New find: Headstart Explorer

From: bill claussen <elecdata_at_kcinter.net>
Date: Mon Apr 9 23:22:19 2001

Evening! We used to be a service center for Vendex. I'll look around the shop
tomorrow and see what info and programs I have for it and let the list know.

Bill Claussen
elecdata1

Chad Fernandez wrote:

> 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 - 23:22:19 BST