Classic != IBM AT

From: Kai Kaltenbach <kaikal_at_MICROSOFT.com>
Date: Mon Nov 2 16:39:58 1998

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Foust [mailto:jfoust_at_threedee.com]
> Sent: Monday, November 02, 1998 2:14 PM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Classic != IBM AT
>
>
> At 07:04 PM 11/2/98 +0000, Tony Duell wrote:
> >
> >Yes, but fortunately the starting date doesn't move forwards as well. In
> >other words, OK, some 386 PCs with custom chips in them are now classics
> >on this list (I have a problem with saying that, BTW...).
>
> I tend to agree with you. Discussion of ten-year-old IBM PC clones
> isn't as interesting. Dare I cause a schism by suggesting that
> the ten-year-rule be changed to "computers first made before 19xx?"
> I'll leave the date open to debate. :-)

I think the significance of these later pieces depends on the fragmentation
of the market. There was only one IBM AT, it was the first 80286 IBM
machine, and created the 16-bit ISA bus that is still found in machines
today. That's pretty significant. At the 80386 introduction, there were
two firsts -- the Compaq Deskpro 386 and the IBM PS/2 80 (the Compaq was
first, as I recall). Those machines are borderline collectable, in my
opinion.

By the time the 80486 rolled around, there were no firsts, the industry had
evolved to a group of OEMs serviced by Intel, of which IBM was only a peer.
Had EISA taken off, perhaps the first EISA machine would have been
collectible, but personally, I don't think there is anything in the x86
desktop arena after the Deskpro 386-PS/2 80 that's collectible. Late '80s
to present, the only things of interest are pioneering units of other
architectures and/or form factors, such as the Newton OMP (Original
MessagePad), NeXt cube, etc.

Kai
Received on Mon Nov 02 1998 - 16:39:58 GMT