Best CP/M machine?

From: Don Maslin <donm_at_cts.com>
Date: Thu Sep 2 16:13:29 1999

On Wed, 1 Sep 1999, Richard Erlacher wrote:

> There's no doubt that there were several really good CP/M machines out there
> but I suppose when you say CP/M "machine" you're not referring to the boxes
> built to order by the dealers. These were often S-100 boxes with Cromemco
> boards, running 5-6 MHz using ultra-fast PERSCI 8" floppies and PRIAM or
> similarly big and expensive hard disks. Soldier of Fortune magazine had two
> boxes built with Systems Group boards, in CCS mainframes and using KONAN
> SMC-100 adapters to their CDC Lark SMD drives.
>
> Unquestionably, if you're looking for a computer "brand" it would have to be
> either a Kaypro or, of course, the Apple-II, with a Z-80 card, 16K memory
> add-on, SVA 8" drive controller, and the VIDEX or similar 24x80 display
> board. You could actually use that for useful work. At the age I'd reached
> by 1980, (35) I was still able to read the Kaypro display, however, but the
> full-sized one normally used with the Apple][ was easier to use. In any
> case, I read somewhere that there were as many Apple ][ machines running
> CP/M as any other single system.

That would be very interested if documented. However, I find it very hard
to believe!

                                                 - don

 
> I never learned to like them, though . . .
>
> Dick
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim <DD950_at_prodigy.net>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
> Date: Wednesday, September 01, 1999 10:35 PM
> Subject: Re: Best CP/M machine?
>
>
> >No Doubt about it, you need a Kaypro.
> >
> >They came with just about all the software you would need to run a small
> >office, Wordstar, DataStar, DB2, Basic and the list went on.
> >
> >They were very reliable. I used mine right up until 1991. The Kaypro 2X I
> >had bought in 1984 ran WordStar faster than the IBM Xt's.
> >
> >As they were the portables of the day, it will take up less space than some
> >of the other CP/M machines of the time period.
> >
> >My two cents.
> >
> >Jim
> >
> >
> >"If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer,
> >a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and
> >explode once a year, killing everyone inside."
> >( Robert X. Cringely, "InfoWorld" )
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
Received on Thu Sep 02 1999 - 16:13:29 BST