Microsoft open sources GWBASIC

[Fred Cisin]

> > > Outside of CP/M were *any* mainstream American home computers Z80
> > > based before the C128?
>> Yes.  TRS80.

Should we include Murray's Adam?
(what percentage of Adam owners bought the add-on disk drives?)

Even the 5150 was a home computer with cassette, and no drives.  How many 
people here ever did word processing or Visicalc on it with cassettes?
(OTHER than as a "proof of concept" to justify what you had spent?)


On Tue, 26 May 2020, Jim Brain via cctalk wrote:
> Hmm, I always thought of the Model 1,3,4 (and the II/12/16/6000) as business 
> machines, like the Kaypro and such, not home computers, but I guess I 
> consider the PET a non home computer as well.

I guess that I just have the wrong definition of "home computer".
It is subjective, and I will concede that MY definition may not be valid.

I see model 2/12/16 as business computers, and marketed as such.

I don't see the unexpanded cassette TRS80 model 1 as being ANYTHING other 
than a home computer.  Likewise, the 6809 Color Computer, which could have 
been MODIFIED into something MUCH more.

The fully expanded model 1 was imminently suitable as a "home office" 
computer.  Along with the 6502 Apple and MAYBE the Kaypro, which was 
super as a home office machine, and was occasionally used as a business 
machine. Although, I was laughed at for using an expanded model 1 for some 
accounting and 6 person payroll in my auto repair shop.

The model 3 "repackaging" was an important step TOWARDS business 
suitability, or at least ACCEPTANCE by the business community, and the 
model 4, with 80 column screen, and capable of CP/M, was quite suitable as 
a data entry/drone/digital sweatshop work station.
How important, other than to US, was the change to beige?   A RS manager 
once explained to me that the model 1 was "NOT battleship gray; it's 
Mercedes Silver"

Osborne was marketed towards executives, and clearly wanted to be 
perceived as business.
"The guy on the left doesn't stand a chance". 
Hey!  he had a spare shirt, a sandwich, a newspaper, and dead-tree copies 
of the needed reports.  The other guy arrived uninformed, hungry or with 
lunch stains on his shirt, and without some of the reports.
Oh, wait.   Our left? or their left?