Building a better "old" computer

From: Douglas Quebbeman <dhquebbeman_at_theestopinalgroup.com>
Date: Sun Jun 25 08:48:57 2000

> Based on what the current computer industry knows about building
computers,
> would it be possible to build a better Z80 based computer today, using the
> same chips that the builders in, say, 1979 had available?
>
> I heard someone say that the manufacturers did the best they could with
what
> they had to work with "back then," and I started to wonder if we could do
it
> better today. Has our understanding of how it all works improved enough to
> do it better now, using the same chips, etc.?

You can buy a brand-spanking-new IMSAI 8080 that has 1 meg
of bank-switched static RAM and a 20mHz Z-80 (actually Z-280?)
processor for under US$1000. I'd say that qualifies for an
excellent "old" new computer.

-dq
Received on Sun Jun 25 2000 - 08:48:57 BST