25 Jan
1999
25 Jan
'99
4:50 a.m.
As for the rule itself, I agree that ten years after
last manufacture
implies classic status - that is, the item is an antique. However,
that requirement of time is not necessarily the most prudent for some
items. In some cases, classic status might be applied to an item
available only two or three years ago. Such cases might be
rare but, justified by the circumstances.
To look at similar things, what about cars: wasn't the
VW Käfer already a classic, _years_ befor the production
in Germany ended (and in fact, he is still in production
in Mexico!).
So, when is a classic car classic ? Basicly there is a
20 year rule (at least over here), that applies on the
date of first usage of this particular unit.
I suggest also that classic status might be conferred
upon a measure of the
relative throughput of the computing instrument at hand. That is, when the device
performs at a rate of two percent or less than the performance of minimal systems
sold in the marketplace (at the time of the comparison), then such a system can be
termed a classic.
So, lets apply this: My KIM-1 does up to 500 kop/s (or more
realistic a sustained rate of 200 to 300 kop/s). An actual
multi purpouse SBC system might have an SAB 80535 at 12 MHz
that could do up to 3,000 kop/s (or average 1,200 kop/s) -
so my KIM is still 1/6th of an actual comperable system and
not 1/50th ...
Gee - and I always belived it was a classic system, but with
this rule it is definitly not, since you said when _below_
2% it _can_ be a classic.
Or do you think in matters of useable performance ? My Win95
box (K6-366 running at 417) scrolls the text in about the
same speed than my old A2 ...
I guess both definitions are to tight.
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK