Computers for hackers/enthusiasts (was Re: [OT] USB KVM switches)

[Tony Duell]

> 
> Tom wrote:
> > No one ever built commercial computer gear for the likes of us.
> 
> Ethan wrote:
> > Not as an intended audience... no.
> 
> Wasn't the Apple II "commercial computer gear"?  What about the
> original IBM PC?  Both were sold commercially, but both were designed
> and documented for people to hack on.


Also, what about machines with so-called 'user ports' (I can think of the 
Commodore PET, VIC 20, C64, C128 ; The BBC Micro ; The Tatung Einstein ; 
withot even trying. The last 2 of those had ADC ports too). Those were 
surely designed for linking to homebrew hardware.

Going back further, the Philips P851/854 minicomputers had a 'prototyping 
card' available. It had the basic bus interface logic and address decoder 
built on a PCB with a wire-wrap area for your own circuitry. Of course 
the bus was fully documented too.

DEC, of course, made wire-wrap cards, interface 'chipkits', etc 
available. 

For a short time Tandy in the UK sold prototyping boards and housings to 
fit the CoCo cartridge slot. I am not sure if those were ever sold in the 
States, but I built a few interfaces using them.

-tony