crean@ny1mm.DEC (03/27/85)
There's not really a "right" newsgroup for this question, so I'm posting it
to several. It's a personal computer question, and I'm hoping that some of
the readers of this newsgroup might just be able to help. . .
Recently, Coleco announced that they were dumping the ADAM personal computer.
Since then, the system has become available at some large discount toy stores
at extremely attractive prices. (i.e. < $300.00). As I am a collector of
personal computers, this has picqued my interest. However, I know next to
nothing about ADAM, and would like to have the input of some people who do
know about it.
Specifically, what sort of software is available? Is it any good? Is the
"built-in" word processing software any good? The box says ADAM BASIC is
"source code compatible" with AppleSoft BASIC -- can I take that literally?
The box mentioned an optional disk drive as a future -- did that ever come
to pass? What about the price? Can I reasonably expect it to come down any
further, after the "liquidator" has recovered their investment? How readily
available are they? Have you seen many of them lying about? (I'm concerned
that the supply might dwindle before I've made my decision.)
Also, I am a hardware hacker, and would be curious to learn what I can about
the innards of this beast. In particular, how difficult might it be to get
ADAM to talk to my other machines (e.g.: Atari, Commodore, DEC)?
To re-iterate: I know NOTHING about ADAM, and so ANY information AT ALL would
be greatly appreciated. (Even if it might seem like a trivial comment.) Also,
pointers to good resources for further research would be appreciated. (i.e.:
Is there a magazine that addresses the ADAM? Any reliable mail-order sources
for software/hardware?)
Since I don't monitor all of the newsgroups to which I'm posting this, Email
to would be preferable. I'll gladly summarize what I learn and post it here.
Many thanks,
Kevin Crean
DIGITAL Equipment Corp.
U.S. Mail: 200 White Plains Road
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Telephone: (914) 684-5721
UUCP: ...decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-ny1mm!crean
Internet: crean%ny1mm.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
Disclaimer: This space intentionally left blank.lucius@tardis.UUCP (Lucius Chiaraviglio) (03/31/85)
_
The Coleco Adam had some good ideas in it, but the implementation
and support policy were totally flawed. For example, it was a nice
idea to provide the user with a daisywheel printer in the standard
package, but putting the power supply for the whole thing in the
daisywheel printer and running its output through the computer-to-
printer data cable is disastrous (if you have to have only one power
supply for the whole thing, at least put it in the computer). Both its
hardware and its software are so full of bugs that literally nothing
works right. And then to get them to give you any technical
information necessary to write serious programs you have to sign this
contract with them which amounts to slavery. I don't have my
references with me, but look in last year's issues of BYTE (starting
with the early ones) or maybe the year before that (my faulty memory at
work: I can't remember the date of introduction of the Adam).
-- Lucius Chiaraviglio
lucius@tardis.ARPA
seismo!tardis!lucius
--
-- Lucius Chiaraviglio
lucius@tardis.ARPA
seismo!tardis!lucius