CC> Vintage Computer Festival Exhibition Write-ups

From: Charles E. Fox <foxvideo_at_wincom.net>
Date: Fri Oct 3 17:42:57 1997

At 09:23 AM 10/2/97 -0700, you wrote:
>
>Here is the exhibition list showing the people who have currently
>volunteered to do informational write-ups for each system.
>
>In case you missed the first request, I am asking for help in coming up
>with an informational, one-page write-up that will be displayed next to
>each computer in the exhibition at the Vintage Computer Festival. This
>is so that the attendees can know what they are looking at. I am
>re-posting the original message with an updated listing of who so far
>is doing what. Many, many thanks to those who have already pledged their
>support!!
>
>Hello Fellow Classic Computer Collecting Nerds.
>
>If you've checked out the Vintage Computer Festival web page then you
>know that there will be an exhibition of over 100 computer systems as
>part of the event.
>
>Just having the computers without any accompanying literature would
>probably leave a lot of attendees wondering what it was they were looking
>at. Therefore, I would like to have a short, one-page write-up for each
>machine on display giving summary information about the machine. I
>figured there is probably no better resource for general and historical
>information on old computers than this discussion group.
>
>As you know, 100 computers is a lot. So I am asking for a favor from
>anyone interested. I need write-ups done for the machines which will be
>on display! Aside from my undying gratitude, anyone who contributes
>write-ups will receive a free Vintage Computer Festival 1.0 t-shirt and a
>free pass to the show either this year or for whatever year you will be
>able to make it out (this WILL be an annual event).
>
>A list of the systems on display will follow. If you would like to do some
>write-ups for a particular system or series of systems, please e-mail me
>and I will let you know if a write-up is required for that system.
>
>The write-up should ideally include:
>
>The company which created the computer
> The founding year of the company
> The year the company went out of business
> The founder(s) of the company
> What the company's main market was (ie. who was their customer?)
>The year the computer was developed/released
>How many were manufactured (if known)
>What computer (if any) preceded this computer
>What computer (if any) followed this computer
>What operating system(s) could it run?
>What language(s) if any were built-in or available for it?
>What kinds of peripherals were available for this computer
>What were the attributes of this computer
> What processor did it use? How many bits was it?
> How much memory did it come with standard? How much total memory
> could it be expanded to?
> What kind of bus architecture did it use (if any) or how could it be
> expanded (if at all)? Did it have a carthridge slot?
> What other computers was it compatible with (if any)?
> What peripherals were specifically available for it (if any)?
> Disk drives or other storage devices?
> Printers?
> Displays?
> Other stuff like speech synthesizers, graphics tablets, etc.?
> What (if any) graphics capabilities did it possess?
> What was the resolution (of all graphics modes)?
> How many colors were available?
> Any special features of the graphics? Any special graphics hardware?
> What (if any) sound capabilities did it possess?
> How many voices did it support?
> Any special features of the sound? Any special sound hardware?
> What other significant attributes did it feature?
>
>Again, it would be ideal to have all this information, but it is not
>mandatory. I realize that some stuff is just a mystery. Hopefully
>having Vintage Computer Festival's will clear up these mysteries by
>getting the information flowing about old computers.
>
>If you would like to contribute a write-up, please e-mail me with what
>you want to contribute. Thanks!!!
>

Hi, Sam:

        Have you ever heard of the Icon computer?
        It seems that back in the late '70s the poobahs at the Department of
Education for Ontario (Canada) were upset because incompatable computers
were finding their way into classrooms, and the programs for these C-64s
and Apple ][s could not be used on each other. Being bureaucrats they came
up with a solution: design and build their own computer which would be
installed in all seventy five thousand Ontario classrooms! Naturally this
was designed by a committee, and since it was to be for educational
purposes they consulted with one (1) teacher and no students.
        Since it was to be used by everyone from little five year olds in
kindergarten to senior high students they made the beast in one big
chunk,cpu, monitor and keyboard, one size fits all.
        Since neither the C-64 or Apple software would run on it they assumed that
programmers would be happy to supply the needs of all grade levels.
        Unfortunately by the time the Icon (also widely known as theBionic Beaver)
was introduced in 1983, with the government subsidizing two thirds of the
cost, the school boards found that their one third would buy several C-64s
or an Apple, and would even go a long way toward an XT or a Mac, all of
which had far more software available.
        Some of the Icons ended up in high schools, usually as terminals on
networks. I have been trying to get one for my collection, but so far have
only the junction box used to hook them to the server.

                                                        Cheers
                                                        Charlie Fox


>
Received on Fri Oct 03 1997 - 17:42:57 BST