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From: bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: What is the All-Time Best-Selling Computer ?
Message-ID: <16231@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 9 May 90 19:07:10 GMT
References: <1455@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> <29462@cup.portal.com> <17782@well.sf.ca.us> <8640@sbcs.sunysb.edu> <2641@disk.UUCP>
Reply-To: bskendig@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Brian Kendig)
Organization: Starfleet Academy: Princeton University  PQC PTC CIT EECS SCI
Lines: 46

In article <2641@disk.UUCP> specter@disk.UUCP (Byron Max Guernsey) writes:
>Well, if you are considering the 2600 a computer, I think you should consider
>all the calculators made computers also. So my hp 22S and my Casio programmable
>are computers? Perhaps the questions should be "What is the best selling home
>computer?" That rules out the 2600 since it is indeed a computer but not for
>home programming. (Sure you could buy the keypad stuff to make basic programs,
>but where are the peripherals? As I heard, they didn't really get the keypad
>stuff to go over well with the public. So the 2600 could only be considered a
>computer IF the person bought the keypad and basic with it. Well not many people
>bought the keypad so it is definately not the best selling home computer.)
>I vote for the Sinclair 2000 (TI) hahaha :>

Among the peripherals made for the Atari VCS were:
	+ The BASIC Programming cartridge and a 24-button keypad set
	+ A snap-on machine language monitor,
	  for temporarily modifying the programs in cartridges
	+ A cassette tape input device
	+ A unit that would allow it to turn appliances on and off
	  (I don't know if this was ever released, but it was advertised.)

>What about nintendo? It could be a computer! haha

The Intellivision II had an optional keyboard attachment that allowed
it to be programmed in BASIC.

The Coleco had a keyboard attachment that upgraded it to an Adam
(again, I don't know if this was ever released).

Then we get into the realm of computers that may or may not be video
games.  The Tomy computer was supposed to be a simplified computer for
younger people, but it sure played a mean game of Scramble...  ;)

The Atari had a CPU and I/O devices.  That, in my reckoning, makes it
a computer.  Do you mean to say that the circuitry they're putting in
cars these days aren't computers because you can't type on them?

Sure, perhaps a calculator can do more math than the Atari 2600 VCS.
That's why it's a calculator.  But I'd love to see a Calculator play
Space Invaders!

     << Brian >>
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