Re: Christmas 1984: The Great Apple//c vs. PCjr Battle

[macvaya@remove.this.mindspring.com (Cali Ruchala)]

In article <3E07EAF5.2010805@es.co.nz>, Roger Johnstone <rojaws@es.co.nz> wrote:

> I wrote:
> 
> > History/Nostalgia alert:
> > 
> > There's an interesting item on Charles Eicher's site about selling home 
> > computers during the 1984 Christmas shopping season.
> > 
> > http://ceicher.homeunix.com/archives/2002_12_23.html
> > 
> 
> Apologies for the lack of subject, it was supposed to be "Christmas 
> 1984: The Great Apple //c vs. PCjr Battle".
> 
> If it doesn't show up this time, I'm going to have to keep looking for a 
> decent newsreader.



Saw it fine. Interesting article. My very first computer was a
second-hand PCjr (I assume there were lots of them). Instead of
dual floppies, there were cartridge slots; mine (whether these
were factory-issue or purchased by the previous owner, I don't
know) came with BASIC and Tobias' "Managing Your Money" cartridges. 

The hardware failed a few months later, but I didn't notice any
fuzziness in the colour monitor or keyboard problems. I learned
a bit from some computer magazines that came with it - short,
simple programs in BASIC you could copy, and the inevitable,
inexplicable "syntax error" at the end of it just gave you that
bit of realism. :-) Still, I don't know if I'll ever get the 
thrill that I got when a colour bar came up and began flashing
on and off in time with "La Cucaracha."

I got it fixed (or, rather, some adult with money did), though
I eventually got a Mac and put it away. About three years ago, my
sister-in-law found it and sold it for a few bucks at a yard sale 
and, for reasons unknown, gave the buyer my name and phone number 
"in case you have any problems." Few days later, I'm getting calls 
asking why Windows won't boot.

Thanks for the memories!



Cheers,


Cali