Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!swbatl!jburnes
From: jburnes@swbatl.sbc.com (Jim Burnes - 235-7444)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: New Thread: What _REALLY_ makes a product successful?
Message-ID: <1991May24.140704.24092@swbatl.sbc.com>
Date: 24 May 91 14:07:04 GMT
References: <24947@well.sf.ca.us>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Southwestern Bell
Lines: 40

farren@well.sf.ca.us (Mike Farren) writes:

> The reason for the 8088 processor was simply because at the time the PC was
> designed, the biggest expense was in the support chips, NOT the processor.
> The PC designers made reasonable choices in the technical environment of the
> time.

Hmmm...not really.  Originally IBM wanted to use the 68000, but Motorola
had another month or something until it rolled out quantity of it and
IBM wanted it yesterday.

If IBM had waited a month or two the entire computer market would have
changed.  We would have had machines with huge quantities of memory
and multitasking long ago.

> No, it was much more formal than most.  In most cases, where there *was*
> a standard to be followed, IBM followed it.  Notice, for example, their
> serial port connectors - the *only* ones, up until then, which adhered to
> the RS-232 recommendations for DTE vs. DCE connector gender.  Likewise ..
> use of CR *and* LF for carriage return and line feed, respectively, when
> almost every other system used either one, or the other, but not both.

Oh get real...my IMSAI followed all DTE/DCE recommendations and the use
of CR AND LF for a simple carriage return is not only redundant but
a pain in the ass to process in text files.

The reason why nobody else used it is because its just plain stupid.

I will say that I liked the keyboard (except for the layout) and I
thought that the monochrome display looked pretty slick for the period.

Jim

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Jim Burnes - System Engineer              ! When the world is
SouthWestern Bell Advanced Technology Labs! running down...
Internet: jburnes@swbatl.swbell.com       ! Make the best of what's
Ma Bell:  (314) 235-7444 (W)              ! still around.
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