Top 150 Collectible Microcomputers
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Sheehan [mailto:sheehan_at_switchboardmail.com]
I'd also be curious as to why you consider a particular microcomputer
collectible. Certain ones are obvious - the Atari Portfolio was the first
palmtop; the Epson HX-20 was the first laptop; and so on. But the
qualities of many of these are unknown to me, and I'd love to know more
about them.
A fair question. OK, let me give a real brief off-the-top-of-my-head
summary (remember, it's late at night after a long week, so please don't
take issue with me if I space something here)
* Altos 586
Popular early multi-user system
* Altos ACS 8000
One of the first serious single-board business CP/M boxes
* APF MP1000
A notable attempt to build a "gaming computer", rather than just play games
on a computer, or add a keyboard to a gaming system.
* Apple I
* > Apple II
Self explanatory
* Apple II+
Although the Apple II had more "significance", the II+ was the far better
selling machine that most people used.
* Apple II+ Bell & Howell "Black Apple"
This has a certain cache simply because it's black, and has always been
considered a collector piece for Apple afficianados.
* Apple IIc / IIc Plus
* > Apple IIe / IIe Platinum
* > Apple IIgs / IIgs Woz Limited Edition
The standard school equipment for years, thus eminently collectible for
those who first learned to compute on them.
* Apple III
* > Apple III+
Apple's first big failure, and always a great story about the tech support
solution of dropping it onto a table top to reseat the chips.
* Apple Lisa / Macintosh XL
The big Xerox-PARC-inspired ancestor to the Mac.
* Apple Macintosh 128
1984. The Super Bowl.
* Apple Macintosh 512K Through SE
Another series with great sentimental attachment for many users
* Apple Macintosh Portable
Apple's first laptop
* AT&T Unix PC / 3B2 / 7300
We may well have all ended up running machines like this if things turned
out differently
* Atari 400
* > Atari 800
Launched the Atari computer line
* Atari XL / XE Series
The quintessential "Atari 8-bits" loved by a generation
* Atari 520ST / 1040ST
Atari goes GUI and tries to compete with the Mac & PC
* Atari Portfolio
Arguably the first real palmtop computer
* Byte Computers Byt-8
Great early S-100 system featured in many magazine ads from the period
* California Computer Systems (CCS) S-100
Solid, typical example of serious S-100 business computer
* Coleco ADAM
A great quirky failure in the computer market from the great games
manufacturer
* Commodore/MOS Technologies KIM-1
Probably one of the ten most significant machines of all time, this SBC got
Commodore into the computer business.
* Commodore PET 2001-8
Wonderfully "Century-21" futuristic Apple competitor and ancestor of the C64
* Commodore PET 4032 / 8032
The PET gets a real keyboard and tries to go business
* Commodore SuperPET SP9000
A rare example of a machine with two different microprocessors - a 6502 and
6809
* Commodore VIC-20
A huge seller that spawned the C64
* Commodore 64 / 65
Probably the biggest selling computer of all time, in terms of market share
at the time
* Commodore 128 / 128D
The C64 gets serious, runs CP/M
* Commodore C16 / Plus 4
I don't care much for these, but Commodore fanatics love 'em
* Commodore SX64
The one and only portable Commodore 64, just about the only example of the
"second tier" manufacturers building a luggable version of a mainstream
machine
* Commodore Amiga 1000
First of the line that eventually brought us the Video Toaster.
* Commodore Amiga 500
The big selling Amiga that was the first machine for most Amiga lovers
* Compaq Portable PC / Plus / II / III
The first genuinely IBM PC-compatible portable (possibly the first genuinely
IBM PC-compatible machine, period) and the progenitor of one of today's
giants of the computer industry, a company that would eclipse IBM itself.
* CompuColor II
One of the first computers with built-in color; a wonderful design with a
computer essentially built into a color TV set, woodgrain plastic and all!
* CompuPro S-100 / 8-16
The CompuPro S-100 mainframes were the standard of the time, and the 8/16 is
notable for running both CP/M and CP/M-86, and with a ROM BIOS card, even
running some MS-DOS compatible software.
* Convergent Technologies WorkSlate
A wacky early laptop that used a spreadsheet metaphor for _everything_.
* Corvus Concept
A not-quite-so-GUI take on the Xerox Alto, with portrait monitor and all.
* Cromemco C-10
Cromemco the big S-100 iron manufacturer builds a funky plastic home system
with the CPU built into the monitor.
* Cromemco System One
* > Cromemco System Three
Serious S-100 business boxes with huge power supplies and pull-out
card-cages
* Cromemco Z Series
Cromemco's high-end hobbyist/low-end business line, in big steel cubes that
could be driven over by a Mack truck.
* Data General One
DG really wanted into the burgeoning micro market, and tried their hand in
desktops with the MicroNOVAs, but eventually found some small, brief success
with this kinda-sorta-PC-compatible laptop.
