werner@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) (04/09/86)
in LateNight/EarlyMorning TV-advertising, an *UNNAMED* company is pushing such an animal for $88 (latest price), including software (WordProcessor, DataBase, Graphics, and something else). Also a Commodore-801 printer for $88 (50cps). 1-800-548-7000 - but its mostly busy ... ah, yes, no C.O.D. ... I can't help the feeling that this might be some kind of ripoff, giving a strangly shaped door-stopper the title "computer", in which case the computer community might better speak up and avoid that the neophites get burnt. And, please, no former Sinclair purchaser should lecture me that at this price its "you get what you pay for" ... or, if you can't resist, please include your return-address; maybe I can interest you in this antique pet-rock, incredibly loyal, undemanding, ....; a bargain at *ONLY* $1 (plus shipping and handling) Seriously now, I'm concerned about those that get suckered into this ... Hahh, the above 800-number answered ... "Your Zip-code, please ..." "I'm calling about the Commodore-Plus-4 computer just advertised .." "yes, could I have your zip-code, please" "sure, 78758. I'd like some more information, please" <several seconds of silence. some terminal-keyboard clap-a-di-clap> "well, if you want more information, you should call the service number: 1-800-342-0200" "is this number being answered at this hour? <2am CST>" "well, I don't know. you could also try (201)575-4888" "thank you! what is the name of the company?" "Urban General. Good bye!" ------------------------ I called the latter 800-number: no answer. maybe tomorrow. nope, I'm not going to waste a nickel on the (201)-number; it's either a recording, or some other run-around (at this hour, at least). does anyone know more? should we ring the alarm about this? on the other hand, should we ring the alarm about the IBM-clam, which, "2 years after being delayed because the DG-1's lousy display had such a negative industry reception" is said to have a display which is 'just as bad'. Hey, don't blame Austin for this; we're about to ban the whole production line to Boca, Northern Cuba. sorry, silliness overcame me ... ((-% ---Werner
hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) (04/11/86)
In article <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> werner@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) writes: >in LateNight/EarlyMorning TV-advertising, an *UNNAMED* company is pushing >such an animal for $88 (latest price), including software (WordProcessor, >DataBase, Graphics, and something else). Also a Commodore-801 printer >for $88 (50cps). 1-800-548-7000 - but its mostly busy ... >ah, yes, no C.O.D. ... > >I can't help the feeling that this might be some kind of ripoff, giving >a strangly shaped door-stopper the title "computer", in which case the >computer community might better speak up and avoid that the neophites >get burnt... > sorry, silliness overcame me ... ((-% ---Werner I am assuming that Commodore itself is ethically restrained from answering this posting, so I will try to dredge my memory a bit for some info, which comes from working at a software store/Commodore dealer around that time. The Plus-4 was marketed as a half-step up from the basic C-64 model back in, oh, say around '84. Although long-overdue (the old Commodore had been promising new-and-fancier hardware for months) they loosed it upon the marketplace, where it was overwhelmingly ignored. Why you say? Well, aside from the fact that many dealers wouldn't stock the beast, let me just say that the snazzy keyboard and built-in software were just not enough to counteract the higher price and remarkable incompatibility with existing 64 software. Yup, the wonder machine couldn't run many packages - too many packages. I also remember something about the sound-generation circuitry being simpler in the Plus-4, but I may be mistaken on that point. Recommendations: if you really want a Commodore but not a 64, the SX-?? transportable is actually quite a workable machine. Although the monitor is small, it is color, and the machine is (as far as I've seen) completely compatible. In fact, I've seen quite a few people using them as MIDI controllers for their synths, for obvious reasons. But then again, if I needed a cheap printer buffer or something (which come to think of it, isn't such a bad idea...) $88 bucks for a Plus-4 isn't bad. As long as I don't have to touch it :-) -dave -- David Hsu (301)454-1433 || -8798 <insert fashionable disclaimer here> Communication & Signal Processing Lab / Engineering Computer Facility The University of Maryland -~- College Park, MD 20742 ARPA:hsu@eneevax.umd.edu UUCP:[seismo,allegra,rlgvax]!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu "There is somewhat too much of this `yodeling' in the Alps." -Mark Twain
ugthomas@sunybcs.UUCP (Timothy Thomas) (04/11/86)
