The very first personal computers - How many are left?

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri Apr 11 17:04:35 2003

> On Fri, 11 Apr 2003, Tony Duell wrote:
>
> > The other point is that the 9830 is fairly similar (to the user) to the
> > IBM5100. It's about the same size (albeit with only a 1-line display), it
> > runs a high-level language from internal ROM, it has built-in mass
> > storage, etc. And yet the 5100 is a bit later than the 9830. Why the
> > former gets all the glory is beyond me...
>
> A multi-line display on a CRT helps a lot ;)

Sure, as does a graphical display, and many other features that came out
later. Point is, the HP9830 _was_ earlier than the IBM5100, and
presumably HP couldn't justify providing a CRT display on it (they
certainly could have designed one -- they had CRT displays on larger
computers at the time).

If you want to consider _early personal computers_ then IMHO you have to
consider the HP9830...

-tony
Received on Fri Apr 11 2003 - 17:04:35 BST