* DEC Rainbow 100
DEC cloned the PC and made it even better than the original design, but
better doesn't mean 100% compatible.
* Digital Group Systems
Digital Group's proprietary bus didn't really take off, but they were really
in the market early and had a choice of CPU's.
* Dynalogic Hyperion
Sure, it's another kinda-sorta-PC-compatible, but it's really amazing
looking and is sought after by collectors.
* Epson HX-20
A cute early take on laptops.
* Epson PX-8 Geneva
A big improvement on the QX-10, this system has a flip-up display, CP/M in
ROM(!) and a tape drive that acts like a floppy to the OS.
* Epson QX-10 & QX-16
Arguably the first laptop
* Exidy Sorcerer
With a great design, nice graphics, a terrific name, ROM cartridges built
into 8-track-tape shells, the Sorcerer was featured in a lot of early
magazines and though it didn't sell very well, many early enthusiasts got to
play with it and remember it fondly.
* Gimix
An early follower of SWTPC's 6800-series CPU religion and SS-50 bus
standard.
* Franklin ACE 1000 / 1200
Successful Apple II clone used in a lot of schools
* Hewlett-Packard HP85
Is it a really big calculator, or a small portable PC with built-in monitor?
HP breaks into the portable computer market with a machine that looks
strangely like a plastic IBM 5100.
* Hewlett-Packard HP150
Although this is another not-quite-IBM-compatible box, it's notable for its
unique features like touchscreen interface, and modular peripherals
* Heathkit H-8
Surely one of the top ten most significant early computers, the H-8 had its
own bus, and a lot of support from an established electronics kit
manufacturer - plus a lot of great advertising.
* Heathkit H-11
While this is technically a PDP-11 mini, some peripherals with the H-8, but
more importantly shared its advertising targeted towards microcomputer
magazines and enthusiasts.
* Heath-Zenith H88/H89
The Heath-Zenith merger brings a nice solid single-chassis Z-80 box with
monitor, keyboard and floppy drive.
* IBM 5100 Personal Computer
IBM's first personal computer, and the first portable personal computer.
* IBM 5140 PC Convertible
IBM's first laptop
* IBM 5150 Personal Computer
Hey, it's the IBM PC
* IBM 5160 PC-XT
First IBM PC with a hard drive
* IBM 5170 AT
First 80286 IBM PC
* IBM 5155 Portable PC
IBM's competition for the Compaq, stuffing a regular IBM PC motherboard into
a luggable chassis
* IBM PCjr
One of the most significant PC failures of all time, remember the "Little
Tramp" character in the ads?
* IBM PS/2 Model 80
Signifies IBM's downfall as the dominant force in personal computing.
* IMSAI 8080
Quite possibly the best personal computer ever made. Also known for its
appearance in the movie "Wargames"
* IMSAI PCS-80
* > IMSAI VDP-80
IMSAI struggles to follow up their early success via one-piece
monitor/keyboard designs, without much success, and with notorious
unreliability.
* Ithaca Audio InterSystems DPS-1
A wild looking S-100 front panel machine with big orange levers, quite
popular in its day and featured in mags.
* Intertec SuperBrain
An early one-piece design, the SuperBrain is really a Z-80 computer stuffed
into a smart terminal, which already used its own Z-80, so the SuperBrain
essentially had dual CPUs.
* Kaypro II
Kaypro proves that being cheaper than the Osborne is the only thing that
matters. One of the biggest selling luggables ever.
* Kaypro 4 / 10
Kaypro goes double-density, then adds possibly the first portable hard disk
system.
* Lobo PMC-80
The first TRS-80 clone
* Mattel Aquarius
Classic example of early-80s educational/gaming computers that died a quick
death when the video game crash hit.
* Mindset PC
Truly strange proprietary 8088 box with high-end graphics at the time.
* MITS Altair 680
MITS' backplaneless 6800 design.
* MITS Altair 8800
* > MITS Altair 8800a
* > MITS Altair 8800b
* MITS Altair 8800b Turnkey
Self explanatory
* Morrow Decision 1
Decidedly different-looking kind of wedge-shaped CP/M box with built-in
floppy drives
* Morrow Micro Decision
Morrow tries to build a single-board Z-80 CP/M machine that looks like an
IBM PC
* Morrow Pivot
Trick early portable
* NEC PC-6001A
NEC's kind-of-TRS-80-clone
* NEC PC-8001A
A more advanced take on the 6001, a CPU-in-the-keyboard design reminiscent
of the Sorcerer, and with external expansion units like the TRS-80
* NEC PC-8201A / PC-8300 / PC-5000
Same as the TRS-80 model 100/102/200
* North Star Advantage
A one-piece design like the IMSAI VDP-80 but more reliable
* North Star Horizon
Fabulous early S-100 box with a genuine wood case top and a semi-motherboard
design with serial ports on the backplane
* Ohio Scientific Challenger C1P
* Ohio Scientific Challenger C4P
OSI's homage to the Apple II, these wedge-shaped designs look like SOL-20s
and ran 6502 CPUs
* Ohio Scientific Challenger C3D
Would you believe THREE different microprocessors in one chassis? 6502,
6809, and Z-80.
