Date   : Sun, 29 Aug 1982 19:34:00-EDT
From   : Paul L Kelley <PLK@Mit-Mc>
Subject: DEC Rainbow-100 for MIT People

       Although this message might seem to be appropriate for the
MIT micro community alone, perhaps other academic institutions can
make similar arrangements.

       I talked to a local DEC person who deals with MIT yesterday.
He says that MIT and DEC are trying to work out an agreement whereby
members of the MIT community will be able to purchase the Rainbow-100
and similar DEC products at the MIT discount rate (34-40%). The main
hangup seems to revolve around how MIT, a nonprofit institution, remits
the Massachusetts sales tax. He says DEC is very eager to see this happen.

       The cost of the standardly configured Rainbow-100 at the discount
rate would be in the $2100-2300 range. Briefly, the standard Rainbow-100
has (as much as I can recollect):

       o 8088 and Z80 CPUs; CP/M-86 and -80
       o 64K RAM plus system software in ROM
       o keyboard and display
       o 2 5.25" drives; 400K/drive
       o 2 serial ports (printer and communications)

So, if the salesperon is correct about the MIT/DEC deal, the whole
thing sounds like a fabulous boon. First deliveries of the Rainbow-100
should be in October/November.

       Btw, there will be a display for MIT/Harvard people of the new
DEC PC line at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge this Tuesday and Wednesday
(31 August and 1 September). This includes the Rainbow-100, Decmate II
(PDP-8) and Professional 3xx Series (PDP-11) systems. Why the VT-180 or
the rumored VT-185 (125+180) are not included is a mystery to me.

cheers,
       Paul Kelley