[ Retro Scan ] Disemboweled IBM PC 5150
June 30th, 2016 by Benj Edwards
Is somebody gonna clean this mess up?
Here we have a biggole two-page IBM PC 5150 advertisement spread from 1982 — published not long after the launch of IBM’s first PC in August 1981.
It looks like IBM is trying to play up the bare-metal technical angle for Byte readers, who likely were building their own PCs from kit parts just a few years prior (and some still were doing it then).
The result, quite frankly, is a huge mess (looks like my workbench). And the advertisement didn’t come out too well in the magazine print run, which makes the image dark and muddy. It’s not my fault, I swear!
I particularly like the phrase “the RS232C interface that gives you the world” in the advertising copy. It implies using the serial port for networking — that is, in connecting to remote computers. It’s funny because back then, that statement was a hyperbolic boast that was not meant literally. Online services were limited to a teeny-tiny fraction of the world population and their capabilities were limited. Today, networking does really give you the world.
Discussion Topic: Have you ever broken a computer while you were taking it apart? Tell us about it.
June 30th, 2016 at 5:54 pm
Pretty strange discussion topic for the post, but what the heck, I’ll go with Vectorman again. 🙂
June 30th, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Maybe Duke Nukem 3D? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9doqwl-U7jU
June 30th, 2016 at 7:00 pm
Sorry guys, I forgot to set the discussion topic after using last week’s Retro Scan post as a template. The correct discussion topic is up now. 🙂
June 30th, 2016 at 7:47 pm
I like how it says “optional diskette drives.” What do they expect you to do without them?
June 30th, 2016 at 11:44 pm
Kouban, the original IBM PC actually came with a cassette drive interface built-in, which IBM thought would allow it (when used with its built-in BASIC in ROM) to serve as a lower-cost home computer (versus just a small business machine). As far as I know, very few people actually used a cassette drive with the IBM PC.
July 4th, 2016 at 10:59 am
ESD is a real threat. I’ve toasted several components due to improper grounding.
July 5th, 2016 at 4:13 pm
I did try working in my University’s computer laboratory and decided to dismantle a brand new personal computer (being a curious me). I was able to build it back, but it’s not working anymore :p Luckily my professor had it fixed that very same day; it should’ve cost me bucks to replace it hahaha.
August 2nd, 2016 at 6:55 am
Missed you in July, hoping you’ll be back in August!
August 4th, 2016 at 9:52 am
Hey Geoff,
After about 13 years, I finally went on a vacation that lasted more than a couple days. I’m back now, and I hope to put up some more Retro Scans soon.
August 5th, 2016 at 7:01 am
Glad to hear you were able to take a much deserved vacation! Go anywhere fun?
August 5th, 2016 at 9:10 am
I went to Texas, where my mom is from, with my family. We had a great time.
August 6th, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Benj, I enjoyed your tweets about the Olympics commercials.
August 8th, 2016 at 10:20 am
Thanks hofman. Glad someone was listening. Sometimes Twitter seems like shouting out into the darkness.
August 22nd, 2016 at 7:02 pm
I fried a C64 once while I had it open out of curiosity. I dropped a screwdriver on one of the voltage regulators while the computer was running… fried it crispy.