Filling in the holes...

From: Alexios Chouchoulas <alexios_at_vennea.demon.co.uk>
Date: Thu Jun 12 06:30:20 1997

On Thu, 12 Jun 1997, Marvin wrote:

> What is an MSX machine?

  MicroSoft eXtended Basic. Bill's attempt to take over the Japanese home
computer marker, ooh, 14 years ago. It produced a standard machine: Z80 at
3.5 MHz, GI AY-3-8912 for sound, TMS-9918A for video, MS Basic in ROM and
external ROM cartridges) that was implemented by a lot of Japanese
manufacturers (and Spectravideo who IIRC inspired the hardware specs with
their older SVI models [318, 328]).

  I don't think it did very well in the States, but it sold a bit in Europe
(esp. Netherlands and UK) and I guess it must have sold a lot in the Far
East. They're typically nice, robust machines with good, complete typewriter
keyboards and, most of the times, prominent designer cursor keys in bright
colo[u]rs. The BASIC is really powerful (it's effectively what PC users knew
as GW-BASIC), allowing direct control of the video/audio hardware *plus*
indirect, high-level control (eg LINE, DRAW, PLAY, etc).

Alexios

--------------------------- ,o88,o888o,,o888o. -------------------------------
Alexios Chouchoulas '88 ,88' ,88' alexios_at_vennea.demon.co.uk
The Unpronounceable One ,o88oooo88ooooo88oo, axc_at_dcs.ed.ac.uk
Received on Thu Jun 12 1997 - 06:30:20 BST