Blowing Up Old Computers

On Wed, 7 Aug 2002, Roger Merchberger wrote: Gavilan: Introduced at NCC (National Computer Conference) in Anaheim summer 1983? Dark grey, almost black, with clamshell design, but extending further back, past the hinge. 3" floppy drive on the side, later replaced by SS 3.5". 8 line x 80 LCD, later replaced by 16 line display, (plus 80 x 25 composite video output). Removable non-volatile RAM cartridges. Expansion connector on the back. Second floppy or printer could attach to the back, or external 5.25" (unattached except by cable). Printer was thermal with ribbon (could use thermal paper, or plain paper with ribbon, using thermal paper AND ribbon gave VERY nice print quality) 8088 processor (V20 could be installed with a few modifications) Some software of their own, plus MS-DOS 2.11. The Gavilan company was quite arrogant and top-heavy, and toppled after a few good years. Somewhere, I have some reels of tape that are supposedly backup tapes from their minicomputer. I don't have anything handy that will read them. Uncle Roger got the rest of my Gavilan stuff (a couple of totes full) Grid: Introduced at PC Faire? Fall 1983? Black magnesium case. Very sexy. Sorry, no specs handy, and I didn't own any to be able to describe it. The Grid company was eventually devoured by Tandy.