[vcf-midatlantic] Sunday Appliance Computer Panelists

[william degnan]

Attention Sunday's panelists, here is some prep info for you.

1.  Each of the three groups (Tandy, Apple, Commodore) will have one
microphone (hopefully) that they can pass amongst the team.  You can rotate
who the person will be to respond to questions, does not matter to me.

2.  Questions will be pretty specific game show style and hopefully
closed-ended.  Please keep your answers specific to the question, on-topic
and paragraph length so we can get through the entire set.

3.  Generally speaking the discussion will cover (*not necessarily in this
order*):

  a.  Why is 1977 an important year?

  b.  The common characteristics of home/small business appliance computers
in 1977.

b.2  "Appliance computer or not"?  Covers other lesser-known appliance
computers available in 1977, "almost appliance" computers, etc.

  c  Questions related to "..why today are the Apple II, Commodore Pet and
Tandy TRS 80 Model 1 models are synonymous with the term appliance
computer?.."

  d.  The appliance computer in the home of 1977, typical user and what was
"new" about the appliance computer owner, what drove this new market?

  e.  Describe the appliance computer in small business in 1977, what kinds
of things did the appliance computer and related peripherals begin to make
obsolete?

  f.  Compare and contrast Apple, Commodore, Tandy products.  Technical,
user experience, software, reliability, pet peeves, etc.

  g.  Putting appliance computers in perspective as they relate to the
overall computer industry in 1977



4.  The last time I ran a panel at VCF some of the speakers took it as an
opportunity to go waaay off topic "before I answer your question let me
first tell you about what great new project I am working on today..."  -
please do not do that, ok?

Feel free to contact me with questions.

Bill