FISCHER@RUTGERS (01/24/83)
From: Ron <FISCHER@RUTGERS>
At long last, Lisa.
Note that the price of $10k seems to be a real break. The Lisa's base
configuration includes things other manufacturers are charging extra for, i.e.
hard disk and floppies.
The questions are: exactly where is the market for these devices? and what
affect will Apple's product (and it's price) have on the other manufacturers?
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1) 23-Jan STERNLIGHT@usc-ecl.a Apple LISA--Official Release
2) 23-Jan STERNLIGHT@usc-ecl.a LISA intro--II
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Received: from BRL by RUTGERS; Sun 23 Jan 83 18:41:47-EST
Date: 19 Jan 1983 2041-PST
From: STERNLIGHT@usc-ecl.arpa
Subject: Apple LISA--Official Release
To: info-micro@brl.arpa
Received: From Usc-Ecl.ARPA via smtptcp; 19 Jan 83 23:41 EST
Received: From Brl.ARPA via smtptcp; 19 Jan 83 23:36 EST
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The Apple Lisa was announced today. I saw and used one at the
Pasadena, Ca. computer show. Price is ~10000, and it is very
attractive with Xerox-star-type graphics, icons, and an
integrated operating system with word processor, spread-sheet,
filer, type faces like Star, and beautiful, flicker-free black-
on-white display.
For what the basic configuration includes the price seems
competitive with far less powerful systems with similar stand-
alone software. Apple's data follows:
Display:
-12 inch screen (measured diagonally)
-Full-screen bit-mapped display
-364 lines by 720 dots
-up to 40 lines of 132 characters
-60Hz refresh rate
-Contrast level under software control
-Contrast-enhancing screen
Keyboard:
-Detached, standard typewriter-style
-N-key rollover
-Sculptured keytops
-textured, nonslip, nonglare
-Numerical keypad with raised dot on 5 key
-Full ASCII character set, up to 77 keys
-All keys programmable
-Smart interface with control-oriented processor
Mouse:
-Extremely fast, intuitive cursor positioning
-Works well on any surface
-Simple one-button design eliminates confusion and the need to
learn commands
Disk storage:
-860k bytes(per drive)formatted storage
-1.4Mbytes(per drive)unformatted capacity
-62.5 tracks/inch
-10,000 bits/inch
-Automatic disk eject
-Smart interface with 6504 processor
Main processor:
-MC68000 32/16-bit CPU
-32-bit internal architecture
-16-bit external data path
-Seven levels of interrupts
Real-time clock:
-Software system on-off control
-Interval and event timing
-COPS processor, battery backup
Main memory:
-16K bytes of boot ROM
-Up to 1M bytes RAM
-Parity error detection
Memory management:
-Permits operating system to relocate segments in memory
-Provides access controls for block memory
-Segmentation into 128 variable-length blocks
Communications interface:
-Two serial ports
-SCC controller
-programmable
-full-function
-RS-232 with full-duplex channels
-Full modem control and ring indicator on one channel
-Baud rates software programmable
-One parallel port
-8-bit bidirectional
-handshake control
Audio output:
-Built-in speaker with software-controllable tone generator
Expansion board slots:
-Three slots
-Xero insertion-force connectors
-Direct connection to system bus
-DMA capability
-Memory-mapped I/O
-Vector interrupt capability
-Direct connection of power suppply
-digital ground
-+5v, -5v, +12v, -12v
-allows up to 10W total(maximum rating) for all three cards
-+5v standby (at 58mA) per board
Weight and dimensions:
-Computer console:
-Weight 48 lb.
-Height 13.8 in.
-Width 18.7 in.
-Depth 15.2 in,(16 in. with keyboard under front)
-Keyboard:
-Weight 4 lb.
-Height 2.7 in.
-Width 18.7 in.
-Depth 6.5 in.
Power requirements:
-115 or 230 v. AC
-48 to 68 Hz.
-270 W (maximum)
Environtal requirements:
-Ambient temperature 40-108 degrees F.
-Relative humidity 15-80% noncondensing
Applications:
-LisaCalc(spreadsheet modeling),LisaList(list management),
LisaProject(project scheduling),LisaWrite(word processing),
LisaGraph(business graphics), LisaDraw(graphics editor),
LisaTerminal(terminal emulation).
Languages and development environment:
-BASIC, Pascal, COBOL, Lisa Editor, Assembler, Linker, Debugger,
and a wide range of utilities.
Communications
-3270 BSC
System expansion:
-Apple Dot Matrix Printer, Apple Daisy Wheel Printer, Apple
Profile(5mb hard-disk storage device), Modem, 2-port parallel
card, and AppleNet Local Area Netword (Ethernet connections
available for Apple products).
------End of Apple Specifications sheet--------
I was told that the $9995 package includes 2 drives, a hard disk,
all the software and the mouse. The dot matrix printer was about
$600 extra and it was claimed to print the full screen, including
Icon images accurately and with excellent quality. The image
quality of the screen is indistinguishable (to me) from the Xerox
Star. The software is completely integrated a la a desktop,
wastebasket, file folders, printers, etc with the same graphic-
arts quality typefaces one saw on the Star. A really superb-
seeming job. Apple reps said delivery starts in April; a large
number of machines are out on Beta test now (the list of sites is
closed; sorry about that; I tried, too) and there are "a few
minor refinements" in the software yet to be made. I saw it run
and it looked very good, with Pert charts floating around the
screen, movable boxes, expanded blow-ups of part of the diagram
and a shrunken complete diagram on the screen, and similar
fanciness for document composition, etc.
There are extensive spec sheets on each software package, but
this is a long message for the net already. The software is very
well thought out.
For further information and literature, you can call 800-662-
9238.
--david--
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Received: from BRL by RUTGERS; Sun 23 Jan 83 20:37:59-EST
Date: 19 Jan 1983 2054-PST
From: STERNLIGHT@usc-ecl.arpa
Subject: LISA intro--II
To: info-micro@brl.arpa
Received: From Usc-Ecl.ARPA via smtptcp; 19 Jan 83 23:55 EST
Received: From Brl.ARPA via smtptcp; 19 Jan 83 23:50 EST
Received: From Brl-Bmd.ARPA via smtptcp; 20 Jan 83 0:08 EST
It was stated that XENIX would be available for the LISA at the
time of delivery, and cpm-68000 "might" also be available.
The $9995 price was said to include (I forget) either 512K or
1 Megabyte of RAM, and despite the spec sheet the Apple rep
said the machine could address 6Mb of RAM. Apple has selected
a very small sub-set of their dealers to carry the machine, and they
are being designated "LISA business centers."
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