Whatchamicallthem?

From: Sam Ismail <dastar_at_wco.com>
Date: Sun Jan 11 11:16:03 1998

On Sun, 11 Jan 1998, Francois Auradon wrote:

> Hi all, Is there an official name for all various computer packages?
> What I trying to find is how to call a computer that is just a keyboard
> that you plug on the TV (a la C64)versus a computer that has everything
> attached (TRS 80 mod 4) versus a PC style where components are separate.

For computers like the C-64, the TI-99/4a, Atari 800, etc. I call the CPU
a "console". Basically, anything with an integrated CPU, keyboard and
video output I call a console. I don't tend to think of things like the
Apple ][ as "consoles" because they didn't use a TV as their monitor by
default, which the above systems generally did (there goes my Apple ][
bias again). But really, the Apple ][ fits my description of "console".

The all-in-one dealies like the TRS-80 Model II/III and their ilk would
be "computers" because they have all the basic adjuncts to define an
entire computer in the most generic sense of the word (CPU, keyboard,
display, storage).

Piece-part systems like the IBM, I'd call "systems" because you have a
system consisting of a CPU and peripherals, such as the keyboard, monitor,
disk drives, perhaps a mouse...

Also, things like a PDP or DG Nova would be "systems", but I think people
prefer to refer to them as "mini's".

Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
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Received on Sun Jan 11 1998 - 11:16:03 GMT

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