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From: POPE@SRI-KL.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Cheap CPU w/hard disk
Message-ID: <1126@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 19-Feb-86 15:09:39 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.1126
Posted: Wed Feb 19 15:09:39 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Feb-86 05:47:24 EST
Sender: news@brl-smoke.ARPA
Lines: 24


I would like people's recommendations for an inexpensive computer that
can be programmed  in BASIC  and can  interface to  an inexpensive  10
megabyte  hard  disk  drive,  a  standard-interface  printer,  and   a
single-sided floppy drive.

The intended application is inventory maintenance and expense  account
management for a small retail  store.  The computer will be  dedicated
to this task.  Since  I intend to write  the program myself,  software
availability is not  an issue.  However,  the program will  eventually
have to access a large data base, so a hard disk is necessary.

The primary system objective is *low* cost.  Speed is not of  concern.
Graphics calls in BASIC would be nice for drawing menus on the screen.

Is it true that  IBM-PC compatability will result  in the lowest  hard
disk price?  Would an IBM PC Jr suffice?

Any system/component  recommendations  will  be  greatly  appreciated.
Mail to me, and I'll summarize to net if interest warrants.

                                     David E. Pope
                                     pope@sri-kl.arpa
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