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

[RJLCyberPunk]

Amen brother I would love a CoCo like that too.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ries, Rich (S&FS)" <Rich.Ries at Honeywell.com>
To: <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2011 8:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Coco] How much of a CoCo makes it a CoCo?


> 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
> 
> --
> Coco mailing list
> Coco at maltedmedia.com
> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco