "send" button with
meaningless chatter or flaming comments - let's keep it up!)
tx.
- glenn
+=========================================================+
| Glenn F. Roberts, Falls Church, VA
| Comments are my own and not the opinion of my employer
| groberts(a)mitre.org
chemif(a)mbox.queen.it wrote:
>At 13:54 23/06/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>> On another note, has anyone ever seen (or have) a Basis-xxx? I know it
>>> has a number in the name, but I can't remember it. It was an Apple ][
>>> clone that also ran CP/M I believe? Something like that. I'm sure
>>> someone knows about it. I only knew one guy who ever had one, but I
never
>>> saw it. It was a friend in high school back in 1989.
>>
>>I believe these were designed/built in Europe, probably Germany.
>
>In Italy there was Lemon computer building Apple-clones.
>Has anyone heard about them?
Were they actually called 'Lemon's'? That certainly doesn't have a
positive
connotation in North America!
In Canada, a company built Apple II clones called 'Pineapples'.
There were probably other fruit-named clones as well!
--
Clark Geisler
I monitor this mailing list (some might call it lurking) because of all the
now-classic machines that I used to own. If I had the room, time, and skill,
I might be a collector like most of you, but for now I must be content to
watch. I'm glad to see that so many people are still getting use out of these
machines. There are certainly times when I wish I understood what was going
on inside a Windows 95 box as well as I understood the various Kaypros, the
Geneva, the Timex-Sinclair, the Model 100, or the other machines I once used
on a daily basis. I suppose that even my Mac SE would qualify as a "classic
machine" by now.
On the other hand, let's not go overboard and say that you can do as much with
those lean, mean computers of yesteryear as you can with today's bloated and
overpowered desktop Cadillacs. Despite the processing power and overhead
devoted to being more user friendly, today's machines are better at doing most
kinds of real work. Okay, if you're just writing business letters or
balancing your checkbook, a Kaypro is going to work just as well as a Dell
Pentium. But that's only one extreme. When I was working on my dissertation,
I wrote a cluster analysis program for my Kaypro II because it was the only
machine I had. It took months to write and debug the program (written in
S-BASIC), and every time I ran the analysis it took two days--literally, 48+
hours of grinding away. I could do the same thing in seconds using SAS and
the P133 machine on which I'm typing this. In fact, I do this sort of thing
for a living, and there are so many things that would be a major project on a
classic machine which I do now just as a matter of preliminary exploration.
And it's not just statistics. Writing reports is much easier with a mouse and
multitasking. Getting data from dBASE II to Perfect Calc and then moving the
summary table to Wordstar or Perfect Writer was a considerable chore.
Yesterday I zapped a bunch of Quattro Pro tables (based on SAS output) over to
a Word document, and everything showed up with no trouble, formatting and all.
Those are programs written by rival companies, but they can talk to each other
just fine.
Others have mentioned that it takes more skill and intelligence to use classic
software than to point and click. I don't disagree with that, and I'm proud
of what I was able to get those machines to do. Learning to use those kinds
of computers has given me a better outlook about later ones, and I still tweak
my current set up much more than most people (and certainly more than our IT
department would like me to). But then, I remember a lot of people in my
Kaypro User's Group who never figured out how to use the modems in their 2Xs.
Friendlier interfaces have opened up the benefits of computing to a lot of
people who would never have put up with CP/M. After all computers are
_supposed_ to make your life easier. If that means they require less
intelligence and skill to use, that means they're doing their job.
--Dav
david_a._vandenbroucke(a)hud.gov
>From: steve <steve(a)kennard.keme.co.uk>
>Subject: Re: PET
> Hi you lot, glad the group is in a positive mood!!!
> Ok can you help ? a few months ago I found a Commodore P500 seriel NO. WG00837
?????
Well if you collect Commodres, you are a very fortunate person!
> What the heck is it????
> Its made in W.Germany
> Any Idea??
> Steve
All I can do is give you the U.S. perspective on this machine, since I
haven't heard any stories on the European distribution of P-500s.
