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what's needed for a home pc [message #223985] Wed, 04 September 1985 11:35 Go to next message
len is currently offline  len
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Article-I.D.: qumix.944
Posted: Wed Sep  4 11:35:13 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Sep-85 05:06:17 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Qume Corp., San Jose, CA
Lines: 8

Has anyone done market research on what's needed for a HOME pc?  My
feeling is this:  1. Built-in printer and display, both quality, 2.
Canned programs in ROM -a. Word Processing, b. Data Base Management, c.
Spreadsheet financial planners, d. Other?  I don't see the need for a
disk drive or tape storeage but would use eeprom for storeage.  128k of
Ram should be adequate.  Cost should be around $500.  Decent keyboard
and portable, using minimum desk space.  What's out there now that
meets the bill?  I think anything more than this is Marketing hype.
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #224010 is a reply to message #223985] Thu, 12 September 1985 12:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cem is currently offline  cem
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Article-I.D.: intelca.86
Posted: Thu Sep 12 12:19:55 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 14-Sep-85 17:08:17 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Intel, Santa Clara, Ca.
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[Slightly spaced out for clarity, not me!, the text. ]

> Has anyone done market research on what's needed for a HOME pc?  My
> feeling is this:  
> 1. Built-in printer and display, both quality, 

Built in printer? I think the needs of various home users are diverse
enough the merit different types of printers. People who use a home
computer for correspondence and writing would most likely want a 
small LQ printer, like the Atari one or one of the Silver Reed types,
whereas people who only rarely print things out would probably want to
save the bucks and get a thermal or ink-jet dot matrix printer.

> 2. Canned programs in ROM -a. Word Processing, b. Data Base Management, 
> c. Spreadsheet financial planners, d. Other?  

This works Ok for the most part except on new machines or new programs.
A lot of software houses still have problems with writing "ROMmable"
code. Some of it is programming style, some of it is due to the compilers
they are using. Either way this would/could limit your options. [You 
will note the number of cartridges available for the PCjr] 

> I don't see the need for a disk drive or tape storeage but would 
> use eeprom for storeage. 

Hmmm, you don't write many documents do you. If you look at your 
applications above, each manipulate data structures that can be several
thousands of bytes long. Since the only production EEPROMs around seem
to be 2K X 8  (there are some 8K but they aren't very stable yet) you
will need a LARGE number of them for your mass storage. You would be 
better off using Epson's technique of battery backed up RAM for mass
storage. You should also consider that as a general rule of thumb the
minimum amount of mass storage provided for a system should be 10 times
the amount of main memory. And at least 5% of that should be removeable
(although this is not always the case) So for your 128K system (see
below) you should have 1.2 Mbytes of storage, that's 640 2K EEPROMS
or 160 8K EEPROMs. Some of which should be removable (programmable
cartridges?)

> 128k of Ram should be adequate.  Cost should be around $500.  Decent 
> keyboard and portable, using minimum desk space.  

Using current technology you could build this sort of system (sans 
EEPROMs) into a large keyboard enclosure. Since single sided disk
drives are about $25 around here you could save some money by putting
two of these in a box at either end. It probably wouldn't run on 
batteries but it would be portable. The Sept Byte has an article on
a single board computer that you could build into a "lunch box" with
two 3.5" floppies and a mode, but you would still need a terminal.
That system would cost ~$500 after integration. RCA has a complete
terminal in a keyboard called the APT, you still need to add a monitor
and now we are up to three pieces so it has become less portable. 

> What's out there now that meets the bill?  I think anything more 
> than this is Marketing hype.

Nothing "off the shelf." A PCjr with a floppy meets most of your
requirements but lacks the small footprint. A grid Compass meets
all of your requirements but comes in at over $7000. If you hadn't
guessed, a system that meets your mass storage requirement would 
probably be unusable. Might as well go with a floppy or two. (The
3.5 " ones are really small, and better protected against the
environment too. I would be interested to here if you find such
a system. 

