IBM 5150, am I nuts or what?

From: Bob Stek <bobstek_at_ix.netcom.com>
Date: Wed Mar 22 07:50:54 2000

For all the pissing and moaning today about IBM and Microsoft, let's face
it - the original IBM and then the XT are collectibles. They were an
evolutionary step up from the 8-bit 8080's and Z-80's which dominated the
days of "hobbyist" computing (with apologies to the 6502 and 6800 crowds).
The 5150 was initially postioned as a hobby or home computer: cassette tape
interface built in, numeric processor support optional (and expensive), and
no floppy drives available when it first came out. IBM under-anticipated
the demand (just like Radio Shack did) when people started using the 5150
for "business" purposes. When IBM began producing a personal computer, it
legitimized them for corporate America. I even recall reading articles back
in the late 70's about strategies for sneaking computer purchases past the
eyes of the MIS department (who didn't "approve" of these "toy" computers
coming in and not under their control). But when a computer had the IBM
name on it (and cost as much as it did), MIS departments had to develop a
way to deal with them. And we all know what happened after that!

So IMHO, if you wish to have a computer collection, you should have a 5150
as an example of a significant milestone (millstone?)in small computer /
data processing history.

What can you do with them? Does the term "boat anchor" have any meaning for
you?

Bob Stek
Saver of Lost SOLs


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
[mailto:owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Mike Ford
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 4:32 AM
To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
Subject: IBM 5150, am I nuts or what?


I now have a few IBM 5150 Personal Computers, latching on to the nicest
ones today along with I think the correct original keyboards. I have to
wonder if I am not perhaps getting a little dotty in my old age. What the
heck am I going to do with them?

Anybody else have some? What can they do?

How about a 5100 (sounded like something I might want to hoard if I see
one)?
Received on Wed Mar 22 2000 - 07:50:54 GMT