Aaarrrgghhh -- Chris' message arrived here as an .eml attachment. WTF is causing that and how do we fix it!!?? Anyway, Chris said this: --------------------- Whats missing: Atari 400/800.. Why? I can argue that this computer is the one that pushed home users from game machines to computers. Atari designed these machines for non-hobbyist home users by putting in cartridge ports and having composite output. They sold these through SEARS. I think these are engineering marvels for the time and are very under appreciated. I know that the PET/Apple II came out earlier, but they were not targeted to home users. Yes some people purchased them for the home. They were not designed that way. The Apple II was a $1200 just for the machine and over $2000 complete. I would argue that is not targeting the Home Computer Market. The Ti99/4 came out before the Atari but at $1,150 it was not targeted at the home market.. The TI99/4a in 1981 was at $525. VIC-20 First million sold, ushered in a lot of adoption Next Workstation Ahead of it's time, HTTPd developed, Web Developed @ CERN So I think these can be removed KIM-1, Should be part of a CPU collection, which I think the museum should have. IBM PC Jr., I don't see the significance HP-85B, I don't see the significance Our homebrewed "Dudley" PDP-8 clone. N Apple Mac Portable, there were earlier laptops SWTPC 6800 --------------------- My comments:
Atari 400/800 ... They sold these through SEARS.
Good point.
I know that the PET/Apple II came out earlier, but they were not targeted to home users. Yes some people purchased them for the home. They were not designed that way.
So? Exhibit isn't just about home computers. Nothing will convince us to remove the PET and Apple II. :)
The Apple II was a $1200 just for the machine and over $2000 complete. I would argue that is not targeting the Home Computer Market.
Schools, my friend!!! Apple II dominated.
Next Workstation Ahead of it's time
We don't have one.
So I think these can be removed KIM-1, Should be part of a CPU collection, which I think the museum should have.
Eventually. There won't be room for that exhibit in stage one.
IBM PC Jr., I don't see the significance
Big Blue's entry into home computing.
HP-85B, I don't see the significance
HP was a big player in engineering micros, while the home users were building Altairs and playing with BASIC .... I think we should teach this. Too many history books teach people that homebrew and hobby systems were the ONLY small computers back then. Our homebrewed "Dudley" PDP-8 clone. N As previously explained -- this is our best example, albeit technically a mini, of a desktop-sized homemade system. Got to show at least one such thing. Apple Mac Portable, there were earlier laptops Of course, I wrote a book about that. :) Maybe show something that was more of a commodity, such as (any) run-of-the-mill mid/late-1980s laptop.