Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!lll-winken!ames!ncar!boulder!pikes!csm9a!japplega
From: japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy
Subject: Re: Tandy Printer + PC Compatible Query
Message-ID: <1407@csm9a.UUCP>
Date: 6 Apr 89 15:50:07 GMT
References: <1370@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu> <136500014@cpe>
Organization: Colorado School of Mines
Lines: 48

In article <136500014@cpe>, tif@cpe.UUCP writes:
> 
> Written  5:50 pm  Apr  3, 1989 by cunixa.cc.columbia.edu!walsh in comp.sys.tandy
> >My classical Chinese professor recently replaced his Tandy PC (it sort
> >of blew up or something; he wasn't very clear--blamed it on the maid)
> >with a PC compatible (don't remember the make, a 47th Street Photo
> >special that weekend).  He'd like to keep using his fancy Tandy
> >daisywheel printer with the compatible.  He got a standard parallel
> >cable and plugged it in, but then the printer goes dead--you don't get
> >that nice "click-click" sound when you turn it on, the online light
> 
> when the standards weren't quite so clear and nobody cared much) Tandy's
> printer interface went a slightly different direction than IBM PC's.

The real facts are that Tandy has designs their peripherals and
computers to NOT use industry standards in order to force their customers
to ALWAYS BUY TANDY...

Case in point:  The Tandy 1000
Non-Compatible hard disk interrupt
Reversed drive cable
Non-standard JoyStick
Non-standard Parallel Port
Uses Tandy Specific 8087 (won't use IBM chip)
Non-Standard Monitor scan rate
Very Non-Standard - Not replacible keyboard!

I could beleive that 1 or 2 incompatibilities in a system were the result
of lack of standardization but for a computer bought in 1986, such radical
departure from standards in every peripheral interface on a machine sold
as an IBM compatible could only be acomplished by design!

As to the comment that "nobody cared much", every other manufacturer had
adapted the IBM PC architecture by 1984... Tandy was still trying to
lock in their customer base, while claiming compatibility in 1986!

"Tandy, There are so many better values"

"Tandy, In Business for OUR business"

"Tandy, Sales, Sales, and Sales"

			   - Joe Applegate -

    ======================STANDARD DISCLAIMER============================
     All views and opinions are my own and do not represent the views or
     opinions of the Colorado School of Mines, whatever they might be.
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