Later it offered the C128, which had multiple operating modes,
including a much better BASIC and an 80-column display, but also an
entire incompatible 2nd processor -- a Z80 so it could run CP/M. This
being the successor model to the early-'80s home computer used by
millions of children to play video games. They really did not want,
need or care about _CP/M_ of all things.
On Sat, 23 May 2020, Jim Brain via cctalk wrote:
Again, misleading. The Z80 was not a design goal. a 2MHz C64 compatible
with 80 columns was the design goal. THank the Z80 on some Marketing shmuck
that promised CP/M compatibility on the unit (thinking the C64 CP/M cart
would work, which it can't, because the cart is badly designed, I am told it
was a bit f plagiarism from an Apple II CP/M card, but failed to take into
account the strange C64 bus cycle). Bil is around and can happily tell you
the story of simply designing the Z80 cart into the main motherboard to
checkoff the requirement and quit having to fight to get the cart to work.
I met a few early purchasers of the C128.
They were C64 users who felt that they ALSO needed a CP/M machine, and it
was handy to have both machines in one case.
It's possible that with a few more iterations, they might have been able
to get the Z80 side and the C64 side to work together better.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com
