firebug@cup.portal.com (01/09/88)
In article <1344@sugar.UUCP> ssd@sugar.UUCP (Scott Denham) writes: >> Well, while the C128 is/was farily successful as a Commodore product, it >> is not obvious that the availability of the Z80-CP/M subsystem had much >> impact. The machine also included an 80-column display capability, faster > (Further description of C-128's attributes deleted) > > I think thats a very fair statement, George. I know 8 or 10 C-128 >owners; NONE of them use the CPM mode to any degree and most have never >even tried it. Like the PC bus in the 2000, I think it really just 'icing' >- both would be good machines without the feature, but it's a nice enough >feature to a small subset of the people who use the machine to make it >worth putting in to distinguish one's self from the competition if it can >be done at a reasonable price. I can't help but agree too...When I had my C-128, I never seemed to get around to using the CP/M side, except for trying out a bit of old CP/M software I had laying around from a previous computer. But it's a nice little addition for those that like that sort of thing...I'm surprised Jerry Pournelle didn't jump for it. :-) However, I think it would have been much better if CBM had dropped an 8088 into the thing, rather than a Z-80. Just think, with an 8088 and a little added circuitry to make the video look like the CGA, you would have had the ability to run a fair amount of the IBM-PC software around (I imagine 80-90 percent compatibility would have been sufficient). And since the 8088 is an 8-bit chip (pin-wise, that is), I can't imagine that it would be much more difficult to interface, or cost much more to add, than the Z-80 is. And there is a hell of a lot more PD software out there for the IBM-PC than there is for CP/M machines. How about it, Commodore...a C-128/PC ? +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Lance T Franklin ltf@killer | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | something clever. | | | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
firebug@cup.portal.com (01/09/88)
ooops last wuz supposed to include this from me.... how about an add-on chip??? nowing VERY little about the computer circuitry couldnt they just program a chip to handle whats necessary? since I was led to believe the *old* 1571 could read ms/dos format disks moi
elg@killer.UUCP (Eric Green) (01/09/88)
in article <2679@killer.UUCP>, ltf@killer.UUCP (Lance Franklin) says: > Xref: killer comp.sys.amiga:13208 comp.sys.cbm:1096 > However, I think it would have been much better if CBM had dropped an 8088 > into the thing, rather than a Z-80. You have GOT to be kidding. Have you ever seen the PINOUTS of an 8088? The address and data busses are multiplexed on top of one another... it would have raised the chip count of the machine beyond its current ridiculous number to do all of the clock generation, address latching, etc. required by an 8088. -- Eric Lee Green elg@usl.CSNET Asimov Cocktail,n., A verbal bomb {cbosgd,ihnp4}!killer!elg detonated by the mention of any Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 subject, resulting in an explosion Lafayette, LA 70509 of at least 5,000 words.