>From: Michael Maginnis <celt_at_chisp.net>
>Reply-To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
>To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org
>Subject: Re: History of Computing exam question :
>Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 23:41:31 -0700
>
>
>>
>>List the 20 to 30 systems you would display and briefly explain the
>>reason for choosing each.
Okay, I think I can do that, in (more or less) chronological order no less!
1: Xerox Alto
Reason: Because, after all, where would the GUI have come from without this
thing?
2: IBM 5100
Reason: To show that, just because it was IBM, & it was the frist
intergrated computer (sans printer), the people will not always buy it. Also
I think the $16,384 price tag may have had something to do with it, I don't
know.
3 & 4: Altair 8800 & IMSAI 8080 (respectively)
Reason: The first commercially available computers, & to illustrate that the
clone wars did not start in the 80's, they started much earlier than that.
5. Apple I
Reason: Pretty self explanitory.
6, 7, & 8. Apple ][, Commodore PET, TRS-80 Model I (respectively)
Reason: After all, these were "The Big Three", weren't they?
9. Compucolor
Reason: (Allegedly) The first computer to inexpensively offer color
graphics.
10. CBM 4032
Reason: Commodore's most famous (infamous?) business computer.
11. Apple ][+
Reason: Finally, Apple's figuring out how to be a computer company!
12. TI-99/4
Reason: TI's first foray in the computer market, as if anyone cared.
13. Commodore VIC-20
Reason: "The friendly color computer that anyone can afford" --William
Shatner.
14. TI-99/4A
Reason: To show that it is not a good idea to hire a pitchman who sells
Jell-o and (New) Coke.
15. Commodore 64
Reason: Requires no explanation.
16. GRiD Compass 1100
Reason: I would think that the first clamshell laptop should deserve a
place in computer history!
17. Apple LISA
Reason: Sometimes Apple can just way too ahead of themselves.
18. TRS-80 Model 100
Reason: When these things came out, who didn't own one?
19. Otrona Attache
Reason: Wow! A small "luggable", how about that!
20. Apple Macintosh
Reason: "On January 24th, Apple will introduce Macintosh. And you will see
why 1984 won't be like *1984*"
21. Commodore Amiga
Reason: And you thought Macintosh pioneered multimedia!
22. NeXT Cube
Reason: Who would have thought a black cube for a CPU would look so cool?
23. Apple Macintosh Portable
Reason: Portable? Riiiiiiight!
24. Atari Portfolio
Reason: Now you know where your PDA came from.
____________________________________________________________
David Vohs, Digital Archaeologist & Computer Historian.
Home page:
http://www.geocities.com/netsurfer_x1/
Computer Collection:
"Triumph": Commodore 64C, 1802, 1541, FSD-1, GeoRAM 512, MPS-801.
"Leela": Macintosh 128 (Plus upgrade), Nova SCSI HDD, Imagewriter II.
"Delorean": TI-99/4A, TI Speech Synthesizer.
"Monolith": Apple Macintosh Portable.
"Spectrum": Tandy Color Computer 3, Disto 512K RAM board.
"Boombox": Sharp PC-7000.
"Butterfly": Tandy Model 200, PDD, CCR-82.
"Shapeshifter": Epson QX-10, Titan graphics & MS-DOS board, Comrex HDD.
"Scout": Otrona Attache.
____________________________________________________________
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Received on Sat Dec 01 2001 - 13:04:21 GMT