[Coco] 8-Bit Microcomputers

[arikboke at yahoo.com]

--- Dezorian <dezorian at shaw.ca> wrote:
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2004, arikboke at yahoo.com wrote:
> 
> > In other parts of the world, notable Japan, Korea, Brazil, Netherlands,
> > France, Russia, etc., MSX machines were BIG.  But again, these were not 
> > available in the US :(  
> 
> Actually, the MSX-1 had a limited release in North America.  A local (now
> long-since defunct) computer shop carried them in a limited quantity in the
> early 80's, and a friend of mine had one...
> 
> If I 'member correctly (and I probably don't, I was at most TEN years old), I
> think it was Spectravideo who brought them here.
> 
> CJ


Yes, I remember the Spectravideo machines!  They weren't completely compatible
with the MSX-1 standard, and hence did not have access to the huge library that
was overseas.  This early machine had one of those horrible "chiclet"
keyboards, though it did have a stick that you could screw onto the cursor keys
to form a "Joystick"  That's the other thing I loved about MSX machines --
integrated cursor keys in a diamond formation.  We take separately positioned
cursor keys for granted now, but back in those days, few companies really
implemented them correctly.  In the MSX2 and 2+ machines, they also included a
numeric keypad above the cursor keys.  Truly wonderful machines.  Well, better
stop now before I get mobbed by the Coconuts here :)

-- David