12 Jan
1998
12 Jan
'98
12:46 p.m.
Personal Computer: IBM called the 5100 a personal
computer and also a
portable computer. I think they called it a personal computer since it did
Announced 9/9/75 according to Haddock.
He also mentions a "Geniac" ca. 1956: "Sold primarily as a toy, this type
of
machine was arguably the first electronic digital personal computer."
And in '71, "The Busicom desktop electronic calculator, based on the new
Intel 4004, was introduced. This was the first computing device to employ a
microprocessor."
1973 saw the Scelbi 8H, and 1974 saw the Mark 8. Also in '74, Xerox came up
with the Alto which could make a bid for the first personal computer.
1975 was the year of the Altair 8800 (ann. january) and the Processor
Technology SOL (April). Later MOS Tech came out with the KIM-1.
Portable Computer: IBM also called the 5100 a
"portable computer". I
guess they considered it a portable computer because everything was in one
unit. It was certainly NOT portable in the sense that one person could
pick it up and move it around. It's huge and it's heavy and there aren't
even any handles on it. Not to mention the fact that it has an unprotected
No handles??? 'Tain't a Portable then!
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
12 Jan
12 Jan
12:56 p.m.
Uncle Roger wrote:
Ah, c'mon. You can rent a forklift lots of places.
--
Ward Griffiths
Dylan: How many years must some people exist,
before they're allowed to be free?
WDG3rd: If they "must" exist until they're "allowed",
they'll never be free.
Portable
Computer: IBM also called the 5100 a "portable computer". I
guess they considered it a portable computer because everything was in one
unit. It was certainly NOT portable in the sense that one person could
pick it up and move it around. It's huge and it's heavy and there aren't
even any handles on it. Not to mention the fact that it has an unprotected
No handles??? 'Tain't a Portable then! 
3:45 p.m.
On Mon, 12 Jan 1998, Uncle Roger wrote:
Well, the Gavilan is portable and it has no handles. IIRC the RDI Bright
Lite (spelling could be wrong) is "portable" even though it has no handle.
(It is not yet a classic. Actually, I believe that the Powerbook 190
does not have a handle either). In fact a quick survey of the machines
in the room:
NEC PC-8201A - no handle
NEC Starlet - no handle
Epson PX-8 - handle
AT&T 3B1 - no handle
Sun 3/60 - no handle
Hmmm, maybe having handles isn't the best criteria for determining if a
machine is portable.
It seems that portable machines are those which the manufacturer built
to be easily picked up (in some cases without grunting too loudly) and moved
to another location to be used. This holds for suitable values of "easily".
Where I could pickup the 3B1 and take it into work with me everyday, I
have a difficult time believing that this is what AT&T expected.
Yes, Roger. I know you were kidding.
--pec
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Antique Computer Collection: http://www.wco.com/~pcoad/machines.html
Portable
Computer: IBM also called the 5100 a "portable computer". I
guess they considered it a portable computer because everything was in one
unit. It was certainly NOT portable in the sense that one person could
pick it up and move it around. It's huge and it's heavy and there aren't
even any handles on it. Not to mention the fact that it has an unprotected
No handles??? 'Tain't a Portable then!
4:50 p.m.
Well, the Gavilan is portable and it has no handles.
IIRC the RDI Bright
Lite (spelling could be wrong) is "portable" even though it has no handle.
(It is not yet a classic. Actually, I believe that the Powerbook 190
does not have a handle either). In fact a quick survey of the machines
in the room:
On the more modern systems not having handles is a good thing. I've got a
"Twinhead Superlap 386sx" (made in 1990, not quite classic), which at one
point I'd loaned to my Mom. Seeing that it had a handle, she decided it
would be a good way to pick it up (something I'd never had the guts to
try). Thankfully she didn't get it over the floor before the handle snaped
and if fell back to the table. What really amazed me was she managed to
get a new handle out of Twinhead, and this was '93. Now I use the laptop
as a easy to store VT100 :^)
Let's face it, not everything is built like a Kaypro!
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |
| For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. |
| see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |
13 Jan
13 Jan
1:05 a.m.
At 09:45 PM 1/12/98 -0800, you wrote:
Well,
the Gavilan is portable and it has no handles. IIRC the RDI Bright
Lite (spelling could be wrong) is "portable" even though it has no handle.
(It is not yet a classic. Actually, I believe that the Powerbook 190
does not have a handle either). In fact a quick survey of the machines
in the room:
NEC PC-8201A - no handle
NEC Starlet - no handle
Epson PX-8 - handle
AT&T 3B1 - no handle
Sun 3/60 - no handle
Hmmm, maybe having handles isn't the best criteria for determining if a
machine is portable.
It seems that portable machines are those which the manufacturer built
to be easily picked up (in some cases without grunting too loudly) and moved
to another location to be used. This holds for suitable values of "easily".
Where I could pickup the 3B1 and take it into work with me everyday, I
have a difficult time believing that this is what AT&T expected.
Yeah, my HP-41 doesn't have a handle ether!
On Mon, 12 Jan 1998, Uncle Roger wrote:
> > Portable Computer: IBM also called the 5100 a "portable computer".
I
> >guess they considered it a portable computer because everything was in one
> >unit. It was certainly NOT portable in the sense that one person could
> >pick it up and move it around. It's huge and it's heavy and there
aren't
> >even any handles on it. Not to mention the fact that it has an
unprotected
>
> No handles??? 'Tain't a Portable then!
Hey, I didn't say it was portable! I own one remember (grunt!). That's
what IBM said! IBM also said that it was a "personal computer", but I
wonder how many people could afford a $15,000 computer in 1975! (or '76,
'77, '78 etc etc)
Joe
Yes, Roger. I know you were kidding.
That says it all!
Joe
--pec
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Antique Computer Collection: http://www.wco.com/~pcoad/machines.html
11:14 a.m.
Paul E Coad wrote:
Well, the Gavilan is portable and it has no handles.
IIRC the RDI Bright
Lite (spelling could be wrong) is "portable" even though it has no handle.
(It is not yet a classic. Actually, I believe that the Powerbook 190
does not have a handle either). In fact a quick survey of the machines
in the room:
NEC PC-8201A - no handle
NEC Starlet - no handle
Epson PX-8 - handle
AT&T 3B1 - no handle
Sun 3/60 - no handle
Hmmm, maybe having handles isn't the best criteria
for determining if a
machine is portable.
The TRS-80 Model 100 and it's amigos the Nec 8201 and Olivetti ??? had
no handles, unless you bought an overpriced briefcase add-on. I know
there's no handle on the Everex I take back and forth to work, that's
what my rucksack is for. In fact, I think _most_ modern notebook
portables are without handles of their own.
It seems that portable machines are those which the
manufacturer built
to be easily picked up (in some cases without grunting too loudly) and moved
to another location to be used. This holds for suitable values of "easily".
Where I could pickup the 3B1 and take it into work with me everyday, I
have a difficult time believing that this is what AT&T expected.
I've carried 3B1s and 7300s goodly distances in my time. They're less
painfult than my TRS-80 4p.
Yes, Roger. I know you were kidding.
Hey, if I can rent a fork lift of adequate capacity, almost _any_
computer is portable, especially if it's conveniently packaged in a
rack. (Admittedly, some big iron does have to be at least partially
disassembled).
--
Ward Griffiths
Dylan: How many years must some people exist,
before they're allowed to be free?
WDG3rd: If they "must" exist until they're "allowed",
they'll never be free.
9842
days inactive
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