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From: jvc@mirror.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Tandy 1000 TX
Message-ID: <206900079@mirror>
Date: Mon, 14-Sep-87 07:36:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: mirror.206900079
Posted: Mon Sep 14 07:36:00 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Sep-87 06:18:33 EDT
References: <317@auvax.UUCP>
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Nf-From: mirror.UUCP!jvc    Sep 14 07:36:00 1987


Joe Applegate ( Colorado School of Mines Computing Center
    {seismo, hplabs}!hao!isis!csm9a!japplega) writes:

>You can bet if it's a Tandy it is the most uncompatible machine imaginable!

W R O N G !
This is a generalization that does not hold true.  The Tandy 1000
(which is subject that Joe was responding to) is more like the PC-Jr
that IBM came up with.  So, if we were to generalize about the IBM
products we would have to say "You can bet if it's a IBM it
is the most uncompatible machine imaginable!"
[I thought people reading/posting to this newsgroup were smart
enough to know you can't make such generalizations.  I guess I was
mistaken]

Joe was responding to a question about a TANDY 1000__ and he is
probably right about that particular model.  The original Tandy 1000's
were not 100% IBM compat. and never claimed they were.  The newer
models of the 1000's claim they are 100% compat. (they also have
bigger cases to support larger boards).  I have never owned a 1000
so I can tell you much about there compatibility (other than
what I heard from owners but since I haven't verified the info
myself I not going to post anything on the subject).

HOWEVER, I have owned a 1200HD, a 3000, and a 4000 (a 16MHZ 386
machine and which I currently own).  Tandy claims that these machine
are 100% compatible with IBM and so far nobody has shown otherwise.
I have been happy with each one of these machines and have NEVER had
to have them serviced.  I've used many different third party boards
which are known to work on IBM products and have had no problems.
I must say, however, that I have had trouble with a CGA card I bought
from Tandy (the first and only Tandy board I purchased) a few years
ago.  The CGA card didn't work with the original version of the game
KINGS QUEST (I didn't bother to look into getting it fixed since
this is the only program that didn't work and I don't play KINGS QUEST).

Be aware that Tandy does have more than one model of each series (e.g.,
3000HL, 3000HD, etc) and that not all of the models will be 100%
compatible.  Tandy usually offers a cheaper variation of the 100%
compatible and this variation is not always 100% compatible but
Tandy will inform you of this (sometimes it's in the fine print
though). [a side note: Radio Shacks prices for Tandy computers is
rather high (though much cheaper than IBM sells their stuff for) and
it would be best (price wise) to buy the equipment from a mail order
house like Computer Plus.  Computer Plus IS a Radio Shack authorized 
computer service center and the only computers they sell are Tandy
but they sell monitors, printers, cards, modems, etc from all the popular
manufacturers.  Their showroom is in Littleton MA.  You can take
your computer back to any Radio Shack Computer Center for service
if you ever need it]

If you look around in some of the back issues of the popular computer
mags you'll find that Tandy's 100% compatibles have received very high
praise.  Sorry but I don't have a list of the issues and I don't
really have the time to hunt for them now.

Disclaimer:  I have no connections with Tandy, Radio Shack, or 
             Computer Plus other than as a happy customer.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Champeaux	jvc@mirror.TMC.COM
		{mit-eddie, ihnp4, wjh12, cca, cbosgd, seismo}!mirror!jvc
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