21 Jun
2006
21 Jun
'06
5:31 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
But the PCjr wasn't techically a good machine. It
also wasn't truely PC
compatible. I can think of little to recomend it, actually ;-)
As a PC compatible, the PCjr isn't too bad. As a PC clone, it is awful.
Pros
- Significantly less expensive than a PC.
- Many extra cost items built in (serial, game interface, CGA, etc.)
- Fairly compatible software wise.
- Small footprint.
- Diagnostics built in.
- CGA+ graphics (640x200x4 and 320x200x16)
- Much more advanced sound than a PC
Cons
- Expansion capability.
- Some hardware in non-standard places, which broke some software.
- Shared memory between video and main memory, which slowed things down.
- Non-standard connectors for joysticks, monitors, etc.
I like the machine a lot. Getting it to do 'PC' type things (like
adding a hard drive) is a major challenge and requires some thought and
work.
Mike