Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!isishq!Geoffrey.Welsh
From: Geoffrey.Welsh@isishq.FIDONET.ORG (Geoffrey Welsh)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: Questions about 128 Reliability (Considering upgrade from C64)
Message-ID: <204.234963AB@isishq.FIDONET.ORG>
Date: 29 Sep 88 20:37:37 GMT
Organization: International Student Information Service -- Headquarters
Lines: 52


 > From: ralph@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM (Ralph Hightower)
 > Date: 19 Sep 88 18:57:21 GMT
 > Message-ID: <3750@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM>


 > competing among themselves; sort of "Dueling Systems").
 >
 > Can anybody refute the shop's argument that the C128 is
 > less reliable than
 > the C64?  I would use 64 mode compatibility primarily for
 > my two workhorse
 > applications, Multiplan, and Consultant; but I probably

 > mode also (if it is a "true" CP/M implementation).

   I don't know where they get that hogwash about "dueling systems"; 

C64 and C128 mode are different memory management modes for the same 
CPU, and the Z80 is very well-behaved. The CP/M on-board is CP/M Plus 
(CP/M 3.0 to DRI fans), and DRI supports it even less than Commodore 

does these days. Not to worry: it was designed to be compatible with 
the KayPro, Osborne, and Epson CP/M machines (which it is) and most 
CP/M user groups either have a C128 CP/M library or have converted 
their old stuff to take advantage of the C128's extra features (colour, 
etc., you must understand, was NOT part of the CP/M standard!).
 
   Since I did some work on PaperClip II and III for the C128 (and 

64), I probably won't be sued too badly for telling you that the 
C128 is more reliable than The Consultant (but don't use Consultant 
128 - that's even less reliable than Consultant 64, depending on which 
week yours was manufactured in).
 
   About the worst problem with the C64 was its underpowered power 

supply - the C128 comes with a nice switching supply (the worst trouble 
I ever had with one of them was opening it to get at a burned-out fuse 
from a faulty cartridge).
 
   Geoff ( watmath!isishq!izot )
 
P.S.: Oh, yeah: some RS-232 adapters are so wide that they block the 
128's RGB connector. Solution: take 'em outa their cases (they work 
fine & you can plug your RGB monitor in for crisp 80-column pictures!


--  
 Geoffrey Welsh - via FidoNet node 1:221/162
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