What is an Osborne 1 worth?

[Cyde Weys]

Just wondering what an Osborne 1, the first "portable" computer, is
worth these days. I can get one for (relatively) cheap, and I'm just
wondering if it's worth acquiring.

 

[philo]

Just wondering what an Osborne 1, the first "portable" computer, is
worth these days. I can get one for (relatively) cheap, and I'm just
wondering if it's worth acquiring.

Most vintage computers don't really have much $$$$ value
but that one would still be a pretty good collector's item.

 

[V W Wall]

Just wondering what an Osborne 1, the first "portable" computer, is
worth these days. I can get one for (relatively) cheap, and I'm just
wondering if it's worth acquiring.

We called it "luggable". I learned assembly language on my Osborne 1. It
used CP/M 2.2 with a Zilog Z80 CPU. Surprising how little some things
have changed!

I have all the manuals and programs that came with it, so if you want
to "play", give a shout. Some of the stuff I wrote back then still runs
fine in a DOS window in Win98.

Virg Wall
--

Any sufficiently advanced technology
is indistinguishable from magic.

Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law

 

[Cerridwen]

Most vintage computers don't really have much $$$$ value
but that one would still be a pretty good collector's item.

I saw a ZX80 going on eBay for around £600 the other day. Spectrums seem to
be in demand - Amigas, Ataris and C64s, OTOH, are ten a penny. I have an
A500 with 250MB hard drive, extra floppy, monitor, joystick, mouse and 250
games (95% of which are still playable - i.e. the floppies haven't
corrupted) and I couldn't get more than £40 or £50 for the lot!

 

[Stacey]

V W Wall wrote:

I have all the manuals and programs that came with it, so if you want
to "play", give a shout. Some of the stuff I wrote back then still runs
fine in a DOS window in Win98.

But just a little faster ;-)

I have some software I wrote on an IBM PC-AT in basic and at several points
it had a "please wait, computing results..." to let you know where is was
in the calculatoons. When run on a pentium 100 you never see those
screens!

 

[Cerridwen]

V W Wall wrote:




But just a little faster ;-)

I have some software I wrote on an IBM PC-AT in basic and at several
points it had a "please wait, computing results..." to let you know
where is was in the calculatoons. When run on a pentium 100 you
never see those screens!

"Calculatoons"? I can see a new series for Cartoon Network in there
somewhere! ;o) Or maybe The Learning Network - a new junior school maths
show!

 

[George]

They aren't rare...I know someone who used to test Osborne products who got
stuck with a whole garage full of them...all new.