Period pricing references (was Re: Micro$oft Biz'droid Lusers)

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Thu Apr 25 14:52:45 2002

On Thu, 25 Apr 2002, Erik S. Klein wrote:
> I still have many of my old computer receipts.
> My first IBM PC (December 1981) cost nearly $2,800 for a 64K machine, 1 SSDD
> floppy (120K with DOS 1.0) and a color card with an RF Modulator.

That was 160K for the DOS 1.00. 512 bytes per sector, 8 sectors per
track, 40 tracks, 1 side. (multiply) arguably (rarely done), you could
subtract 4.5K if you don't consider the DIRectory to be part of the disk
capacity.

You could have saved ~$400 by buying the same Tandon TM100-1 drive
after-market.
You could have saved ~$400 by buying 48K of the RAM aftermarket.
You could have saved ~$100 by buying the RF modulator aftermarket.
($1360 for bare computer + $300 for video card + $300 for disk controller
+ everything else aftermarket)


You could have paid more for CP/M-86 or UCSD P-system. (neither available
immediately, but in 6 months.)
IBM sold Easy-Writer (by John Draper) and VisiCalc.
Received on Thu Apr 25 2002 - 14:52:45 BST