Softcard (Was: Microsoft-Paul Allen

[Fred Cisin]

>> The Softcard was a Z-80 based single-board
>> computer

On Sat, 20 Oct 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
> It wasn't. It was only a processor card.
> No version of the Softcard had it's own video output. It used normal Apple
> video  output. If you wanted 80x24, you had to use a separate third-party
> 80-column card, or (later) and Apple IIe, IIc, IIc+, or IIgs.
> I'm not sure what you're referring to by "etc.", but the vast majority of
> Softcards and their clones did not have their own RAM, and used that of the
> Apple II.
> The PCPI Applicard and it's clones had their own RAM. Some very late models
> of the Softcard had their own RAM.

I remember hearing, at one point, a statement (not necessarily reliable), 
that said that 20% of Apple computers had a Softcard.
What was the approximate percentage in 1980/1981, when IBM contacted 
Microsoft?
(or number that had been sold, which would include ones not actually in 
use)

What was the PEAK percentage?
(or number that had been sold, which would include ones not actually in 
use)

Were there other brands, or imitations, available then (1980/1981)?

Later, what percentage were imitations?

Speculatively, how much were they used V use of the machine in non-Z80 
ways?  (How many people bought it just ot have the capability, without 
necessarily being active CP/M users?)


This is definitely not the first time that I have heard that IBM had 
assumed that CP/M was a Microsoft product.