request for comments on some used equipment

From: Uncle Roger <sinasohn_at_ricochet.net>
Date: Fri Mar 13 20:40:18 1998

At 06:16 AM 3/13/98 -0800, you wrote:
>because A) I was short on cash and B) I'm really running out of room
>around here and trying not to buy everything I see... I'm not at all

Ah, I'm not alone! 8^)

>
>- Amstrad PCW 8256 (z80/cpm system?)

"Personal Computer Word Processor" I have book 1 of the "User Guide - CP/M
Logo & Word Processor Manual". Seems like it came with "LocaScript" a WP,
DR Logo, and CP/M Plus. A pretty interesting looking machine, actually.

>- Sanyo MBC 550 (straight PC clone?)

Not exactly "straight". Semi-compatible, iirc. Very early in the PC
timeline, and probably pretty significant.

>- Olivetti EVT300 (I may have botched the part number from faulty
>memory, it's a stylish black metal PC-ish box with one 3.5"
>floppy--related to AT&T 6300?)

Could be an AT&T 6300; I seem to remember Olivetti and AT&T worked together
or something.

>All were priced in the 10-15 dollar range. Which, if any, would you
>buy?
 
Well, depends on your interests. If you're interested in PC (i.e., Intel
x86/MS-DOS) history, definitely go for the Sanyo. If you're more into the
older, more proprietary systems (S-100 stuff/CP/M) go for the amstrad. If
you're a Unix/workstation person (Sun, Apollo, UnixPC, etc.) or perhaps
into foreign stuff or something, go for the Olivetti. (Note, I don't
*know* that the Olivetti runs Unix or anything, just a longshot possibility.)

Me, I'd probably go for the Sanyo first, then the Amstrad. The amstrad,
btw, came with a printer.


--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-

Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger_at_sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
Received on Fri Mar 13 1998 - 20:40:18 GMT

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