Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!harpo!eagle!mhuxl!houxm!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uokvax!andree From: andree@uokvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro Subject: Re: Buying your first home computer - (nf) Message-ID: <3946@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Fri, 18-Nov-83 22:54:38 EST Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3946 Posted: Fri Nov 18 22:54:38 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 20-Nov-83 01:17:34 EST Lines: 62 #R:sri-arpa:-1361600:uokvax:3400014:000:2680 uokvax!andree Nov 17 15:10:00 1983 /***** uokvax:net.micro / amd70!phil / 1:02 am Nov 16, 1983 */ Buy an IBM-PC. (and don't get one of the imitations either) -- Phil Ngai (408) 988-7777 {ucbvax|decwrl|ihnp4|allegra}!amd70!phil /* ---------- */ Great. I want a computer specifically to play the game `Joust.' Would you tell me where to buy this game for the computer you recommended I buy? I know, that seems ridiculous. But {\B YOU CANNOT RECOMMEND A COMPUTER WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT IS FOR!}. Yes, the IBM-PC is a nice computer (for some things) and yes, there is software that won't run on the imitations. But one of the things I eventually want to do on my home system is symbolic algebra, and I don't think you can fit a reasonable system for doing that on an 8086. A friend is looking for something to help twiddle integers; said integers are usually between 100K and 1M. I don't believe the 8086 supports 32 bit integers. To reiterate: You CANNOT reasonably recommend a computer without knowing what it is for. So, let's consider some of the uses of personal computers, and recommend things for those. Game machine: The 8086 machines are to expensive. If you have to have computer, look at the radio shack COCO. Nice game machine, and it turns into the most computer of the machines in the <$500 market. Or you could try and find out about the GCE Vectrex game machine keyboard attachment. Personal accounting: One of the IBM PC imitations. First find the software, then find an imitation it runs on. You have to pay too much for the IBM-PC. Rule number one is to select the software first. Word processing & the like: The same thing as above applies. However, you might give more consideration to CP/M-80 machines, as the extra power of the 8086 isn't that noticable for this application. MAKE SURE YOU GET A KEYBOARD YOU CAN LIVE WITH (The IBM-PC is notably deficient in this area). Want an expensive toy to play with: Get whatever you can afford. If you want a system for hacking, wait for the 68000 boxes to appear. The 68000 doesn't suffer from the address space fragment- uh, segmentation of the 8086 family. Mixing the above: Just apply common sense. A pitfall is if you want something for you to do work on, AND for the kids to play games on. In that case, pay for name brand hardware (the IBM-PC is probably best) as those are the machines the games will appear on, and the games probably won't run on the imitations. Note that I DO NOT hate the IBM-PC. IBM, maybe, but not the IBM-PC. I consider it to be a nice, overpriced machine. I do detest the 8086 address hosery. The 8086 is an 8-bit processor with delusions of grandeur. But if it does the job you want done, go with it