Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!bellcore!ulysses!allegra!princeton!orsvax1!pyrnj!caip!cbmvax!grr From: grr@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (George Robbins) Newsgroups: net.micro,net.consumers,net.micro.cbm Subject: Re: what is a COMMODORE PLUS-4 computer? (a consumer ripoff?) Message-ID: <101@cbmvax.cbmvax.cbm.UUCP> Date: Wed, 16-Apr-86 12:41:55 EST Article-I.D.: cbmvax.101 Posted: Wed Apr 16 12:41:55 1986 Date-Received: Thu, 17-Apr-86 22:15:21 EST References: <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) Distribution: na Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA Lines: 41 Keywords: plus/4 c64 c16 sx64 Xref: princeton net.micro:6685 net.consumers:4147 net.micro.cbm:1489 Summary: nope, just obsolete equipment In article <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> you write: >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. And, please, no former Sinclair purchaser should lecture me >that at this price its "you get what you pay for" ... or, if you can't >resist, please include your return-address; maybe I can interest you in this >antique pet-rock, incredibly loyal, undemanding, ....; a bargain at *ONLY* >$1 (plus shipping and handling) > After the massive success of the Commodore 64, Commodore spent quite a bit of time and money trying to create follow up products. The plus-4 used the same technology, but had fewer chips and included several ROMs containing built in software. The word processor is not well regarded, but the rest is usable. The printer is pretty slow and cheap, and only works with Commodore CPU's. Somehow, the idea of machines having less features the the C64 didn't go over real well. These machines were still on sale at K-mart, a year ago, but vast numbers were piled up in Commodores warehouse and on the books. Some were sold elsewhere, but eventually the whole lot was sold to some liquidation companies. These companies are free to advertise as they wish and are not going to say anything negative about the products. Other products in the same category are the Commodore 16 (cheap C64) and the SX64 (portable with built in 4" color monitor). There also exists an amusing collection of prototypes in the Commodore enginnering department, of machines that never made it into production. Complaints about the machines themselves should probably be directed to certain persons now running Atari... -- George Robbins - now working with, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|caip}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)