Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!bellcore!petrus!scherzo!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu From: hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) Newsgroups: net.micro,net.consumers Subject: Re: what is a COMMODORE PLUS-4 computer? (a consumer ripoff?) Message-ID: <608@eneevax.UUCP> Date: Thu, 10-Apr-86 22:41:51 EST Article-I.D.: eneevax.608 Posted: Thu Apr 10 22:41:51 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 12-Apr-86 00:25:50 EST References: <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> Reply-To: hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) Distribution: na Organization: Imperial Widget Research Center, Kingdom of Maryland Lines: 46 Xref: mit-eddie net.micro:12694 net.consumers:5022 In article <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> werner@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) writes: >in LateNight/EarlyMorning TV-advertising, an *UNNAMED* company is pushing >such an animal for $88 (latest price), including software (WordProcessor, >DataBase, Graphics, and something else). Also a Commodore-801 printer >for $88 (50cps). 1-800-548-7000 - but its mostly busy ... >ah, yes, no C.O.D. ... > >I can't help the feeling that this might be some kind of ripoff, giving >a strangly shaped door-stopper the title "computer", in which case the >computer community might better speak up and avoid that the neophites >get burnt... > sorry, silliness overcame me ... ((-% ---Werner I am assuming that Commodore itself is ethically restrained from answering this posting, so I will try to dredge my memory a bit for some info, which comes from working at a software store/Commodore dealer around that time. The Plus-4 was marketed as a half-step up from the basic C-64 model back in, oh, say around '84. Although long-overdue (the old Commodore had been promising new-and-fancier hardware for months) they loosed it upon the marketplace, where it was overwhelmingly ignored. Why you say? Well, aside from the fact that many dealers wouldn't stock the beast, let me just say that the snazzy keyboard and built-in software were just not enough to counteract the higher price and remarkable incompatibility with existing 64 software. Yup, the wonder machine couldn't run many packages - too many packages. I also remember something about the sound-generation circuitry being simpler in the Plus-4, but I may be mistaken on that point. Recommendations: if you really want a Commodore but not a 64, the SX-?? transportable is actually quite a workable machine. Although the monitor is small, it is color, and the machine is (as far as I've seen) completely compatible. In fact, I've seen quite a few people using them as MIDI controllers for their synths, for obvious reasons. But then again, if I needed a cheap printer buffer or something (which come to think of it, isn't such a bad idea...) $88 bucks for a Plus-4 isn't bad. As long as I don't have to touch it :-) -dave -- David Hsu (301)454-1433 || -8798 Communication & Signal Processing Lab / Engineering Computer Facility The University of Maryland -~- College Park, MD 20742 ARPA:hsu@eneevax.umd.edu UUCP:[seismo,allegra,rlgvax]!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu "There is somewhat too much of this `yodeling' in the Alps." -Mark Twain