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From: dbmk1@stc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: INFO NEEDED: "Amstrad" (sp?) Computer
Message-ID: <737@stc-b.stc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Dec-85 13:11:53 EST
Article-I.D.: stc-b.737
Posted: Wed Dec 11 13:11:53 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Dec-85 05:06:25 EST
References: <11168@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: dbmk1@stc.UUCP (Derek Bergin)
Organization: STC Telecoms, London N11 1HB.
Lines: 38
Xpath: stc stc-b stc-b stc-a


In Britain the Amstrad CPC 6128 comes with 128K of RAM, 3 inch double sided
disk and colour or monochrome monitor.  For the price (400 pounds with colour
monitor) it's got great bang per buck; however TANSTTAAFL rules OK.  The
monitor is a TV and on 80 col mode, especially in colour, it's virtually
unusable for any length of time; ie > 10 mins.  The keyboard, while
acceptable, isn't any help to a poor typist; ie me; although I imagine someone
with a greater typing proficiency could handle it OK.  The disk drive was
chosen because Hitachi (I think) had a few hundred thousand of them that they
couldn't sell because of the weird size, thus Amstrad got them cheap.  The
problem is that you can't get the blank disks for the damn things, although
the rumours say that this will get easier in the new year.  On the plus side
you get CP/M 2.2 and 3 as well as DR Logo.  There is limitless amounts of
games software available and if you have a monochrome monitor (an absolute
requirement for more than occasional 80 col use ) then you can get
a cheap interface to allow the machine to use the colour telly for games.

As usual the bottom line is the same as for any other machine - you pays your
money and you takes your choice.  As a serious machine it's a non-starter( my
basic requirement for a serious machine is expandability, especially RAM disks
etc when using an 8 bit processor), as a good games machine which will also
run CP/M software as a sideline it's a definite winner.

Flames, etc cheerfully accepted.

PS. Yes I have bought one and I don't regret spending the money - _within_the
_price_range_ (note emphasis)  it's unbeatable.

PPS The spelling comes from Alan Michael Sugar TRADing
-- 


Regards
  Derek

!seismo!mcvax!ukc!stc!dbmk1

I've heard that re-incarnation is making a come-back.