[Coco] CoCo-X project

[Bill Loguidice]

I supported this on Kickstarter, but then those of us on this list are not
the average Kickstarter audience. The problem with Kickstarter is that
unless your goal is extremely modest, you need something with broad,
understandable appeal. The CoCo-X is not something the average person
visiting Kickstarter can easily understand, so I'm not surprised it's only
being supported mostly by those of us on this list (or is it entirely by
those of us on this list?). With the funding number needed, even if every
person on this list kicked in, I'm not sure the goal could be reached.

One option for another try at this would be to pitch this as a hobbyist
computer first and a CoCo clone second. Sort of like a more expensive
Raspberry Pi type of thing. Make it REALLY understandable to anyone and
perhaps include a few extras, even if its PDFs on a CD, with how to program
it, etc. We'd (those of us on this list) would get a new CoCo and the
broader audience would get a neat hobby system that just happens to be a
new CoCo. There are tons of systems like that sold elsewhere (example:
http://www.xgamestation.com/) and there's no reason to think this couldn't
work too even with the relatively high price (to clarify, the price is
understandable, but it is a premium over similar boards).

Another option is to go through something like an Indiegogo, where there
are no specific goals that need to be met. People buy in and there's
delivery independent of what the final totals are.

Anyway, just some thoughts...

-Bill

===================================================
 Bill Loguidice, Managing Director; Armchair Arcade,
Inc.<http://www.armchairarcade.com>
===================================================
Authored Books<http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Loguidice/e/B001U7W3YS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1>and
Film <http://www.armchairarcade.com/film>; About me and other ways to get
in touch <http://about.me/billloguidice>
===================================================


On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 9:55 AM, Allen Huffman <alsplace at pobox.com> wrote:

> On Apr 18, 2013, at 8:32 AM, Fedor Steeman <petrander at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Gary Becker's CoCo-X project, as based on the great FPGA design work done
> > by several people, looks really promising as a replacement CoCo or even
> as
> > a form of "CoCo 4". However, there aren't many backers yet and the
> closing
> > data is coming soon.
> >
> > How do people feel about this possibility? Is it too expensive? Would
> more
> > graphics mode be enticing? It already supports a 256 color mode and
> > clockings speeds to a whopping 20 MHz.
>
> If I wasn't in such severe financial state right now, I would have fully
> backed the project. The only down side to these Kickstarters is that some
> (like this one) will take "forever" before the are released.
>
> But, I would see no problem kicking in $250 and waiting a year+ for the
> device, to support it, if I had the money.
>
> For me, I am just spiraling towards bankruptcy right now and just trying
> to get through tomorrow :)
>
> > There has been a lot of talk of a CoCo 4 and this is the closest thing
> yet.
> > So I would expect a lot more people to be interested that is mirrored by
> > the present number of backers.
>
> Well, if this doesn't get funded, I think we are done with CoCo 4 talk
> unless there really are interested folks, but they don't like the FPGA
> concept. I think having the real I/O ports and ability to use a real 6809
> is the best compromise I have seen between emulation and recreation.
>
>                 -- Allen
>
>
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