Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!kddlab!trl!rdmei!ptimtc!olivea!samsung!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!grian!steve
From: steve@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us (Steve Mitchell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: Info wanted about VT180
Message-ID: <1990Dec1.071452.20136@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us>
Date: 1 Dec 90 07:14:52 GMT
References: <0bJ_ewH0BwweN1WWhK@transarc.com> <4580@oasys.dt.navy.mil>
Organization: College Park Software, Altadena, CA
Lines: 25

galetich@dtoa1.dt.navy.mil (Galetich) writes:


>The VT180 "Robin" was a Z-80 machine which ran CP/M.  DEC Professional
>used to run occasional articles about them a few years ago, but I've
>thrown out all my old DEC Professionals.  I believe one of the reasons
>for the early demise of the VT180 was the totally unique disk format
>on the RX180 floppies.

Actually, almost every CP/M system had a unique disk format, which is
the worst thing about CP/M.  Digital Research didn't define a standard
format (except the original 8" sssd), thinking that would encourage
competition and progress.  Instead, it was a significant factor in the
demise of CP/M.  The early MS-DOS was just a CP/M clone, but everyone
was more-or-less forced to use the same disk format.

IMHO a more significant reason for the death of the '180 was that it
was a product of the Terminals group, and the PC's group was working
on Real Personal Computers (the Rainbow, DECmate II, and Profession
lines).
-- 
		-  Steve Mitchell	steve@cps.altadena.ca.us
					grian!steve@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov
					ames!elroy!grian!steve
"God is licht, an in him there is nae mirkness ava." -- 1 John 1:5