What if,... early PCs (was: stepping machanism - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

10 Apr 1999

Please see imbedded comments below.

Dick

-----Original Message-----
From: Allison J Parent &lt;allisonp(a)world.std.com&gt;
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
&lt;classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu&gt;
Date: Saturday, April 10, 1999 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: What if,... early PCs (was: stepping machanism

...
 <It would be well to get the timelines aligned.  The
model 1 was of 1977
<vintage.  The model -3 was worked up in the late '70's before Apple got it
<juggernaut rolling.  Radio Shack had a real chance to make the microcompute
...

Model 1 (base trs80) was 1977 (mid year).  I was part of the start up in
the computer depot repair and computer store startup. 

That's what I recall,  as well.

...
 The next machine did not ship until after august 1979! 
I was there up to
that point.  Actually I think it was the 1980s(or 1980!) that the next
version of the TRS80 family shipped. 

The IBM entry into the PC market was in mid-1981, I think, and the Model-3
was rushed to get out ahead of it.  The Apple-II exlposion wasn't quite
underway yet, but the handwriting was on the wall.

...
 The motly collection of parts... For years RS ment
surplus parts in plastic
bags and the late 70s was sort of their weaning. Except the purchasing
mindset was there.

If anything can be said... they were one of the few that didn't go broke
shipping computers. 

That's why they'd have been a force to be reckoned with if they'd ever
shipped anything really decent.

...
 Oh, and Apple shipped their machine the same year as
the TRS80.  so they
represent the state of the art for 1977 for cost vs tradeoffs.

Allison