A few years back I picked up one (P-500) as well, with people telling me
it was a B-128, I didn't look at the back and was surely perplexed when
I needed to hook it to my 1702 and it came up in 40 column color when I
turned it on, so I did some research and asked around a few places (on
Q-Link, and a query to the Chicago B-128 users group). I received two
or three stories that were pretty much the same.
Back in 1982 Commodore re-vamped it's entire product line in order to
replace the aging PETs and to eventually phase out the then looking more
limited VIC-20. The line consisted of the Commodore 64 and Ulitmax, for
games/home/education use and the B-128 and P-500 for education/business
and as an upgrade option for people who purchased alot of PET (IEEE-488)
equipment.
In its rush (given the home computer wars), Commodore sent a bunch of
demo units of the B-128 and P-500 to dealers (yeah, I know that sounds
strange, it was a different Commodore back then) these units were not to
be sold as they still needed to get their FCC certification (for low
radio interference). Well some of these dealers were offered quick cash
for the demo units (even though they had no manuals or anything) and of
course, they jumped at the chance. The FCC heard about these sales of
uncertified equipment and told Commodore to immediately cease any sales
of them and face stiff penalties. Commodore promptly recalled them (at
least the ones they could get). Well they finally certified the B-128
but I guess being that the Commodore 64 was so popular they abandoned
the P-500 entirely and it is said they destroyed all reamining P-500s.
At the time I talked to the CB128UG (1990?) they said I was the third
person in the world ever to report having one, and their estimation was
that there are ten in existence. (they would have known since they were
lent ALL documantation on the B-128 series from Commodore when they gave
up that B-series computers).
Ok the P-500 has a 6502 type processor (you know, like the 64) and 128k
of RAM, it has a SID sound chip (also on the 64 and B-128), a true
RS-232 port, cartridge port (I know of no carts avalable for the B
series) and IEEE-488 port. But unlike the B-128 it sports a 40 column
VIC-II chip, two joystick ports and ROM coding that supports the
datasette drive (the B-128 also has a connector but no programming to
use it). Both computers could accept an optional 8088 co-processor
board and make it capapble of running CP/M 86.
The RS-232 port has one pin designated (on both B-128 &P-500) for a
high-speed networking system that never went into development (but was
put in hardware, just in case) the guy from CB128UG was pretty impressed
with the stats on it which I forgot.
So to sum it up, the P-500 is essentially the Color PET or P-128 that
Commodore had talked about. Kinda a cross between the SuperPET/B-128
(128k, IEEE-488, true RS-232, Co-Processor), and a 64 (SID, VIC-II,
Joysticks, color).
Jim Butterfield made a memory map for the B-128 and has some programming
examples for the B-128 in Transactor issues which might get you some
information, but there are differences. My unit has a RAM problem and I
haven't been able to explore it too much, also the ROMs are pretty much
porototype and it runs like molassas, so I dunno how much good that
would do me when I eventually fix it...
If you do find out ANYTHING more (or even have a manual on it) I would
surely be interested in what you find out!
Larry Anderson
--
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Visit our web page at: http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare
Call our BBS (Silicon Realms BBS 300-2400 baud) at: (209) 754-1363
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At 09:45 PM 6/24/97 -0400, you wrote:
>> us, rather than simply because a machine is physically attractive,
>> technically impressive, or financially successful.
>Actually, some of the real dogs are just as fun and important. The Lisa,
>for example, strikes out on all three (OK, two strikes and one foul) of the
>above mentioned catagories, but is still a fascinating machine.
Hey, waitaminnit.... The lisa is one of the best looking computers around!
I think it's design is a classic! (Also, I think it was technically
impressive -- I remember being very impressed upon seeing a demo in a little
back room of the St. Francis hotel just before it was announced.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
sinasohn(a)crl.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
>> I was a northstar dealer for many years and have a box (about the size >>of a case of paper) full of northstar software on original disks. I am not >>sure what to do with them. I would like them to be of some use to >>someone.
>Don Maslin (a frequent contributor to comp.os.cpm) has proven to be
>a remarkably able archivist of this sort of stuff. Among other
>things, he has a huge archive of CP/M boot disks that he makes
>available to those with orphaned machines. His e-mail
>address is donm(a)cts.com.
