Re: Crosspost: Did the cpu influence the display?

[Bruce Tomlin <bruce#fanboy.net@127.0.0.1>]

In article <1135598972.038067.292460@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
 "Bill H" <bill@ts1000.us> wrote:

> ===========================================================
> This message has been cross-posted to a number of revalent usenet
> groups, so please do not start a "My system is better than your system
> flame war".
> ===========================================================
> 
> Relying on my memory and a cursory check on a number of websites it
> appears that the majority of Z80 cpu based computers had black and
> white displays, where as the majority of 65xx computers had a color
> display.

As many others have replied, there were plenty of Z80 computers with 
color.

If anything, it had to do with the cost of the CPUs back in the day.  In 
the '70s, many CPUs were relatively expensive (as much as $200), and you 
could only buy them in larger quantities like 1000 or more.

The 6502's success was in large part due to when it appeared at a 
computer show in the late '70s and was literally being sold right out of 
the shipping boxes for $25 each.  So it ended up becoming the choice for 
early "home" computers where price was important.  And the Z80 got used 
for "business" computers, particularly because it had CP/M available for 
it.

Later on when there wasn't a price premium for CPUs other than the 6502, 
the Z80 got used in all sorts of new budget computers.