In article <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> werner@ut-ngp.UUCP (Werner Uhrig) writes: >I can't help the feeling that this might be some kind of ripoff, giving >a strangly shaped door-stopper the title "computer", I have seen the same commercial, but I dont think it is a ripoff. There was such a beastie as the commodore plus-4 computer, but it wasnt out very long (they used to have it at childworld for about $250-$300 (i think)). It didnt sell very well at all and was discontinued, so I imaging that the company pushing them cheaply just bought out commodores supplys of them. ---------- ____________ ____/--\____ \______ ___) ( _ ____) "Damn it Jim!, __| |____/ / `--' I'm a programmer not a Doctor!" ) `|=(- \------------' Timothy D. Thomas SUNY/Buffalo Computer Science UUCP: [decvax,dual,rocksanne,watmath,rocksvax]!sunybcs!ugthomas CSnet: ugthomas@buffalo, ARPAnet: ugthomas%buffalo@CSNET-RELAY -- ____________ ____/--\____ \______ ___) ( _ ____) "Damn it Jim!, __| |____/ / `--' I'm a programmer not a Doctor!" ) `|=(- \------------' Timothy D. Thomas SUNY/Buffalo Computer Science UUCP: [decvax,dual,rocksanne,watmath,rocksvax]!sunybcs!ugthomas CSnet: ugthomas@buffalo, ARPAnet: ugthomas%buffalo@CSNET-RELAY
grr@cbmvax.cbm.UUCP (George Robbins) (04/16/86)
In article <3184@ut-ngp.UUCP> you write: >in LateNight/EarlyMorning TV-advertising, an *UNNAMED* company is pushing >such an animal for $88 (latest price), including software (WordProcessor, >DataBase, Graphics, and something else). Also a Commodore-801 printer >for $88 (50cps). 1-800-548-7000 - but its mostly busy ... >ah, yes, no C.O.D. ... > >I can't help the feeling that this might be some kind of ripoff, giving >a strangly shaped door-stopper the title "computer", in which case the >computer community might better speak up and avoid that the neophites >get burnt. And, please, no former Sinclair purchaser should lecture me >that at this price its "you get what you pay for" ... or, if you can't >resist, please include your return-address; maybe I can interest you in this >antique pet-rock, incredibly loyal, undemanding, ....; a bargain at *ONLY* >$1 (plus shipping and handling) > After the massive success of the Commodore 64, Commodore spent quite a bit of time and money trying to create follow up products. The plus-4 used the same technology, but had fewer chips and included several ROMs containing built in software. The word processor is not well regarded, but the rest is usable. The printer is pretty slow and cheap, and only works with Commodore CPU's. Somehow, the idea of machines having less features the the C64 didn't go over real well. These machines were still on sale at K-mart, a year ago, but vast numbers were piled up in Commodores warehouse and on the books. Some were sold elsewhere, but eventually the whole lot was sold to some liquidation companies. These companies are free to advertise as they wish and are not going to say anything negative about the products. Other products in the same category are the Commodore 16 (cheap C64) and the SX64 (portable with built in 4" color monitor). There also exists an amusing collection of prototypes in the Commodore enginnering department, of machines that never made it into production. Complaints about the machines themselves should probably be directed to certain persons now running Atari... -- George Robbins - now working with, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|caip}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@seismo.css.GOV Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
daveh@cbmvax.UUCP (04/22/86)
The PLUS/4 computer was the last effort of the previous CBM administration
to create another consumer computer. The original concept of the machine
was a really cheap but more powerful replacement for the VIC-20. What we
got instead was a machine very similar but incompatible with the C64, and
at an introductory price about $100 above the C64 at the time. The features
of the machine: 64K RAM, enhanced BASIC, built-in machine language monitor,
word processor, spreadsheet, and filing program (total of 64K ROM), and
a real ACIA for serial communications. And 121 possible colors instead
of the 16 colors of the C64. What was left out was software compatibility
with any previous CBM computer, and that is why you can now buy one from
a liquidator. They learned the lesson with the PLUS/4 that Atari, TI,
Sinclair, and Mattel learned before -- no one can compete successfully
with the C64 in the now $150 home computer market.
--
Dave Haynie {inhp4,allegra,seismo}!cbmvax!daveh
When the going gets tough, the weird turn proins_akaa@jhunix.UUCP (Ken Arromdee) (04/23/86)
>They learned the lesson with the PLUS/4 that Atari, TI, >Sinclair, and Mattel learned before -- no one can compete successfully >with the C64 in the now $150 home computer market. I hate to disappoint you, but Atari computers are still being sold... -- Kenneth Arromdee | | BITNET: G46I4701 at JHUVM, INS_AKAA at JHUVMS -|------|- CSNET: ins_akaa@jhunix.CSNET -|------|- ARPA: ins_akaa%jhunix@hopkins.ARPA -|------|- UUCP: {allegra!hopkins, seismo!umcp-cs, ihnp4!whuxcc} -|------|- !jhunix!ins_akaa | |