--Chuck

-- 
                                            - - - D I S C L A I M E R - - - 
{ihnp4,fortune}!dual\                     All opinions expressed herein are my
        {qantel,idi}-> !intelca!cem       own and not those of my employer, my
 {ucbvax,hao}!hplabs/                     friends, or my avocado plant. :-}
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256289 is a reply to message #223985] Sat, 14 September 1985 22:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: sambo@ukma.UUCP (Father of micro-ln)
Article-I.D.: ukma.2190
Posted: Sat Sep 14 22:10:44 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Sep-85 12:20:11 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP>
Reply-To: sambo@ukma.UUCP (Father of micro-ln)
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ. of KY Mathematical Sciences
Lines: 24

In article <86@intelca.UUCP> cem@intelca.UUCP (Chuck McManis) writes:
>> Has anyone done market research on what's needed for a HOME pc?  My
>> feeling is this:  
>> I don't see the need for a disk drive or tape storeage but would 
>> use eeprom for storeage. 
>
>You would be 
>better off using Epson's technique of battery backed up RAM for mass
>storage. You should also consider that as a general rule of thumb the
>minimum amount of mass storage provided for a system should be 10 times
>the amount of main memory. And at least 5% of that should be removeable
>(although this is not always the case)

Intel makes bubble memory.  Although I have no idea if this would be a suit-
able system for this application, at least such a thing is reported to exist.
Intel even has a bubble memory cassette system, which is removable.
--
Samuel A. Figueroa, Dept. of CS, Univ. of KY, Lexington, KY  40506-0027
ARPA: ukma!sambo<@ANL-MCS>, or sambo%ukma.uucp@anl-mcs.arpa,
      or even anlams!ukma!sambo@ucbvax.arpa
UUCP: {ucbvax,unmvax,boulder,oddjob}!anlams!ukma!sambo,
      or cbosgd!ukma!sambo

	"Micro-ln is great, if only people would start using it."
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256302 is a reply to message #223985] Mon, 16 September 1985 02:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
phil is currently offline  phil
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Article-I.D.: amdcad.4038
Posted: Mon Sep 16 02:57:41 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Sep-85 04:49:36 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP>
Reply-To: phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai)
Distribution: net
Organization: AMD, Sunnyvale, California
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In article <2190@ukma.UUCP> sambo@ukma.UUCP (Father of micro-ln) writes:
>Intel makes bubble memory.  Although I have no idea if this would be a suit-
>able system for this application, at least such a thing is reported to exist.
>Intel even has a bubble memory cassette system, which is removable.

Forget bubbles. Everyone else has. EEPROM, however, is a successful 
technology which is going to get even better/cheaper/denser/faster.

-- 
 We changed Coke again. hee hee

 Phil Ngai (408) 749-5720
 UUCP: {ucbvax,decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil
 ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.ARPA
Re: Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256335 is a reply to message #224010] Mon, 16 September 1985 11:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cem is currently offline  cem
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Article-I.D.: intelca.89
Posted: Mon Sep 16 11:19:30 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Sep-85 07:20:54 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP>
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Organization: Intel, Santa Clara, Ca.
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Samuel A. Figueroa writes : (discussing mass storage for a generic home pc.)
> Intel makes bubble memory.  Although I have no idea if this would be a suit-
> able system for this application, at least such a thing is reported to exist.
> Intel even has a bubble memory cassette system, which is removable.

I didn't mention bubbles because of their cost. Bubbles are great for 
really hazardous environments and extreme shock conditions etc. The
4 meg ones even give you more storage than a minifloppy on a cassette. 
However, with 256K ram's available for $2.77 a piece it is more economical
for a home computer to use ram. If you are going to use this in the lab
get bubbles. If it is going to sit by the couch or on your desk use the
rams.

