Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ukma!gatech!hubcap!ncrcae!ncrlnk!uunet!mcvax!ukc!warwick!syrbz
From: syrbz@warwick.ac.uk (J D Mulberg)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: anyone heard of "Amstrad" pc clone?
Keywords: amstrad, pc clone
Message-ID: <415@daisy.warwick.ac.uk>
Date: 16 Dec 88 13:32:29 GMT
References: <401500bd.14dc3@gogol>
Reply-To: syrbz@warwick.ac.uk (J D Mulberg)
Organization: Computing Services, Warwick University, UK
Lines: 25


I am surprised at the lack of impact that Amstrad has had in the US. In the UK
Amstrad are one of, if not the biggest supplier of PC's. A brief summary:
  The original model was the PC1512. This was the first cheap clone from a
name that everyone had heard of and was unlikely to go bust next month. It
used a 8086 with 512K, 5.25 DD and a hard disk option.
The monitor, keyboard and mouse were (possibly deliberately) uncompatable with
everthing else, and were rather tacky. The screen especially was awful.
  The newer model was the PC1640, with 640K, and a better screen, but the same
incompatability and bad mouse and keyborad. When you get one that works
it's an acceptale machine, but the disk drives may need tweaking if you don't
want the disks chewed.
  Just out is model 8086, which has finally got compatable everything, a
3.5 disk, and options on 5.25 and HD. At first glance it looks reasonable.
  The reason Brits buy Amstrads is that it's a known name, and made by someone
I can phone up, visit and complain to, and sue if the beast I bought goes
bang. When Dell, Leading Edge etc. incorporate themselves in the City of
London, and convince people they're here to stay, they will do some
substantial business.

Jon Mulberg,                                          Go placidly amidst the
Warwick University                                    noise and haste ...
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