From: utzoo!decvax!cca!jcp@BRL@sri-unix
Newsgroups: net.micro
Title: IBM Personal Computer opinion
Article-I.D.: sri-unix.2374
Posted: Sat Jul 31 22:22:45 1982
Received: Sun Aug  1 04:44:34 1982

From:     J C Pistritto 
I just, for the first time in my life, laid eyes on the new IBM PC.  WOW!
Leave it to IBM to make a personal computer that doesn't look like a refugee
from a hardware lab.  I was extremely impressed by the good integration
of the package/display.  I saw both the color and monochrome video display,
and the monochrome is a definite win.  Its much better than most video
terminals.  The keyboard is also a win, (excellent feel).  I was a little
disapointed in the low memory density provided, (16K elements), but that
is fixable by buying an outside memory board.  (256K with a serial and
parallel port is available outside).

A word of caution about IBM's async communications package however, the
software CANNOT hack terminal emulation at 1200 baud, (much less 2400), its
partially written in basic.  The excellent CROSS-TALK package is available
for CPM-86 (one of 3 OS's available, the best is M-DOS however).   A
C compiler is available, (but not thru IBM).  The COMPUTERLAND outlet in
Timonium has a good selection of software also.  In particular, VISICALC
and WORDSTAR are supposed to be real wins, (although expensive).

There are assembly language implementations of terminal handling done,
I would be particularly interested in one that emulates several popular
terminals, (VT-100, Concept 108, etc.).

						-JCP-
PS: Lets hear it for QUAD modems (2400)!