I would second this suggestion. Don has saved me on a number of occasions and I think he would be happy to archive and distribute the software to those who need it. Good call Tim.
bw
I was a northstar dealer for many years and have a box (about the size of a
case of paper) full of northstar software on original disks. I am not sure
what to do with them. I would like them to be of some use to someone.
Any suggestions?
Doug
Remember... No mater where you go... there you are!
----------
From: Alexios Chouchoulas[SMTP:alexios@vennea.demon.co.uk]
Reply To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
Sent: Friday, June 27, 1997 3:20 AM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: CBM 900
> What information is there on the CBM 900? I was mailed by someone who has
> a working one and is looking for more information on the machine.
What do you need? I have the Coherent-Disk the Manual and some technical
diagramms for the C900.
> Any info
> would be lovely. Btw, his machine is apparently a prototype (it says so
> somewhere -- probably a sticker or something).
Yes ist is a prototype. According to Jim Brains "cbmmodel":
C900 Series: Prototype UNIX System, dropped after Amiga acquisition
Zilog Z8000 CPU, Runs Coherent 0.7.3, UNIX 7 clone,
Built-In Floppy, HD, IEEE-488. MFM Disk Controller, 1MB
9600 bps, 500 units made. Came in two versions.
My Cromemco System 3 won't power up. Help!
Normally I would just pull it open and check the power supply voltages,
but this is a problem because A) the case is incredibly difficult to get
into, and B) I don't have the schematics.
I'd like folks' assessment of probable problem causes before I tear into
it (heck, it takes two people just to move the sucker!)
Symptoms:
The rear power switch glows when I turn it on. So far, so good. All
fuses are OK. When I turn the front key (or hit the rear switch with
the front key already ON) all I get is a faint internal click, and the
power supply fan moves VERY slightly (maybe 1/8").
Somebody told me this is an AC fan, is this true? If so, either the fan
is dead or the problem isn't the power supply.
If the problem is the power supply, what's the likely culprit for this
symptom? I peered into the back of the case with a flashlight (this is
a BIG case) and the cap didn't appear to be leaking.
Thoughts?
thanks
Kai
Im interested in the PCjr carts. I have the basic one, but I can post a
list of what I have.
----------
> From: Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)crl.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: PCjr Cartridges?
> Date: Thursday, June 26, 1997 8:27 PM
>
> Saw today a few cartridges which I'm guessing are PCjr carts. They said
> (among other things) "Cartridge BASIC". Anyone interested in them? They
> were (I think) a buck.
>
> They also had some misc Apple II cards (about $5 each, I think), some
Atari
> 800 ROM's (or RAM? I didn't look that closely). Lemme know if there's
any
> interest.
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
>
> Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
> sinasohn(a)crl.com that none but madmen know."
> Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
> San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
if anyone does actually collect old printers i've one available for the
asking. its an hp2671a, a big and ugly thermal printer made in feb of 1993.
prints the self test, but i cannot establish communication with mac, a //e or
an xt through it's serial port no matter what the dip switches are set to. im
in raleigh, nc and the printer weighs about 20lbs, so it's probably not worth
shipping. if anyone wants it, give me a shout before i round file it.
david.
Saw today a few cartridges which I'm guessing are PCjr carts. They said
(among other things) "Cartridge BASIC". Anyone interested in them? They
were (I think) a buck.
They also had some misc Apple II cards (about $5 each, I think), some Atari
800 ROM's (or RAM? I didn't look that closely). Lemme know if there's any
interest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
sinasohn(a)crl.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
> Anybody know what type of drive I can connect to the popular North Star
> MDS-AD3 S-100 disk controller board?
Sugart sa400l or similar. The MDS-AD3 was a dual density controller that
aslo did two sided. Any of the 360 PC half height drives will work as will
many of the older full height.
Your limited to 5.25 as the media must be for ten sector hard sectoring.
I have one here but it was given to me dead. I still run a MDS-A2 single
density controller.
