12 Jan
1998
12 Jan
'98
3:02 a.m.
>> Then there is the "first solid state
electronic calc" which I think goes to
>> the Busicom from Japan that employed the first production run of the intel
>> 4000 chip set: the 4001 (2048 bit ROM), 4002 (320 bit RAM), 4003 (10 bit
>> shift register), and the 4004 (4 bit CPU). That chip set was shipped to
>> Busicom in March 1971 according to Michael S. Malone's "The
Microprocessor:
>> A Biography" ISBN 0-387-94342-0
Um. What date was the Casio AL1000? For that matter, what date was the
AL2000? OK, the AL1000 had nixie tubes in the display, so was not all
solid state, but it comes close, I'm sure. (Other people have commented
on the HP 9100 and the earlier Busicoms)
We've also had some strange definitions of Personal Computer flying
around here. One I don't like, but am going to comment on anyway, is
the "system, terminal and video circuitry all in one box" definition. I
don't think it quite makes it, but personal loyalty compels me to put in
a word for the Tektronix 4051. This was announced in November 1975 (I
think - have to look this up). I've never seen one but I get the
impression the prototype was a Tek graphics terminal with a 6800
development system stuck in the bottom of the case... Anyway, Tek 4051
was intended as single user, one-to-a-desk graphics micro, so I claim it
is a "personal computer".
And if you're interested in portability, a carrying case was an option
you could buy.
When did 6800 start shipping anyway?
Philip.
11 Jan
11 Jan
6:01 p.m.
Phillip said:
Um. What date was the Casio AL1000? For that matter, what date was the
AL2000? OK, the AL1000 had nixie tubes in the display, so was not all
solid state, but it comes close, I'm sure. (Other people have commented
on the HP 9100 and the earlier Busicoms)
Ahhh, a Casio expert! When was the Casio AS-8D made? I just picked one
up. I had never seen one before and I thought it looked interesting.
We've also had some strange definitions of Personal Computer flying
around here. One I don't like, but am going to comment on anyway, is
the "system, terminal and video circuitry all in one box" definition. I
don't think it quite makes it, but personal loyalty compels me to put in
a word for the Tektronix 4051. This was announced in November 1975 (I
think - have to look this up). I've never seen one but I get the
impression the prototype was a Tek graphics terminal with a 6800
development system stuck in the bottom of the case... Anyway, Tek 4051
was intended as single user, one-to-a-desk graphics micro, so I claim it
is a "personal computer".
And if you're interested in portability, a carrying case was an option
you could buy.
I was just reading an old (ca 1977) Byte magazine this morning and it
had a article about the Tek 4051. I think they said it had just been
discontinued. E-mail me if you're interested.
Joe
12 Jan
12 Jan
5:32 a.m.
On Mon, 12 Jan 1998, Joe wrote:
Phillip said:
More likely superceded by the 4052, which used a bit-slice processor
rather than the MC6800 that the 4051 used. There were some other minor
improvements also, as I recall.
The 4051 might also qualify for the race of an early personal computer if
its $10,000 cost doesn't put it out. It was programmed in the nicest
BASIC that I have ever run across! Marvellous vector graphics. But
SLOOOOOW! The real queen, though, was the 4053 with its 19" (17"?) screen!
- don
donm(a)cts.com
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Don Maslin - Keeper of the Dina-SIG CP/M System Disk Archives
Chairman, Dina-SIG of the San Diego Computer Society
Clinging tenaciously to the trailing edge of technology.
Sysop - Elephant's Graveyard (CP/M) - 619-454-8412
*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*
see old system support at http://www.psyber.com/~tcj
Um. What date was the Casio AL1000? For that matter, what date was the
AL2000? OK, the AL1000 had nixie tubes in the display, so was not all
solid state, but it comes close, I'm sure. (Other people have commented
on the HP 9100 and the earlier Busicoms)
Ahhh, a Casio expert! When was the Casio AS-8D made? I just picked one
up. I had never seen one before and I thought it looked interesting.
We've also had some strange definitions of Personal Computer flying
around here. One I don't like, but am going to comment on anyway, is
the "system, terminal and video circuitry all in one box" definition. I
don't think it quite makes it, but personal loyalty compels me to put in
a word for the Tektronix 4051. This was announced in November 1975 (I
think - have to look this up). I've never seen one but I get the
impression the prototype was a Tek graphics terminal with a 6800
development system stuck in the bottom of the case... Anyway, Tek 4051
was intended as single user, one-to-a-desk graphics micro, so I claim it
is a "personal computer".
And if you're interested in portability, a carrying case was an option
you could buy.
I was just reading an old (ca 1977) Byte magazine this morning and it
had a article about the Tek 4051. I think they said it had just been
discontinued. E-mail me if you're interested.
Joe 
6:22 a.m.
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participants (4)
-
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
donm＠cts.com -
Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk -
rigdonj＠intellistar.net