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From: greggt@ncoast.UUCP (Gregg Thompson)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc,net.micro
Subject: Re: Tandy compatibles
Message-ID: <1041@ncoast.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Feb-86 16:52:36 EST
Article-I.D.: ncoast.1041
Posted: Fri Feb 28 16:52:36 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 23:28:07 EST
References: <515@tekig4.UUCP>
Organization: Cleveland Public Access UNIX, Cleveland, OH
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Xref: watmath net.micro.pc:7233 net.micro:13949

> 
> I have a friend who want to buy his first PC.  He's really zeroed
> in on the stuff from Radio Shack.  Is it really any good?  How
> compatible is it?  They have all the software in their catalog
> at rather spendy prices, can he buy software from the local
> software shops?  There's several good compatibles on the market,
> how's the bang for the buck on the Tandy stuff?  Have you had in
> problems with getting the Tandy/Radio Shack stores to stand behind
> their equipment?
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> 
> Max Guernsey
> tektronix!maxg

	At home I have a Tandy 1000 and where I work we have 1200s and one
3000. The 1000&1200s are compatible to the IBM-PC. If you buy a 1000 buy the
extra memory card (something about the computer not having a DMA until this
card is installed).
	The 1000 is very much software compatible not so much hardware
compatible. The housing is smaller and the internals are `sealed' in a metal
box. Thus you have to buy half-cards and you can't add a math co-processor
unless the memory card supports it. I have yet to find any IBM-PC programs
not run on the 1000.
	The 1200 is a 1000 but hardware compatible too. This also means you
can use the full-size cards. The 1200 is totollay compatible with the IBM-PC
(at least to my knowledge so far).
	The 3000 is an IBM-PC/AT compatible system. We recently purchased
software for it, non-Tandy software, and it all runs fine. Great workhorse.

Problems:
	The speaker on the 1000 is in front by the disk drives so when passing
disks by the computer to put them inside the machine may cause problems to the
disk (I don't know if this is true with the 1200s or 3000s).
	The hard-disk base computers have been noted to over-heat rather
quickly if proper ventilation (sp) BEHIND the computer is not provided!
	The 1000 joystick ports are `strange'. All the programs that require
a joystick or koala pad are not very steady, especially drawing programs. It
is VERY hard to draw without the joystick or koala pad `jumping'.

Support:
	The support, meaning repairs and services, TOTALLY depends on who you
are dealing with. Don't judge Tandy by the managers and employees, though many
seem to be `bad', ignorant, and uncooperative, some are just the opposite.
Tandy does supply wide variety of software that can be purchased at most stores
if not all.

					Gregg Thompson