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From: swarren@convex.com (Steve Warren)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: What is the All-Time Best-Selling Computer ?
Message-ID: <102054@convex.convex.com>
Date: 7 May 90 15:45:57 GMT
References: <1455@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> <29462@cup.portal.com> <17782@well.sf.ca.us> <2426@uniol.UUCP> <2428@uniol.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@convex.com
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Organization: Convex Computer Corporation; Richardson, TX
Lines: 44

In article <2428@uniol.UUCP> neumann@uniol.UUCP (Frank Neumann) writes:
>gehlhaar@uniol.UUCP (Arne Gehlhaar) writes:
>
>>oster@well.sf.ca.us (David Phillip Oster) writes:
>
>>>In article <29462@cup.portal.com> Justin_Randall_Padawer@cup.portal.com writes:
>>>>The Commodore 64 is the correct answer by far!  Hard to believe, huh?
>
>[... about Atari VCS being best selling computer ever...]
>>I doubt though, that the VCS can be counted as a "real" computer, its only
>>device of input being a joystick !  :)   I think a computer should at least
>>have a keyboard, but then again, that's a problem of how you define the
>>term computer.
>
>HOWEVER -
>there was a kind of keypad available for the VCS (I think, the number keys
>plus "#", "." and one or two more... even better, the old Atari brochures
>showed a "Basic Programming language Module"...never seen it myself, but
>I must have existed somewhere... so, the VCS _IS_ the best selling
>computer ever, no !?! :-) :-) :-)

Come on, we've got to draw a line *somewhere*.  By this criteria I would
hazard a guess that Nintendo is the world's best-selling personal computer.

Here are the eligability rules:  ;^)

o  If it never had a keyboard then it wasn't a Real Personal Computer (TM).  Any
   individual unit that was outfitted with a keyboard may be counted, however.

o  If it never had a Real Storage Device (paper/cassette tape, floppy, etc.,
   "not=cartridge") then it wasn't a Real Personal Computer.  Any individual
   unit that was outfitted with a Real Storage Device may be counted, however.

So all those Cromemcos with the keyboard and tape units were RPCs, but the
units that were never expanded beyond the video game stage don't count.
Neither do Altairs with only switches for inputs and LEDs for outputs.
Those are Real Hobbyist Computers (TM) ;^).

Make sense?

--
--Steve      DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own (I don't speak for Convex)
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