mj@elmgate.UUCP (Mark Johnson OPER) (04/08/89)
I'm thinking about buying an IBM PC clone. But what does that mean? I know the letters IBM PC. I _think_ I know XT and AT. But then there's VGA, CGA, EGA. There are questions about how much memory each model can handle. There are all kinds of video cards, all kinds of memory and expansion boards, different sizes of expansion slots, different meanings for the word "compatible" (something along the lines of "some machines are more equal than others"). Some clonse are great buys, some are paperweights. Some machines are "turbo", whatever that means. Some are "2M/0K" (which I assume means a 2M board but with 0K installed.) There are "AT" keyboards, "XT" keyboards, "extended (?)" keyboards, etc. There is Phoenix Bios and Award Bios. Getting tired of reading this? Me, too. I understand the technical background OK, but I don't know the specifics of the market. Can anyone recommend, or does anyone have, a high-level guide to the World Of IBM PC[XT/AT]. I'm not interested in PS/2. Also, I'd like it to be fairly short, i.e., I'm not looking for "Gomer Gasbag's IBM PC War And Peace: Vols. I-XXIII." Recommendations of and warnings against particular clones are also solicited. Send me your testimonials! Please respond via email: I'll forward a summary or repost as interest warrants. AtDhVaAnNkCsE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mark A Johnson Eastman Kodak Company - SISD UUCP: rochester!kodak!elmgate!mj USPS: 222 Norman Road, Rochester NY 14623 WORK: (716) 726-7035 "Quidquid latine scriptum, altum videtur."