--Chuck

-- 
                                            - - - D I S C L A I M E R - - - 
{ihnp4,fortune}!dual\                     All opinions expressed herein are my
        {qantel,idi}-> !intelca!cem       own and not those of my employer, my
 {ucbvax,hao}!hplabs/                     friends, or my avocado plant. :-}
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256433 is a reply to message #223985] Mon, 23 September 1985 21:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
rb is currently offline  rb
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Article-I.D.: ccivax.278
Posted: Mon Sep 23 21:37:27 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Sep-85 07:24:27 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: CCI Telephony Systems Group,  Rochester NY
Lines: 74

> In article <86@intelca.UUCP> cem@intelca.UUCP (Chuck McManis) writes:
> >> Has anyone done market research on what's needed for a HOME pc?
> >> I don't see the need for a disk drive or tape storeage but would 
> >> use eeprom for storeage. 
> >
> >You would be 
> >better off using Epson's technique of battery backed up RAM for mass
> >storage.
> 
> Intel makes bubble memory.
> Intel even has a bubble memory cassette system, which is removable.

Any of the alternatives above would be acceptable except for the cost.
The most important factor in a home (or truly personal) computer is
expense.  EEPROMS have limited write ability, usefull for storing "boot
parameters", but not word processing.  Battery backed RAM, would be suitable
for small quantities, but "switching cartriges", is very risky business.
Bubble memory is very expensive, mainly intended for "abusive" situations
like factories, vehicles...

Several good things have been done with tape, but the access time tends
to be a little slow. Caching, ram-disks, and very high-speed transports
could make tape useful as a mass storage media, but defeat the original
goal of providing the user a familiar, low cost interface.

The first question to answer is, "what does a HOME computer need to do?",
if it is only a game machine, cartridges are ok.  If it is an educational
resource, CD-ROM provides a very good answer (Prices would have to be about
the same as the computer).  If you are using it to enhance other hobbies,
such as drafting a model airplane or creating a knitting pattern, then
some sort of removable media is indicated.  A HOME computer is really a
misnomer. Unfortunately, most people equate a PERSONAL computer with a
"business desk-top" purchased buy large corporations who can afford
these "executive machines".  A personal computer should be one you can
afford to buy for yourself!!  The company may put one on your desk, but
you should be able to afford your own if you want it.  In fact, many
businesses need an affordable business computer to replace obsolete
"Text-only" terminals connected to large mainframes.  Unfortunately,
replacing 1000 'tubes' with $2000-$5000 "IBM compatibles" (which aren't),
can be too much of an investment (Not to mention the VAX owners who don't
trust IBM's methods).

3 1/2 inch floppies provide a convenient way to carry several megabytes
in a coat pocket or purse (just blow off the lint, and plug them in).
If a "standard interface", such as SCSI could be adopted by all
drive makers, users could choose models with price/performance
that best meets their needs.  If a "microfloppies" were available for
between $50 and $250 with varying response times, storage capacities...
for any computer from a C64 to a VAX 11/780, using the same interface,
(the way a cassette drive is available for any reciever via "phono plugs"),

Microfloppies have parallels in the Audio industry.  Records give very good
response for a few plays, but wear down.  Reel-Reel tape gives good sound,
but are inconvenient to handle.  Cassetes provide a media that is convenient!
It is the convenience that becomes a major factor (sound is not as good, but
you can play it in your car, home stereo, or "walk-player".  You can get
better sound from a "dolby/DBX/equalized/3-head/microferrite-head..." player,
but you can also play it on a <$20 player.

Sony offers drives that go twice as fast as "normal" drives (600rpm vs 300rpm),
and a "speed independent interface" would allow you to take advantage of this.
You could even use "threaded shaft" head positioning for a very low cost drive.
Using a ram-disk, or read-ahead caching, or other "optimisers" would allow you
do reduce wait times a little.

Of course, with a "device independent" interface (GPIB,SCSI,????), you could
also use hard drives, streamer tape, CD-ROM, WORM, various laser, and even
a VCR as storage media.


