IBM PERSONAL SYSTEM/2 MODEL 30-001 [Looking to upgrade? Advanced tech: Better security? Only $1,695]

IBM ^ | April 4, 1989 | IBM

[daniel1212]

Looking to avoid problems, with Windows update? Latest Linux kernel?

[z3n]

10 CLR

[Mr. Jeeves]

I’m reminded of the old rule: “The system you really want always costs $5,000.”

I used to use this exact system at work. With DOS, 640K really was enough for anybody. :)

[trad_anglican]

Remember floppies and stiffies?

[ctdonath2]

That was such bleeding edge tech at the time. Screaming awesome stuff.

[daniel1212]

I used to use this exact system at work. With DOS, 640K really was enough for anybody. :)

Who would ever need more?

[Dr. Sivana]

The Model 30 was a piece of JUNK. IBM was supposed to move the entire lineup from the Model 50 on up to use wide channel Micro Channel Architecture (MCA). The Model 30 used an old CPU and was obsolete (640x480 VGA notwithstanding) and still cost a LOT more than better competition from Compaq, PC’s Limited, Gateway, Everex and many others.

I worked on a lot of Model 50s and Model 80s (boat anchors). The MCA configuration boot diskettes kept me busy as an IT serviceman for some time.

[Red Badger]

That MicroChannel Bus will be AWESOME!........................

[Red Badger]

Mornings at the old folks home.................

[Dr. Sivana]

With DOS, 640K really was enough for anybody.

Unless you ran Autocad or some REALLY big Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets.

Also, on the 8086, drivers often wound up eating into main memory. TSR programs like Sidekick used even more.

[adorno]

With DOS, 640K really was enough for anybody

Even with today's tablets and smartphones and PCs, 640k might be enough.

Most people can only do one app at a time, and most apps don't really do much more than present on the screen stuff that's really done on the cloud.

And, loading up a tablet or smartphone with apps, just because 'they are there', makes on sense either.

[TangoLimaSierra]

Time-of-day clock with battery backup.

How can you beat that?

[FreedomPoster]

I remember when I got that first “Disk full error” on that MASSIVE 10 Meg hard drive. That was a shocker!

[sevlex]

OMG, Sidekick!

I had forgotten about that.

[Rurudyne]

If IBM hadn’t demanded such a high fee to use micro channel it wouldn’t have bombed. But they were trying to get the market back unde4 their control and reverse the clone market that came about because for one brief, shining moment IBM didn’t act like IBM due to the efforts of the PC design team.

Their micro channel strategy wasn’t as dopey as “hey, let’s trust Gates’ promise to not make another windowing system and also to handle marketing the OS/2 development tools” but it wasn’t far off.

[cgbg]

They had guaranteed privacy—no Internet connection!

[daniel1212]

Remember floppies and stiffies?

I actually only started using a computer about 1999, but yes, I did use 3.5 floppies a lot. I even used a utility called something like Mad floppy that would increase the capacity of the 1.44Mb drive to something like 1.99. But never used the 5 1⁄4-inch drives.

[ShadowAce]

Tech Nostalgia Ping!

[enumerated]

Exciting times, but also innocent times.

Back when we, the end users, were who they were trying to please.

Somewhere along the line we became the mark, the prey. The tech industry no longer serves us - it serves those preying upon us - its goal is to give them better access to us and reveal our vulnerabilities.