23 Apr
1999
23 Apr
'99
6:17 p.m.
In the 30 years from 1952 to 1982, many older systems became redundant;
minicomputers appeared, matured and were surplused, and the micro appeared.
at the end of this period, it would have been possible to acquire a
computer that actually did something, possibly at a reasonable cost.
Also, to help keep things in persepctive, the new computer I would buy
today would cost in the $2700-4400 range., although I'm waiting for the
new models in the next 12-18 months.
On Fri, 23 Apr 1999, Hans Franke wrote:
M. K. Peirce
Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc.
215 Shady Lea Road,
North Kingstown, RI 02852
"Casta est qui nemo rogavit."
- Ovid
Just a couple of stray thoughts. While a person
could possibly have
purchased a $300 computer in the 50's, why would they? What could they
have done with it? The answer is almost nothing. The only people who
might have been interested would have been ham radio or electronics
hobbysists, and they would very likely have built there own. I don't
even believe there was a viable used market for low cost computers in
the 50's, they would all have been enormous mainframes.
Where is the difference to the 70s and 80s ?
Gruss
H.
--
Der Kopf ist auch nur ein Auswuchs wie der kleine Zeh.
H.Achternbusch