These Opinions have nothing to do with CCI, it's employees, or it's Management.
They were mine, but I share them in hope they will benefit others.

(The world looks different when your upside-down)
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256503 is a reply to message #223985] Mon, 30 September 1985 12:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
kurt is currently offline  kurt
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Article-I.D.: vax2.948
Posted: Mon Sep 30 12:03:53 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 2-Oct-85 06:12:22 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP> <278@ccivax.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
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What a home computer needs to have (my own opinion)

1.  Price under $1000.00 US (1985 dollars).  This is an absolute requirement
because you need to make it have the same relative kind of expense as
another major appliance.

2.  Multitasking OS with memory protection.  If you are going to use this
thing to monitor security, control appliances, etc., it can't be going down
all the time while you are programming it.  You need a system that protects
one program from another.  Furthermore, if it does go down, it has to come
up quickly and lot loose the state of things it is controlling.  This
implies a sophistication in its control software.

3.  Integration with the phone system; autoanswer modem, digital storage
answering machine, autodial phone numbers, automatic alarm calling, maybe
packet store and forward network.

4.  Integration with appliances.  This is mostly a requirement that the
appliances be computer controllable.  There will also have to be a
"universal control language" or smart, device independent control software.

5.  Integration with home entertainment equipment.  A computer would be the
ultimate VCR timer.  You can integrate the display with a TV, the storage
with a CD, and the computer can control and interact with audio and video
programming.

6.  The system will have to have fast mass storage, and a letter quality
printer.  (Or a dot matrix printer if we can change our notion of what
letter quality means.)

7.  Whatever all the computer does, it must visibly save money to pay for
its existence.  If it is capable of decreasing power consumption, or can
do call routing like some PBX's, or replaces other expensive devices, it
will be successful.  If it relies on being able to "save your recipes on
disk", "help you write letters" or "educate your kids" it will be a failure.


The interesting thing about all this is that it is almost possible today.
Look at the Atari 520ST with its 68000, disk, and CRT for under $1000.
Mostly what we're waiting for is software, and the determination to make the
development effort.

-- 
Kurt Guntheroth
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!kurt
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256528 is a reply to message #223985] Fri, 27 September 1985 11:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
revc is currently offline  revc
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Article-I.D.: gwsd.192
Posted: Fri Sep 27 11:24:58 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 4-Oct-85 05:15:18 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP> <278@ccivax.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Gateway Computer, San Diego, CA
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One thing that is needed for a true home computer is multi-tasking, multi-user.

Multi-Tasking:

You will never get someone to use their machine for recipes if they have
to disable the environmental monitors to bring up the recipe program.  
No one will be happy using it as a telepone directory if they have to 
abort their personal finance programs just to look up a phone number
or take notes on an incoming call.

Multi-User:

The cook will not go into the den to get a recipe, the student will
not go into the kitchen to check the spelling of a word.  You should
have the ability to scatter terminals throughout the house.  You need
the ability to connect the above mentioned environmental monitors.
And everyone should be able to use it when THEY want to, not when
daddy is done with it.

Bob

ps - In my mind the AT&T Unix PC with its User Agent is the first 
step in this direction.

-- 
Bob Van Cleef			{ihnp4|akgua|decvax|dcdwest|ucbvax}
(619) 457-2701			       ...sdcsvax!gwsd!revc
Gateway Computer Systems	      CompuServe - [71565,533]
4980 Carroll Canyon Road
San Diego, CA 92121
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256547 is a reply to message #223985] Wed, 02 October 1985 01:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jp is currently offline  jp
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Article-I.D.: lanl.31284
Posted: Wed Oct  2 01:45:24 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Oct-85 07:42:21 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP> <278@ccivax.UUCP> <192@gwsd.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
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> One thing that is needed for a true home computer is multi-tasking, multi-user.
> 

Please!  I wil take multi-tasking so I can do many things at once, but I want
my own toothbrush and my own computer.  Networks, maybe, but multi-user, 
never!


