New find: Headstart Explorer

From: Chad Fernandez <fernande_at_internet1.net>
Date: Mon Apr 9 18:36:54 2001

Hello,

I used to know some people that owned one. They loved it, and used it
up into the mid 90s. The mom really liked the gui, and sort of prided
herself in owning such an old pre-win95 computer that had a gui. I
guess I can agree with her on that part, but I thought the GUI was kind
of dorky :-)

As far as surplus stores not keeping stuff together goes.... I can't
agree with you more. I am always finding stuff scattered at Goodwill.
If someone doesn't buy something in the first few days, people rip it
apart and scatter it!

Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA

Mark Gregory wrote:
>
> I came across a neat little PC/XT clone on the weekend, a Headstart
> Explorer (made by Vendex according to some Web info I found). It's an 8088,
> with an unusual level of integration: mono/CGA video card, modem (300
> bps?), serial port, parallel port and external disk drive port all on the
> motherboard. There's an internal 720K 3.5" drive, and a bay for an MFM
> drive. Comes in an unusual pseudo-portable case, where the hinged keyboard
> folds up and stores upside down on top of the case. There's a single ISA
> slot under a cover on top. Apparently, there was a monitor available that
> came with a custom stand that fit neatly over the desktop case.
>
> It has several features I've not seen before: the folding keyboard, a
> mono/colour switch on the video output, and the PS/2 style mouse and heavy
> integration on a clone of this vintage. Also, as far as I could tell, there
> was no trace of the manufacturers name anywhere. I had to take the system
> to pieces to find the Headstart Explorer name on the PCB, and the name
> Vendex wasn't on it anywhere.
>
> Does anybody have the custom version of DOS that came with this thing, that
> supposedly included a very annoying shell program, or any additional info
> about this beast? I didn't get any manuals or docs with it (why oh why do
> thrift stores never keep system components together?)
> and the HD was missing.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark Gregory
Received on Mon Apr 09 2001 - 18:36:54 BST