1983 Radio Shack catalog PC prices !

jogiba · 05-13-2010, 01:50 PM

You could have purchased a new BMW back then for what they charged for the Model 16 PC, 33mb HD setup (4x 8.4mb HD ) and daisy wheel II printer w/tractor feed !

Adam · 05-13-2010, 02:11 PM

At least we can happily say that PC memory costs about 550,000 times less today than it did back then! Funny to see $1195 listed as affordable, too

Kingaircj · 05-13-2010, 02:24 PM

oooo Trash 80s. Thats what I learn computers on. Skills like making a rocket ship print on a dot matrix printer. You know Life skills

Parallax · 05-13-2010, 02:27 PM

10 Print "Geez those were expensive!"
20 GOTO 10

Ratmagiclady · 05-13-2010, 02:28 PM

Heheh.

Wait a minute.

My stars and garters, that's where all the tuition money went!

And, I might add, Parallax demonstrates how that was a really expensive lesson in the futility of rote tasks.

Especially when there's a big orange reset button for any passing nun or person who thinks it's clever to hit.

I credit the TRS-80 for my intransigent analog mentality, not to mention a damn fine lab assistant, to this day.

This was my attitude: People would be: "You're smart enough to do computers! Everyone's doing computers!" I was like, "I'm also smart enough to know that these things will become smarter, make all this programming you push everyone into obsolete in short order, ...and people won't. Someone's got to remember something real."

Something to that effect.

Do love daisy-wheel printers, though. You could crush a Honda with one, but they were the last one that worked right.

jogiba · 05-13-2010, 04:27 PM

Quote:

The Lisa was first introduced on January 19, 1983 at a cost of $9,995 US ($21,693.67 in 2009 dollars).

Apple Lisa $9,995 in 1983

JeffJS · 05-14-2010, 09:56 AM

Originally posted by Adam

At least we can happily say that PC memory costs about 550,000 times less today than it did back then! Funny to see $1195 listed as affordable, too

In 1983 there wasn't very much 'affordable' to anyone. Not around here anyway..

johnmflores · 05-15-2010, 08:49 AM

In '83 or '84 the school got one of those 8.4Mb hard drives for the computer lab. It was great because we no longer needed to save our BASIC programs to cassette!

Until...

Over Christmas break they closed the door to the "server" room where the hard drive and CoCo were. They generated so much heat in that little room that they fried themselves.

Ahhh, good times!

r0ckstarr · 05-17-2010, 06:09 AM

I like the sounds that those old dot matrix printers made.

HGMonaro · 05-17-2010, 10:49 PM

our TRS-80 Model III had a tape recorder for storage... Dad couldn't justify the $$$ for the 5MB hard drive... year or 2 later it go one... the joy!!! although there was that sound as it read the data that meant 'something' was there!

Ohh, and I just threw out a working NEC Pinwriter P7 (the 132 col wide one) dot matrix printer recently... which I paid about $1200 for!

SteveM · 05-17-2010, 11:54 PM

I never had the joy of a TRS.....but I do still have my Atari 800xl and some of the cartridges like Javelin. It isn't as cool as as my 600xl that was "chipped" to 64K....but like a few lenses of years gone by, I didn't know what I had....also gone is my Rana 1000 drive.....touch sensitive screen and digit display....Oh ya.....

When I was 18 I started in the fire service. The hall had just gone computerized, with a printout of the address with cross streets, distances to hydrants, other water sources, hazards etc. Sounds cool until you were standing around waiting for the printer to spit out the piece of paper so you could head off to the call.

I would also get in trouble for shutting one of the systems down without issuing a command to park the heads of the hard drive.

B Grace · 05-18-2010, 10:12 AM

Originally posted by Parallax

10 Print "Geez those were expensive!"
20 GOTO 10

IF TRS-80 is too expensive
THEN shop for Commodore 64
ELSE drop large money at Rat Shack

Parallax · 05-18-2010, 10:20 AM

Originally posted by B Grace

IF TRS-80 is too expensive
THEN shop for Commodore 64
ELSE drop large money at Rat Shack

LPRINT "Good one!"

JeffJS · 05-18-2010, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by B Grace

IF TRS-80 is too expensive
THEN shop for Commodore 64
ELSE drop large money at Rat Shack

The C-64 was my first computer. The computer, the monitor, the tape drive, the disk drive, and a Smith Corona daisy wheel printer.

borno · 05-18-2010, 05:02 PM

I have a FortranIV book around here somewhere.

I remember having to write a program for compund interest for an exam.