Jim Potter  jp@lanl.arpa
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256548 is a reply to message #223985] Thu, 26 September 1985 19:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BERGER[1] is currently offline  BERGER[1]
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Article-I.D.: datacube.9100004
Posted: Thu Sep 26 19:57:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Oct-85 07:48:26 EDT
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Nf-ID: #R:qumix:-94400:datacube:9100004:000:648
Nf-From: datacube!berger    Sep 26 19:57:00 1985


EEPROM storage!?
I just got a 20 Meg drive for my Mac and its already over half full!
I like having everything on-line.  
Computer designers must get this scarcity mindset out of thier heads!
CD-ROMS and Mega-byte RAMS and 68020's are just the begining.
A whole new way of doing things are about to open up.  Home personal engines
capable of being low-cost AI engines.  Now maybe we can make computers
that meet peoples needs! (Or at least much better user interfaces)

			Bob Berger 

Datacube Inc. 4 Dearborn Rd. Peabody, Ma 01960 	617-535-6644
	
ihnp4!datacube!berger
decvax!cca!mirror!datacube!berger
{mit-eddie,cyb0vax}!mirror!datacube!berger
Re: Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #256560 is a reply to message #224010] Thu, 03 October 1985 11:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cem is currently offline  cem
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Article-I.D.: intelca.109
Posted: Thu Oct  3 11:23:48 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Oct-85 06:45:18 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP> <278@ccivax.UUCP> <948@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
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> 4.  Integration with appliances.  This is mostly a requirement that the
> appliances be computer controllable.  There will also have to be a
> "universal control language" or smart, device independent control software.

This sort of reminds me of GE's HomeNet (tm). Anyone know what ever happened
to this effort? HomeNet is/was a network based on signals sent over your 
house's wiring that was supposed to be standardized so that all of your 
appliances etc could communicate and report status to a monitoring station
or computer. In college I considered such a system myself but never implemented
it due to the lack of knoweledge on how to build a carrier current modem, and
not quite enough motivation to modify a bunch of appliances. This seems like
it might also be an application for GM's MAP protocol. 

--Chuck

-- 
                                            - - - D I S C L A I M E R - - - 
{ihnp4,fortune}!dual\                     All opinions expressed herein are my
        {qantel,idi}-> !intelca!cem       own and not those of my employer, my
 {ucbvax,hao}!hplabs/                     friends, or my avocado plant. :-}
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #258432 is a reply to message #223985] Fri, 04 October 1985 14:35 Go to previous message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: dsr@ccice2.UUCP (Dave Roland)
Article-I.D.: ccice2.651
Posted: Fri Oct  4 14:35:52 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Oct-85 02:42:38 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP> <278@ccivax.UUCP> <192@gwsd.UUCP>
Reply-To: Mail Address below
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Xref: watmath net.micro:12243 net.tv:3329 net.audio:6056 net.consumers:3112 net.video:1589
Summary: Not a PC, an Appliance!


OK. What is the product? Computer service? Convenience? Entertainment?
Calculator? Information system? Gadget?

The problem seems to be that we are seeing the typical interface between
engineering and marketing. Marketing doesn't know what is possible, and
engineering can't sell the ideas. It still seems, even after all of the
Search for Excellence, people with the power "KNOW" what the customer wants
and don't need to ask or listen.

The market is full of add on boards, cartridges, and modules to extend
the pc to the home. The only problem is that the Personal Computer isn't
an appliance, it wasn't designed as a process control computer. OS's with
print spooling (let alone multi-tasking) were radical things.

The typical response is that you can't do that much with an 8-bit micro.
In a recent project an employer pushed a 6809 @ 1mhz. to access a 2000
person database, through 3 9600 baud terminals, 8 1200 baud data ports,
and alot of LPC voice chips (not any great miracle).

Why not an appliance? Not a Super calculator with 30 independent modules
and processors. I started on a design but haven't the analog to pull it
all together.

