Re: World-wide 8-bit computer sales (all-time)?

[pausch@saaf.se (Paul Schlyter)]

In article <3f002b4d.813040@news.netnitco.net>,
vairxpert <vairxpert@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2003 07:28:56 +0000 (UTC), pausch@saaf.se (Paul
> Schlyter) wrote:
> 
>> In article <3eff7fb0.35967984@news.netnitco.net>,
>> vairxpert <vairxpert@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Have you ever owned a one piece computer system?
>> 
>> Only some laptops with LED or LCD screens, where this problem with
>> magnetic fields doesn't exist.  I always thought 1-piece computers
>> systems with CRT displays either were too bulky or had a screen
>> too small.
> 
> Full blown laptop computers with LCD screens didn't exist back in the
> late 70's/early 80's.
 
I know..... there was only the Osbourne, with a small CRT display....
 
> If you were around and able to use a computer back then you had
> no choice.
 
Sure I had a choice!   My choice was to use only desktop computes... :-)
 
 
>>> Those systems were
>>> designed to work that way so there is no reason people shouldn't have
>>> bought one.  Just about every high end serious business computer was
>>> all one piece with either 5.25" or 8" floppy drives back in the early
>>> 80's.
>> 
>> ...I don't think so.  CP/M machines were the most common micros used
>> by businesses back, and they usually had a separate terminal.  And
>> minis and mainframes (which were the most serious computers back
>> then) _definitely_ had separate terminals !!!!
> 
> We're not talking about terminals, mini's and mainframes.
 
You were talking about "systems" -- they include mini's and mainframes,
which back then was dominant among serious computer users, who often
regarded micros as just toys....
 
> I can give you a mile long list of popular systems (most CPM
> compatible) that were all in one, including every TRS-80 (model II,
> III, 4, 4P, 12, 16), Kaypro's, Osbornes, macs, ect.
> 
> What business systems from 1982
 
Was Trash-80 really a _business_ system?
 
> and earlier do you recall that used a separate CPU, keyboard and
> monitor?  Something that you would walk into a persons office and
> see sitting on a desk?
 
The Altair, IMSAI 8080 and most S-100 computers, including brands
advertised specifically as business computers, such as the North Star
Horizon.  And, of course, the Apple II which got used as a business
system too........  and the Apple ///....
 
Later the VIC-20, Commodore-64, Sinclair ZX-80, ZX-81 and Spectru,
the Jupiter Ace and many more appeared, which had separate displays.
But they were not business systems.
 
In 1985 I started working at a computer consultat company who ran
their internal business system on a MP/M computer to which 4 terminals
were connected.
 
-- 
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