[net.micro.pc] Tandy/Radio Shack IBM PC Clone

conliffe@hombre.DEC (Nigel -- 381-2306 -- ZKO2-1/M11) (02/26/86)

|Subject: Tandy compatibles
|Posted: 24 Feb 86 17:40:39 GMT

|I have a friend who want to buy his first PC.  He's really zeroed
|in on the stuff from Radio Shack.  Is it really any good?  How
|compatible is it?  

I have a TANDY 1000 which I have been using for a few months now. It is
a clone of the basic IBM PC, and comes with a printer interface, and
color and mono graphics capability. It does not have an 8087 (as far as
I can see!) however.

The TANDY 1000 seems to be VERY compatible; I have run IBM PC software on
it from the Microsoft Flight Simulator to WordPerfect V4.1, all of which
has run (so far) without apparent problem. I have had no problem buying or
borrowing IBM PC software and installing it on my TANDY 1000. 

My local Radio Shack Computer Centre (Burlington, MA) has been very 
responsive and willing to stand behind their equipment. I had one problem
(shortly after I bought the system) which caused it not to boot; the system
was replaced on the spot. A problem that I had with my RS Letter Quality
Printer was also solved in a timely and inexpensive manner. 

I would heartily recommend the TANDY 1000 as a viable IBM PC Clone.

Nigel A Conliffe

(Usual Disclaimer: This posting represents my personal opinion, and Digital
Equipment Corporation is not responsible for any statements made herein)

gst@talcott.UUCP (Gary S. Trujillo) (03/04/86)

In article <1388@decwrl.DEC.COM>, conliffe@hombre.DEC (Nigel -- 381-2306 -- ZKO2-1/M11) writes:
> |Subject: Tandy compatibles
> |Posted: 24 Feb 86 17:40:39 GMT
> 
> |I have a friend who want to buy his first PC.  He's really zeroed
> |in on the stuff from Radio Shack.  Is it really any good?  How
> |compatible is it?  
> 
> .....
> 
> I would heartily recommend the TANDY 1000 as a viable IBM PC Clone.
> 
> Nigel A Conliffe

There is a review of the Tandy 1000 in the August 1985 issue of Byte.
Here's the summary from the end of the article:

	The Tandy 1000 seems to be a good, reasonably priced
	IBM PC clone that has most of the best features of the
	IBM PC and PCjr.  It is compatible with all the IBM
	software that I have tried.  Also, it has three IBM PC-
	compatible expansion slots, but these slots are too short
	for most IBM expansion boards.  The keyboard is good.
	And this system seems to have the same superior color
	graphics and sound capaiblities as the PCjr.  Its only
	deficiencies are the above-mentioned short expansion slots,
	the lack of a high-quality monochrome text font, and an
	incomplete (as yet) BASIC interpreter.

	Of course, the attractiveness of the machine depends to
	a great extend on its competition.  At current prices it
	is a very good alternative to the IBM PC.  I would recommend
	the Tandy 1000 for all applications that do not depend on
	special expansion boards or a highly compatible BASIC

	(Byte review by Rich Malloy)

-- 
	Gary Trujillo
	(harvard!talcott!gst)