When we had the house built, I installed 4 shielded twisted pairs to each
room and video cable to every room. Bathrooms get just the 4 pairs.
Sometimes I don't want my kids to watch specific shows. We have Cable
plus two phones. What am I going to use when I subscribe to a digital
news service that broadcasts on fm subcarriers? How am I going to receive
my e-mail? How will I interface my checkbook program and database, and
the bank's database? What about Cable tv control? audio control? security?

Let's talk about an appliance. Extendable peripheral bus. Piggy-back
application boards, like stereo fm tuners to feed audio channels; 1-5 watt
audio amps with digital controls for audio channel selection, volume,
tone, etc.; digital tv tuners with un-rf-mod video. Throw in a phone/
speaker phone board to feed the audio channels; rs-232 channel selection
board. Make them stackable so you add only what you need. Oh, yes, the pc.
OK, turn on the other half of the ram, the disk, and put the video display
driver onto one of the video channels.

Gee, you could use a standard monitor for tv, and computer in any room.
WOW!, the same sound system for music, phone, intercom, tv sound, computer
output. Gee, you could maintain control over each room's video and audio
output under database control.

In the mean time, (before I get the circuits designed, put it on the market
and become rich), when will someone produce a digital interface for a tv
tuner to produce composite video? How about a digital interface for video
switching (It is alot easier when you are not playing with rf-mod)? What
about 1-5 watt audio amplifiers with a simple digital interface to control
volume, tone, channel selection? How about a vcr with a digital control
interface?

Have I raised enough questions?

As I am Leaving CCI 10-11-85, you are welcome to respond to the following
address:

	David S. Roland
	Roland Projects
	PO Box 126
	Walworth, New York 14568


bye!

DISCLAIMER: As is usual, the preceeding dissertation has absolutely nothing
to do with the opinions of my past, or present employers, and something
to do with the near future.
Re: what's needed for a home pc [message #258451 is a reply to message #223985] Fri, 04 October 1985 12:38 Go to previous message
rb is currently offline  rb
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Posted: Fri Oct  4 12:38:45 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 7-Oct-85 05:37:51 EDT
References: <944@qumix.UUCP> <86@intelca.UUCP> <2190@ukma.UUCP> <278@ccivax.UUCP> <192@gwsd.UUCP>
Distribution: net
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> Bob Van Cleef			{ihnp4|akgua|decvax|dcdwest|ucbvax}
> One thing that is needed for a true home computer is multi-tasking, multi-user.
> 
> Multi-Tasking:
> 
> You will never get someone to use their machine for recipes if they have
> to disable the environmental monitors to bring up the recipe program.  
> No one will be happy using it as a telepone directory if they have to 
> abort their personal finance programs just to look up a phone number
> or take notes on an incoming call.

	On this one I agree with you 100%.  I can think of a dozen more
	reasons for multitasking, but time is short.
> 
> Multi-User:
> 
> The cook will not go into the den to get a recipe, the student will
> not go into the kitchen to check the spelling of a word.  You should
> have the ability to scatter terminals throughout the house.  You need
> the ability to connect the above mentioned environmental monitors.
> And everyone should be able to use it when THEY want to, not when
> daddy is done with it.
>
	On this one, there are times when multi-user is desirable (Like
	being able to run a BBS in the background), but if you want
	everyone to use it when THEY want to, the cost of graphics
	(you do want graphics don't you),... in a "Terminal" will
	raise the price well above that of an ATARI-ST.  I think
	"True networking" is more important than simple ASCII
	 ^^(remote file management ie-open, close, read, write, seek, & flush
	    of remote FILES rather than DEVICES, or "Whole file transferr")
	Multi-User.  Buy more "low cost" PC's as the family
	needs them, and share the "Peripherals".

Add to the list:

Automatic file lock on files opened for write (Unix doesn't provide that yet).
	you don't have system administrators to "bail you out".

"In use" indicators to cause delay of writes to files/devices currently
being read.
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