1989: Computerland Flyer - IBM HP Compaq Apple etc.
Posted by nmrk@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Posted by nmrk@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 19 comments
richardsequeira@reddit
OS/2 rebates! Good way for these PS/2 to run the platform for the 90’s
Difficult_Abroad_477@reddit
It’s seem so strange how Apple seemed like an outsider to the rest of the industry but it seemed like Apple computers still had a presence in society. Microsoft made more money selling applications (Office) on the Mac than on Windows and many creative apps were first on the Mac.
Foreign-Attorney-147@reddit
Apple was struggling in the mid 90s and losing market share. Michael Dell unironically said Apple should return all the money to the shareholders and close up shop. Things started changing after Steve Jobs came back and got his messaging right. Apple maintained a presence in society that was larger than its market share because of journalism. Most newspapers and magazines were produced on Macs, so journalists gave Apple breaks they didn't necessarily give other tech companies.
sarajevo81@reddit
...they are like 40% of USA's PCs. 'Outsider'?
Difficult_Abroad_477@reddit
Back in the 90s, it didn't seem that way.
G3rmanaviator@reddit
My first non C64 was a 386SX, 16Mhz with 4MB ram and a 90MB HDD. A couple years later i told people that I was going to upgrade to a 500 MB hard drive. People just looked at me funny and said “what are you going to do with that? Nobody will ever need that much space.” 😂
WryOrbit@reddit
In hindsight, was the Compaq Deskpro model 40 worth the $200 premium over the PS/2 55sx?
nmrk@reddit (OP)
It probably was. The Compaqs used ISA expansion slots, the PS/2 used Microchannel MCA cards. Also I didn't like the PS/2 build quality, especially compared to the previous generation PC/XT/ATs.
texan01@reddit
My parents bought an Epson LQ-510 and an Epson Equity I+ in 1989 to replace the family PCjr.
nmrk@reddit (OP)
Hey now that I think about it, I had an Epson Equity II+, it was a nice expandable 286 system. I had a weird phone/modem card. It could work as a digital answering machine, or modem. I recall I had a monochrome monitor, the Epson had a clone of the Hercules Graphics Card. It was a great match to the Epson LQ printers with the new 24 pin printheads, to get much better text and graphics.
RCHeliguyNE@reddit
I actually didn’t know that you could buy a cd rom for a computer in 1989 - it’s on the Apple page under the IIcx
CommentOriginal@reddit
I’m still amazed seeing it as “normal” that for Macintosh keyboards weren’t included. I do remember being a kid pre jobs coming back thinking the price of an Apple keyboard was insane then.
atomicham@reddit
I bought a Mac Plus with ImageWriter II from Computerland in 1987. Cost me just over $1600. Every cent I had plus a loan from my parents. It took me another year to save to get a 20MB hard drive. Taught myself C and Mac Toolbox programming on that. Great times.
DecentlySpaghetti@reddit
Only $3899! (Or ~$10400 today) I could afford that by mowing lawns! /s
Xerxero@reddit
As teenager is loved these. But the price, somehow i must have forgotten how expensive it was back then.
auximines_minotaur@reddit
Wow. A $4K Mac with 1MB of RAM. That must've been an experience.
to3cutter@reddit
15 years old me will fap on magazines with this ads.
Terrible-Bear3883@reddit
That brings back memories, I used to service almost all those PCs and printers, loved working on the PS/2 range, they were so easy to strip and replace parts, I was also a printer specialist so I'd strip most models to their chassis and get them running.
Customers used to ask why I would fix their Laser printers where many other engineers would return them to the workshop, I would say "it's simple, I can't pick them up" :-)
shazbot996@reddit
Aww man! Computerland was a great memory for me. My parents got an IBM PC Jr and couldn't figure it out. I was 12, and dove in head first. There was a Computerland that I could ride my bike to. The guys who worked there were always stoked to teach me what to do with it, and answer my questions. I have a fantastic career in computers now and in no small part due to Computerland!