From The Mind Of <U39648@uicvm.uic.edu> (04/28/91)
>I have an opportunity to buy a 2MB MiniSport for $300 through an >educational discount. I would use it for wordprocessing/remote access >to my office workstation. > >I would greatly appreciate any comments regarding this computer, the >price/suitability for my purposes, etc. Let me preface my comments with something related: I too am interested in buying a MiniSport through an educational dealer and probably will later this week. I have only *one* reason for doing so: the price. The keyboard is fair, but nothing spectacular to speak of. The screen is very small, and contrast isn't so hot. (They made the screen much better on the MiniSport HD.) If you haven't noticed, it uses 2" disks. For those not familar with the MiniSport non-HD, I'll repeat this. Two inch floppy disks. A box of ten at educational prices is around $60 US. They format to 720K in the same format as double density 3.5" floppies. (An external 3.5" is available, but it is not a closeout item, so it runs just under $300 by itself!) It comes with 1M or 2M of RAM. Memory beyond 640K can be split up between LIMspec EMS expanded memory and a battery-backed-up RAMdisk. It can use an internal 2400 bps modem, and can also be hooked up to an external CGA-type display. It has a "ROMdisk" with Zenith DOS 3.30 PLUS and FastLynx, a LapLink-type program so you can transfer files to/from the MiniSport to a computer with standard floppy drives. It comes with a multi-head serial cable for FastLynx. The speed is just a tad under that of most Turbo XT clones. All in all, I think it's a below average laptop. The tiny screen/keyboard are minuses, as is the non-standard 2" drive, BUT... damn, at the closeout prices being offered to educational dealers, it's not so bad. It is VERY tiny, much more a notebook computer than a laptop. I'm going to buy one with 2M RAM, a modem, and extra battery pack. Later on down the line, I may even buy an external 3.5" floppy for it. - Darius ========================================================================= BITNET: U39648@UICVM | "I'd rather laugh with the sinners Internet: u39648@uicvm.uic.edu | than cry with the saints, ====================================| the sinners are much more fun, "Don't set fire to strangers." | and only the good die young." - Mr. Zarniwoop | - Billy Joel