FYI the are hard sector 10 sectors per track 256 or 512 bytes a sector.
> dual density (FM vs. MFM) is determined by the controller, and soft vs.
FM single density, MFM double density.
> What bothers me is single vs. double sided and all of those jumpers on 5
> 1/4" drives. Will dual sided drives work on single sided controllers,
Yes.
> with only one side operating? Do those jumpers need to be set
> differently for different controllers, and how would I find
> documentation for the various brands (I'm sure I wouldn't!)
Yes. The controller you identified is two sided capable and double density
capable but the OS can be configured for various combinations.
Allison
> BTW, Allison, the Lisa wasn't actually a PROTOTYPE for the Mac. Rather i
> was the sister machine to the Mac. The Lisa and Mac projects stemmed fro
> the same research, with the Mac project splitting off from the Lisa
It was my understanding at the time if you wanted to develop apps for the
mac you needed a design kit and a lisa. Something to the effect that the
lisa has the resources that were a bit short in the mac.
Allison
This is a message by John Harris I pulled off of the Atari 8bit
newsgroup. John Harris, if you've ever read _Hackers_ by Steven Levy,
wrote pretty awesome games for ther Atari 800. He later when on to start
his own company which used Atari 8-bit computers as displays in airports
and in the hotel industry for the guests services menu on the TV (read
about it in a soft-book called _Halcyon Days_). Anyway, the system he
describes here sounds pretty neat.
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: jharris(a)poboxes.com (John Harris)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: 65816 computer
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 1997 18:01:39 GMT
Some of you may remember an anouncement I tried to make a few years back,
but later had to keep quiet. It concerned a new atari-compatible computer
made with a 65816 processor and some other cool stuff. It was being
manufactured for a dedicated application that I actually never found out
what it really was. I found out about it at a time when I was selling
character generator software on the Atari8, and having immense difficulty
obtaining Atari hardware. It was a great connection to make, and we are
still selling these new systems with my CG software installed.
The big project never materialized, since the company making the systems
and Atari could never reach an agreement for large supply of Atari custom
chips. It seemed like a no-brainer--Atari had chips, these guys had money,
it should have been a simple exchange. It's no wonder Atari doesn't have
any feet left. They keep shooting themselves there.
Anyway, the bottom line is that Atari negotiations were the reason behind
my silence at the time, and now that the project is completely dead I can
make public the details of the machine for all those that are curious.
It is based on a 5.37MHz 65816 processor, although it still runs 1.79MHz
when accessing the base 64K of address space for compatibilty with the
custom chips. It is in a nice case with internal 3.5 high density floppy
and hard drive, parallel and serial, expansion slots, fully static memory
(turn the power off and on, and everything is still there!), mouse support,
and separate IBM-style keyboard. It has its own Sparta-like DOS, and with
65816 optimizations the memlo gets down to $FA3. I've found the
compatibility to be extremely good, with two main problems. Some european
programs, especially demos, use the undocumented 6502 extra instructions,
and these don't work on the 65816 CPU. The other issue, is that there is
no cartridge slot. Technically, it is feasible to add a slot using a plug
in board, and run a connector out the back. It would probably depend on
the number of interested parties for whether it was financially affordable
to get the thing made. One nice thing about the slots though, they are
physically the same as IBM 16-bit ISA cards. (but not electronically
compatible of course). You can get experimenter boards for IBMs that just
run power and have all other connections open. The do-it-yourself'er can
do pretty much anything from here.
Because of being a very low-production item, it is really expensive by
8-bit standards. Retail is $1800 with all options and the CG software.
Obviously, it's only being sold to commercial applications like hotels and
cable TV at that price. It is possible to make some deals if anyone is
interested, especially for systems without the CG software. Obviously, I
need to be fair to the people who are still buying the system for
commercial use. I don't have any prices for you, but if anyone is
interested at all, please let me know and I'll see what we can work out.
If you're just curious for info, let me know that too.
John Harris Japanese translation of Microsoft slogan:
jharris(a)poboxes.com "If you don't know where you want to go,
we'll make sure you get taken."
