[Coladam] A difficult and simple question for adamites

[bob]

Daniel........

> To the masses, the Coleco ADAM computer was, and still is, considered junk 
> by those who had really BAD experiences with the first batch or two that 
> hit the market.  It is common knowledge that Coleco turned out a bunch of 
> non operating -  JUNK - when ADAM was first introduced;  SIMPLY because 
> they made a promise that they could NOT keep; and did not have an "ice 
> cube's chance in hell" of working.  Coleco promised computers by Christmas 
> in August of that year, when they had NOT even developed it fully; and 
> certainly had not tested the components.  The first generations of buyers 
> got that junk stuff and raised holy heck, along with telling ALL their 
> friends that the ADAM was junk.
>
> To Coleco, it was a case of sell it, and then fix it for free when they 
> knew how to make it work.  Coleco was NOT the first, NOR the last to do 
> business this way.  Every computer company did (and still does?) the same 
> things.
> Microsoft is still doing things this way........ i.e. Windows; pick your 
> version and then tell me WHY it continually needs updating.
>
> By the time Coleco had the ADAM fixed and running correctly, after maybe 4 
> revisions; the ADAM had a bad reputation.  As a matter of fact, most of 
> the early reviews for the ADAM, pointed out the good points of the ADAM as 
> well as the affordability of the system.  Coupled with the fact it was a 
> complete system, it WAS a great value.  BUT, the damage to it's reputation 
> was already done.  Add in the fact that Coleco decided to keep the 
> programming tactics a secret from outside programmers; and you had a 
> system that ......
>    1. did not have another source of software
>    2. didn't have a good intial reputation
>    3. produced by a company who did not want to keep losing money
>    4.  was made a company who took the easy way out - STOP making the 
> computer and supporting it (actually going out of business).
>
> IF Coleco had worried MORE about turning out a profitable, useful, 
> dependable, and upgradeable computer system; we would be using the ADAM 
> today; although in a totally different form than what we know as the ADAM 
> computer !!!  DOING the homework and development BEFORE bringing the
> ADAM computer product to market would have had better results.
>
> AS IS, the ADAM's we are using are 25 plus years old and are virtually 
> indestructable.  How often do you hear that someone's ADAM died.  Granted, 
> you have to hear it from an ADAM user (or ColecoVision user), but the 
> durability of the ADAM can no longer be questioned.  Many of today's 
> programmers STARTED programming on the ADAM because it was a good hands on 
> computer to learn on and graduate up from.
>
> Besides, it is easy to operate.  AND ........... as some of us mature, we 
> need EASY!!  :-)
>
> SO, take THAT to the bank !!
>
>