Correction to a looooooong ago post!

If you search Google groups you will see that the first appearance of the term in a post ("lap-top") was in July 6, 1983 in a post by Dan Chernikoff, referring to the TRS-80 model 100. http://groups.google.com/group/net.micro/browse_frm/thread/301dac92a10aa 2f6/814b0c6dd096e119?lnk=st&q=&rnum=1&hl=en#814b0c6dd096e119 I think the precursor term was probably "lap computer." If you search that on LEXIS/NEXIS the earliest hit is a July 4, 1983 InfoWorld article that begins: Copyright 1983 InfoWorld Media Group InfoWorld July 4, 1983 SECTION: IN FOCUS; Pg. 23 LENGTH: 2638 words HEADLINE: Is there a lap computer in your future?; The dream is a desirable one, but there's still a lot of technology to develop. BYLINE: By Paul Freiberger, and John Markoff, IW Staff BODY: On the Pope's recent visit to Poland, American photojournalists covering his tour had something extra in their camera bags. Several of the photographers were carrying Radio Shack Model 100 portable computers to stay in touch with editors back home. In the past year, the personal computer has gone through another transformation in size. Now the microcomputer has left the office behind and become mobile. First it was the desktop microcomputer, then the suitcase-size portable and now the true portable, known variously as the briefcase-, lap- or notebook-size computer. A good part of the notebook-size computer explosion is attributable to Radio Shack's Model 100. Introduced several months ago, it is already a big hit for the Fort Worth, Texas, electronics giant, and it has served notice to other companies that a huge demand exists for reasonably priced lightweight computers. The Model 100 wasn't the first lapsize computer, however. Hewlett-Packard introduced the HP-75 last year, and Epson has been selling the HX-20 with a 4-line by 2-column display for almost two years. **** To search Lexis while avoiding the tags, limit the search to the body of the article by searching "Date<1985 and body(Laptop or lap-top)". Doing this will get you to a late 1983 ComputerWorld article that begins: Computerworld November 30, 1983 SECTION: Pg. 59 LENGTH: 2498 words HEADLINE: PORTABLE PRODUCTIVITY BYLINE: By William Murto; Murto is vice-president of marketing, Compaq Computer Corp., Houston. BODY: Today's portables can be divided into several descriptive catagories: the handheld units, the lap-top computers, the transportable units and the integrated portables. These machines range in weight from several ounces (the handheld units) to more than 30 pounds (the transportables). The handheld units, just as their name implies, are typically not much larger than a hand calculator and generally run on batteries. They are limited in function and are normally little more than a combination of a hand calculator and data entry terminal. The lap-top computers fit smartly into most briefcases and are considerably more powerful and capable than the handheld types. However, these versions have limited display screens and limited memory. They are also limited by the applications programs they can run.