* Osborne 1
They said Adam Osborne should stop preaching about how to build a good
computer, and just go build one. A great design, and a great success until
nuked by cheaper, less engineered copycats by companies like Kaypro.
* Osborne Executive
A slightly more advanced Osborne 1, notable for the press generated by not
having a big enough screen compared to the Kaypro II.
* Osborne Vixen
The machine with which Osborne "Osborned" himself out of business, lending
the computing industry a new term for preannouncement stupidity.
* Otrona Attache
Simply a nice luggable design
* Polymorphic Systems POLY-88
Neat compact S-100 essentially housed in a 5 1/4" drive enclosure, it was
known as the "Micro Altair" until MITS threatened to sue.
* Processor Technology SOL
Probably the first computer with built-in video output, and otherwise just
terrific
* Quasar/Panasonic HK2600TE Hand Held Computer
Reasonably significant handheld PCs with BASIC
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1
One of the best selling computers of all time, viewed as the "serious"
machine versus those "color graphics" 6502 boxes from Apple and Atari.
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computers 1-3
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Radio Shack goes color and 6502.
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 2
Radio Shack goes business.
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 3 & 4
First the TRS-80 must go single chassis due to FCC requirements, then it
adds CP/M capability. Nice one-piece machines
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4P
The only TRS-80 portable, also runs CP/M, a great collector piece to run
virtually all the software and not take up much space
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 12 / 16 / 6000
TRS-80 goes multi-user
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 / 102 / 200
One of the most popular portable computers ever; in continuous use until
just a few years ago by many organizations. Durable, practical, light,
user-programmable, inexpensive.
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Micro Color Computer MC-10
Perfect example of why people hate small chiclet keyboards.
* Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computers
Some of the first calculator-style "computers" with BASIC
* RCA COSMAC 1802 / ELF / Super ELF
The Voyager space probe was powered by three RCA 1802 CPUs, which hobbyists
could play with themselves on these cute single-board computers. True
classics.
* Rockwell AIM-65
You've got a display (one line) a printer (tiny & thermal) and a keyboard...
what more do you need? Maybe an optional plastic case.
* Sanyo MBC-1000
Popular CP/M desktop for business and word processing
* Seattle Computer Products 8086 "Gazelle"
The machine that QDOS (later to become MS/PC-DOS) was written on.
* Sharp Pocket Computers PC-1500 / PC-1500A
Actually similar to some of the Radio Shack pocket computers which were
built by Sharp, these later, larger units had a lot of software and
peripherals.
* Sinclair ZX80
First of the Sinclair line, and an early inexpensive hobbyist computer.
Nasty membrane keyboard, but cute!
* Sinclair ZX81 / Timex-Sinclair ZX1000
Sinclair merges with Timex and gets popular, but not more usable.
* Smoke Signal Broadcasting Chieftain
Like the Gimix, another SS-50 bus homage to the SWTPC 6809
* Spectravideo SV-318 / SV-328
Some of the only examples of the failed MSX standard to sell in the USA
* Sphere
Not much is known about this rare semi graphical box.
* SWTPC (SouthWest Technical Products) 6800
* > SWTPC (SouthWest Technical Products) 6809
Champions of the 6800 series, SWTPC built solid chassis due to their history
as an audio equipment manufacturer. The 6800 is one of the most significant
machines ever, and one of the very earliest PCs.
* Synertek SYM-1
Clone of the KIM-1 with more features, very popular
* Texas Instruments TI 99/4A
A huge seller, but could never quite beat Commodore at their own game. Tons
of software, magazines and accessories available.
* Timex-Sinclair 1500
* > Timex-Sinclair 2068
A bigger seller and more popular in Europe than in the US, these
chiclet-equipped boxes still had a following in the states.
* Tomy Tutor
Like the Mattel Aquarius, a quick failure in the edutainment market at the
time of the video game crash.
* Vector Graphic Vector-1
Popular system in the heyday of S-100
* Vector Graphic Vector-4
An odd two-piece system with the CPU and drives housed with the monitor, and
8088 CPU
* VideoBrain
Rare gaming computer
* Vtech Laser 128
The other successful Apple II clone
* Xerox 820
A conventional CP/M system from the people that brought us the GUI
* Zenith Z-110 / Z-120
Nice CP/M systems with built-in keyboard and disk drives
Received on Sat Jun 19 1999 - 00:31:12 BST
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