24 Nov
1997
24 Nov
'97
7:33 a.m.
I have just had an IBM 5100 "Portable" computer (circa 1976) donated,
along with a 5103 printer and a 5106 tape drive. No documentation or
software, so could anyone tell me what I have, what operating system it
used, and what kind of tapes?
Thanks
Charlie Fox
24 Nov
24 Nov
10:22 a.m.
On Mon, 24 Nov 1997, Charles E. Fox wrote:
I have just had an IBM 5100 "Portable"
computer (circa 1976) donated,
along with a 5103 printer and a 5106 tape drive. No documentation or
software, so could anyone tell me what I have, what operating system it
used, and what kind of tapes?
Well, according to all the hype on the 5100 in recent months, you've
stumbled on a treasure and you should be stoked beyond imagination.
The 5100 was the first portable computer built by IBM, and quite possibly
the first ever (I don't think any claim has been made so far to the
contrary).
Does it boot?
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
Coming Soon...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
9:23 p.m.
At 04:22 PM 11/24/97 -0800, you wrote:
On Mon, 24 Nov 1997, Charles E. Fox wrote:
dastar(a)siconic.com
I have just had an IBM 5100 "Portable"
computer (circa 1976) donated,
along with a 5103 printer and a 5106 tape drive. No documentation or
software, so could anyone tell me what I have, what operating system it
used, and what kind of tapes?
Well, according to all the hype on the 5100 in recent months, you've
stumbled on a treasure and you should be stoked beyond imagination.
The 5100 was the first portable computer built by IBM, and quite possibly
the first ever (I don't think any claim has been made so far to the
contrary).
Does it boot?
Sam Alternate e-mail:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher,
Athlete, Writer,
Jackass
Coming Soon...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
Hi, Sam:
Yes, it boots! I cleaned it up, it had been in a barn. PORTABLE?? It feels
like lifting a 3/4" vcr!
I have a cousin whose brother in law is an IBM type, so I will have to
open diplomatic negotiations to try to get some info.
Cheers
Charlie Fox
25 Nov
25 Nov
2 a.m.
At 06:23 11/25/97 -0500, you wrote:
Yes, it boots! I cleaned it up, it had been in a barn.
PORTABLE?? It feels
like lifting a 3/4" vcr!
I have a cousin whose brother in law is an IBM type, so I will have to
open diplomatic negotiations to try to get some info.
If you think a 5100 ISN'T portable, you should try adding the dual 8"
floppy drive, which is almost the size of a rollaround dishwasher -- it
literally has casters.
The 5100 was really quite the computer -- it cost $10,000 new for the base
unit. It speaks BASIC or APL in ROM and you could have it with one or the
other or, for quite a bit extra, both.
__________________________________________
Kip Crosby engine(a)chac.org
http://www.chac.org/index.html
Computer History Association of California
27 Nov
27 Nov
9:56 a.m.
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9:45 p.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
Secondly, if we bend 'computer', HP had the
HP65 available in early 1974.
That was the first (AFIAK) pocket programmable calculator, and was
certainly advertised as a 'pocket computer'. The earlier HP9100 was also
portable (although it had no handles, it could certainly be picked up and
carried :-)), and was almost a computer
A bit earlier. I was drooling over the HP-65 at the Engineer's Bookstore
across the street from Georgia Tech starting in September 1973. No way
was $795 anywhere close to within reach. Hell, the HP-35 at $295 was out
of my reach. Just had to carry on with the old 10" Pickett.
--
Ward Griffiths
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails
of the last priest." [Denis Diderot, "Dithyrambe sur la fete de rois"]
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