Date   : Mon, 02 Mar 1987 03:45:48 GMT
From   : ucsdhub!hp-sdd!ncr-sd!crash!kevinb@sdcsvax.ucsd.edu (Kevin J. Belles)
Subject: Re: Z-80 CP/M Machines

In article <4720@brl-adm.ARPA> 7GMADISO%POMONA.BITNET@wiscvm.wisc.EDU writes:
> 
>To: Robert Lewis Harker
>I don't know about the machine you asked about, but I'm going to
>stick my nose in and say that if that machine doesn't work out,
>look into a used Tandy Model 4.  It will indeed run CP/M, and a
>very nice version at that (Montezeuma Micro).  In addition, under
>its proprietary DOS (LS-DOS 6.3), it runs **THE** best Z-80
>assembler I've ever seen, called Pro-MRAS, from a company called
>Misosys.  For an 'obsolete' machine, the amount of support the
>Model 4 has has to be seen to be believed!!

   I woudn't suggest a Tandy Model 4 for programming usage. It has the wierdest
memory banking system I've ever seen, the source code for the BIOS is quite
difficult to get, and the hard disk subsystem is unusually expensive. It also
comes with 2 single-sided 5-1/4" floppies, where I recommend at least DSDD
floppies for programming work (.PRN files and macro libraries can get quite
large). There's only one serial port available for it, and no real applications
notes. I would rather suggest ther Kaypro model 4 (floppy) or 10 (hard)
systems.   For my use I use a S-100 machine. Disadvantages: Pre-made software
is not
easy to find, and it's BIG. Advantages: most of them came with source for the
opsys, and in my case I'm running both 8"DSDD floppies (*reliable* storage at
1196K) and a 5-1/4 floppy, with a 240K ramdisk made by hooking in a bunch of
random manufacturer's memory cards. I can change processors, controllers, and
add I/O simply by plugging in (a la STD), as well as change opsyses from
IMDOS (one of the first) to UNIX, etc. The advantage of S-100 over STD is
that hardly anything save Z-80/8080/8085 was ever made for the STD, whereas
S-100 cards I have seen myself include 8080/8085/8086/8088/80286/80386, 
Z-80, HD64180, 65xx/68xx/68xxx/32xxx, etc. You also get a feel for the system,
because improving your system often means implementing code yourself, thus 
giving you a 'feel' for your environment. It's been around for quite a while,
and looks to keep on into the future, with new cards coming out monthly for
all kinds of wierd industrial and commercial applications.

-- 
Kevin J. Belles - UUCP: {hplabs!hp-sdd, akgua, sdcsvax, nosc}!crash!kevinb
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