24 Apr
1998
24 Apr
'98
6:25 p.m.
On Fri, 24 Apr 1998, Gary Oliver wrote:
In a private exchange with Dan, we discovered we both
have Osborne 1 computers
with very similar serial number. I have a light brown machine with "A 00547"
while he has one with "CA 000547". It brings to mind the question of what
serial numbers were used for the Osbornes at what time. Does anyone have any
definitive information about this?
Gary, yours is the older one. By "light brown" I'll take that to mean
"tan" which is the style of the first run of Osborne 1's (and also the
type I have). Both of mine have serial numbers less than 2000, both with
an 'A' prefix. One of the two is specifically "A1284". I'd be
willing to
bet that Gary's is the newer Osborne model (the grey, more rectangular
shaped model). How about it, Gary?
I "inherited" mine with the above serial
number (inherited may be the
wrong word - a friend heard I "collected" and found an easy disposal I
think :-) and am now wondering just when it was produced. I'm not a
student of the "Ozzies" so don't know when case styles changed and all
that. Mine appears to be "hand made" in that there are obvious "hand
carvings" on the molded brown case. And there appear to to some drilled
holes that were "a little off target."
I think that was just indicative of a poor manufacturing process, but I
recall mine also has holes drilled off-center and such. I don't know when
the new vs. the old model came out either, but the first Osborne's hit the
streets in April of 1981.
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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