[Coco] How much of a CoCo makes it a CoCo?

[Ries, Rich (S&FS)]

Take a look at your PC. Now remember (if you're old enough 8) ) the
original IBM PC. Note there are differences such as USB, VGA, 101-key
keyboard, PS2 connectors, and where did drives A: and B: go? Where's the
parallel port? The 25-pin RS232C port?

My point is that the PC is still a PC, even if it _has_ been changed a
lot.

The Coco, as a hobbyist computer, was comprehensible -- especially with
all the articles in Rainbow (thanks to you all who contributed!).

Something to maybe consider would be "personality switches" on the main
board. You want to use the built-in keyboard? Fine. Set S1 to 0. To use
an AT-style keyboard, set S1 to 1. Same thing for the video (CM-8 vs.
VGA). Maybe something for speed -- 0.89 MHz for old times' sake, and
"blazing fast" for efficiency. (This assumes a non-6x09 micro.)

My dream Coco would have VGA, AT-style keyboard, USB ports, and a
buffered experimenter's port. The VGA connector would be at the rear of
the box, the keyboard and USB at the front, and the experimenter's port
anywhere but the rear.

It would also power up looking for an OS, and if it did not find one,
switch to BASIC. A built-in RTC chip would be A Real Nice Thing. I am
also a believer in co-processors.

Well, maybe I'll get my dream Coco in heaven...

--Rich