Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

From: Hotze <photze_at_batelco.com.bh>
Date: Thu Feb 26 01:45:34 1998

No, WE make the computer, specifically designed for education/appliance apps
and then ship it across the pond.

Tim D. Hotze
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, February 26, 1998 1:29 AM
Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit


>At 08:45 PM 2/25/98 +0300, you wrote:
>>Well, I've had an idea for quite some time, and now's the best time yet to
>>pop it up... in many developing contries, resources are streesed out, and
>>many attempts to industrialize these contries are going underway. The
thing
>>is that in some areas, going to school's a new requirement, and that these
>>schools arn't up to specs. The idea for them going to schools is so that
>>they have better opertunities than their parents did (so that they could
say
>>do accounting instead of sweeping floors). Now, to me, that means having
at
>>least a little coputing experience. I want to design (with help!) a
>>computer that gives the most power at the lowest price. The shipping
>>computers to other contries idea is noble, but we need to go farther, and,
>
> Tim,
>
> It's a noble idea but before a country can manufacture their own computer
>they sould be able to manufacture the majority of the components for it
>otherwise they're nothing more than assembly line workers using imported
>parts. When you stop and consider all the stuff that goes into even the
>simplest computer (sheet metal, molded plastics, resistors, capacitors,
>ICs, transformers, circuit boards, special connectors, floppy drives, hard
>drives, etc etc etc) you realize the industrial scale that is needed for
>this sort of effort. I used to work in aerospace engineering and some of
>our foreign contracts called for a minimum percent of the components to be
>built in the country that was buying our systems. We made every effort to
>meet that requirement but I can tell you it's very hard to find companies
>capable of this level of technology outside of the US, England, Germany and
>Japan. For example, we had a contract with Canada and one of the parts we
>subcontracted to Canadian manufacturers was flexible circuit boards similar
>to those used in the hinge of laptops. NO Canadian manufacturer was able
>to make those parts despite their best efforts.
>
> PS I'm Canadian by birth so I don't want any flames about what Canada
>can and can't do.
>
> Joe
>
>
>>this can be fun. We could use the same idea, etc. if anyone's interested,
>>please contact me privately. I'm really interested in it now, but need
lots
>>of help.
>> Thanks,
>>
>>Tim D. Hotze
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Charles A. Davis <cad_at_gamewood.net>
>>To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
>><classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
>>Date: Wednesday, February 25, 1998 5:49 PM
>>Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit
>>
>>
>>>Scott Walde wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > >Thinking out loud:
>>>> > >I wonder what the market would be for an Apple I replica?
>>>>
>>>> Also thinking out loud:
>>>> Maybe if we as collectors flood the market with Altair and IMSAI and
>>Apple
>>>> I replicas it would drive the price of the real things back down.
>>>
>>>Yeah, but!!!
>>>
>>>Can you picture the problems trying to document the lenieage of a
>>>'genuine' Altair, IMSAI, or Apple.
>>>
>>>Chuck
>>>
>>>--
>>>-----------------------------------------------------------
>>>He, who will not reason, is a bigot; William Drumond,
>>>he, who cannot, is a fool; Scottish writer
>>>and he, who dares not, is a slave. (1585-1649)
>>>While he that does, is a free man! Joseph P. 1955-
>>>-----------------------------------------------------------
>>> (be sure to correct the return address when using 'reply')
>>>Chuck Davis / Sutherlin Industries FAX # (804) 799-0940
>>>1973 Reeves Mill Road E-Mail -- cad_at_gamewood.net
>>>Sutherlin, Virginia 24594 Voice # (804) 799-5803
>>
>>
>
Received on Thu Feb 26 1998 - 01:45:34 GMT