22 Feb
2003
22 Feb
'03
8:15 a.m.
> >>
3) Is it documented?
The PC (that means 5150!) was significantly better documented
than any of the other microcomputers being sold retail to the general public at the time. (conveniently excluding
guvmint,
industrial, and institutional sales :-)
The "PC Technical Reference Manual" was cheap, and contained
complete schematics and source code for the BIOS. Third party
"disassemblies" being sold by third parties are NOT comparable!
Apple, Atari, Commodore, Radio Shack, etc. had documentation,
Hmm.. Radio Shack would sell you a service manaul or technical manual for
every one of their computer products (I ordered things like the Model 1
video display service manual). Without exception these manuals contained
full schematics and parts lists.
Radio Shack did not publish the source to their BIOS though :-( There
were 3rd party disassemblies, but they were not that good...
A few years ago I spotted a hard-backed book in a normal bookshop (I
think the publisher was Addison Wesley) entitled 'The Apple //e Techincal
Reference Manual'. It contains full schematics of the //e mainboard and
the BIOS source listings. Of course I bought it, even though I am not an
'apple' person. I assume this book was on gneral sale to anyone who
wanted it
but not comparable. How many CP/M machines provided
both
schematics and source code?
THey seemed to be available for most CP/M machines that I came across.
Certainly the QX10 had a full hardware manual (I have it), which makes
reference to a software manual that I don't have. The RML machines had
schematics and ROM source available.
-tony