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From: slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc,net.micro.trs-80
Subject: Re: TANDY 1000: Request for Info
Message-ID: <265@sesame.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 11-Aug-85 03:30:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: sesame.265
Posted: Sun Aug 11 03:30:09 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Aug-85 03:23:20 EDT
References: <6470@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Organization: Lotus Development Corp
Lines: 38
Xref: linus net.micro.pc:4653 net.micro.trs-80:262

> I'm thinking on buying one of these, but I wonder
> how compatible it is with an IBM/PC.
> 
> Can you buy expansion cards and plug them in?
> Can you put an 8087? What about software: would
> it run DBase III, Symphony, etc?

The machine is a cross between the PC and the jr.  One BIG compat. problem
has to do with DMA.  The base machine has none, but the memory cards add
DMA circuitry.  The as a result, you can not use any add-in cards with
memory unless you have first added a tandy memory card.  since the machine
only has 3 slots, this is a pain (tandy has no multi-function card for
this beast last time I checked.)

The keyboard is a bit different.  (BTW - they don't have a scroll lock key,
which some packages want (like 1-2-3), but there is a key combo that emulate
it, I forget which).

As a guide to compatibility, Lotus 1-2-3's IBM version can be made to 
run on the machine (not well, but functional).  However, the hassles/
problems were significant enough that a migration for the tandy was
done.

With the current price trends for the IBM PC, why not wait until
the next round of price cuts (this fall?? if you believe S.Katt)
and get a 'fully compatible unit'  :-).


-- 
Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus
Development Corp.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner

              {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner
                      {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner
                                slerner%sesame@harvard.ARPA