05-13-2010, 01:50 PM	#1
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	1983 Radio Shack catalog PC prices ! You could have purchased a new BMW back then for what they charged for the Model 16 PC, 33mb HD setup (4x 8.4mb HD ) and daisy wheel II printer w/tractor feed !

05-13-2010, 02:11 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,594	At least we can happily say that PC memory costs about 550,000 times less today than it did back then! Funny to see $1195 listed as affordable, too Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

05-13-2010, 02:28 PM	#5
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Heheh. Wait a minute. My stars and garters, that's where all the tuition money went! And, I might add, Parallax demonstrates how that was a really expensive lesson in the futility of rote tasks. Especially when there's a big orange reset button for any passing nun or person who thinks it's clever to hit. I credit the TRS-80 for my intransigent analog mentality, not to mention a damn fine lab assistant, to this day. This was my attitude: People would be: "You're smart enough to do computers! Everyone's doing computers!" I was like, "I'm also smart enough to know that these things will become smarter, make all this programming you push everyone into obsolete in short order, ...and people won't. Someone's got to remember something real." Something to that effect. Do love daisy-wheel printers, though. You could crush a Honda with one, but they were the last one that worked right. Last edited by Ratmagiclady; 05-13-2010 at 02:44 PM.

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05-13-2010, 02:24 PM	#3
Kingaircj Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Houston TX, Duncan Ok Photos: Gallery Posts: 28	oooo Trash 80s. Thats what I learn computers on. Skills like making a rocket ship print on a dot matrix printer. You know Life skills

05-13-2010, 02:27 PM	#4
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	10 Print "Geez those were expensive!" 20 GOTO 10

05-13-2010, 04:27 PM	#6
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491 Original Poster	Quote: The Lisa was first introduced on January 19, 1983 at a cost of $9,995 US ($21,693.67 in 2009 dollars). Apple Lisa $9,995 in 1983

05-14-2010, 09:56 AM	#7
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by Adam At least we can happily say that PC memory costs about 550,000 times less today than it did back then! Funny to see $1195 listed as affordable, too In 1983 there wasn't very much 'affordable' to anyone. Not around here anyway..

05-15-2010, 08:49 AM	#8
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	In '83 or '84 the school got one of those 8.4Mb hard drives for the computer lab. It was great because we no longer needed to save our BASIC programs to cassette! Until... Over Christmas break they closed the door to the "server" room where the hard drive and CoCo were. They generated so much heat in that little room that they fried themselves. Ahhh, good times!

05-17-2010, 06:09 AM	#9
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	I like the sounds that those old dot matrix printers made.

05-17-2010, 10:49 PM	#10
HGMonaro Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melb. Aust Posts: 840	our TRS-80 Model III had a tape recorder for storage... Dad couldn't justify the $$$ for the 5MB hard drive... year or 2 later it go one... the joy!!! although there was that sound as it read the data that meant 'something' was there! Ohh, and I just threw out a working NEC Pinwriter P7 (the 132 col wide one) dot matrix printer recently... which I paid about $1200 for!

05-17-2010, 11:54 PM	#11
SteveM Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,294	I never had the joy of a TRS.....but I do still have my Atari 800xl and some of the cartridges like Javelin. It isn't as cool as as my 600xl that was "chipped" to 64K....but like a few lenses of years gone by, I didn't know what I had....also gone is my Rana 1000 drive.....touch sensitive screen and digit display....Oh ya..... When I was 18 I started in the fire service. The hall had just gone computerized, with a printout of the address with cross streets, distances to hydrants, other water sources, hazards etc. Sounds cool until you were standing around waiting for the printer to spit out the piece of paper so you could head off to the call. I would also get in trouble for shutting one of the systems down without issuing a command to park the heads of the hard drive.

05-18-2010, 10:12 AM	#12
B Grace Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 429	Originally posted by Parallax 10 Print "Geez those were expensive!" 20 GOTO 10 IF TRS-80 is too expensive THEN shop for Commodore 64 ELSE drop large money at Rat Shack

05-18-2010, 10:20 AM	#13
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Originally posted by B Grace IF TRS-80 is too expensive THEN shop for Commodore 64 ELSE drop large money at Rat Shack LPRINT "Good one!"

05-18-2010, 03:32 PM	#14
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by B Grace IF TRS-80 is too expensive THEN shop for Commodore 64 ELSE drop large money at Rat Shack The C-64 was my first computer. The computer, the monitor, the tape drive, the disk drive, and a Smith Corona daisy wheel printer.

05-18-2010, 05:02 PM	#15
borno Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: md-usa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,580	I have a FortranIV book around here somewhere. I remember having to write a program for compund interest for an exam.