Boohyaka wrote on 2022-09-19, 15:57:
I've seen so much Tandy mentions in game setups as a kid and was always curious what they were and only found out way later, probably during internet days. If I came across one I'd be tempted to grab it just to toy with my Sierra collection, but chances are low and I wouldn't be going out of my way for one. I have a TNDY 3 voice ISA card in one of my rigs, it's glorious and probably close enough 😀
That's because of the great video game crash, I suppose.
Home computers and video game consoles had a hard time after the crash.
America focused on higher quality computers and VHS instead, I think.
Namely the IBM PC and the Macintosh.
Those both were the most popular, judging by the few American books/manuals that I have.
Older, obsolete US systems included the TRS-80 and Apple II.
Maybe the ancient PET, too, if we're kind hearted.
That's why the NES over there was such a notable exception, looked like a VCR.. 😉
By contrast, here in Europe, simple home computers like the C64, Amiga or the MSX still had a chance.
Which, however, caused us to be stuck with much lower-end hardware for a while.
I mean, using a home computer in the 1990s as a daily driver..
The American users could just use the same type of professional computers at home they were used to use at work, anyway.
Which allowed them to be written off their taxes, I assume.
Edit: What I mean to say.. In the states, the Tandy 1000 perhaps was such a success because it was both IBM PC compatible (business software/same software from at work) and featured home computer abilities.
Tandy 3-voice, good graphics (in comparison to CGA/IBM PC)..
Edit: Just double-checked.. Here are some popular 1980s computers from a 1986 manual (US company).
Edit: As you can see, the Tandy computers were quite popular at the time.
- To be fair, maybe because Radio Shack was popular among radio hobbyist, also.
But interestingly, the Amiga is totally missing, despite the ViC20, C128 (!) and C64 being mentioned.
The slow Sanyo MBC and a rare NEC are also listed.
Edit: I'm surprised the TI99 (TI99/4A), the first (?) 16-Bit home computer, wasn't mentioned.
Maybe it was simply too mucht obsolete and hated, I guess? Not sure.
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