root@decwrl.UUCP (02/20/84)
Message-Id: <8402201850.AA17941@decwrl.arpa> Date: Monday, 20 Feb 1984 10:54:30-PST From: gigi::fleischer (Bob Fleischer 231-2132 MRO3-2/E7 ECS) To: net.micro Subject: Re: request for info on the Rainbow 100 The Rainbow 100 (and its hard-disk version, Rainbow 100+) is the "industry standard" personal computer from Digital (DEC). It provides both the 8088 processor (as used in the IBM PC and clones) and a Z80. With those it runs MS-DOS (generic version of IBM's PC-DOS) and both 8 and 16-bit CP/M. Thus it runs or can easily support almost all non-Apple personal-computer-type software. Some opinions (from an admittedly biased point of view): almost everything about Rainbow is at least a little bit better than you find on your average (can you guess what that is?) pc. The keyboard is quite a bit better. Dual floppy disks, at 400KB per disk, are standard. The standard character video supports 80 and 132-column modes. The color graphics option is faster, provides more colors, and has higher resolution than the IBM PC. Terminal emulation (in ROM) is standard. Drawbacks? It is not an IBM clone. IBM software that makes direct hardware access will require modification to run on it. Mitigating that problem to a great extent is the fact that Digital has fostered the conversion and development of software for it to the point that over 1000 titles, mostly business and personal productivity products, are available for Rainbow. Check it out. I'd like to hear other opinions as well. Thanks. Bob Fleischer Digital Equipment Corp. 2 Iron Way (MRO3-2/E7) Marlboro, Mass 01752 (617) 467-2132 ...decvax!decwrl!rhea!gigi!fleischer ...ucbvax!decwrl!rhea!gigi!fleischer