yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
de19014649
228 files were never archived; see docs/not-recovered.md in the extraction repo. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
264 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
264 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: DATAVUE Spark
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Portable
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origins:
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- U.S.A.
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years:
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- '1987'
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cpus:
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- Intel 8088
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params:
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name: Spark
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_system_1.jpg
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company: /companies/datavue
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company_name: DATAVUE
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: Spark
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Datavue
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- label: TYPE
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value: Portable
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: U.S.A.
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- label: YEAR
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value: June 1987
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- label: END OF PRODUCTION
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value: '1993'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: None
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: Full stroke 76 Key IBM Style. No Keypad
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- label: CPU
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value: Intel 8088, later Nec V20 & V30
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- label: SPEED
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value: 9.77 MHz.
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- label: RAM
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value: 640 KB
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- label: VRAM
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value: Suspected to be 128 KB
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- label: ROM
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value: 384 KB
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 40-80 chars. x 25 lines
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: 320 x 200, 400 x 320 dots
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- label: COLORS
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value: 16 blueish greyscales
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- label: SOUND
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value: PC Speaker
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 13 (W) x 13 (D) x 18 (H) Inches / 6.5 Kg. (14 lb)
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: 9 Pin RS232C, 9 Pin RGBI, RF Port, 25 Pin Centronics, 16 Pin External Floppy Port
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: One or two 3 ½ 720K Floppy Disk Drives - Hard disc version came later
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- label: OS
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value: MS-DOS
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: External power supply unit
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- label: PRICE
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value: |-
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$1000-$1200 (USA, 1988)\
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AU$10999 (Australia, 1987)
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tabs:
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- photos
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- links
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photos:
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- title: TOP VIEW
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subtitle: ''
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text: This case design would be used by dozens of laptop PC manufacturers for several years.
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_topview_s1.jpg
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- title: CLOSED
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subtitle: ''
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text: Along with its power supply unit.
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_closed_s1.jpg
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- title: DISPLAY
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subtitle: ''
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text: The display could be turned down when the computer was used with an external monitor.
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_display_s1.jpg
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- title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
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subtitle: ''
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text: A complete PC-type keyboard with separate arrow keys. The BIOS allowed to shitch between letter or numeric keys (in red).
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_keyboard_s1.jpg
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- title: PROFILE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Notice the 'Line' and 'Tel' RJ11 sockets of the built-in modem.\
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The second floppy disk drive is available on the right side of the Spark.
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_profile_s1.jpg
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- title: SPARK CARRYING BAG
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_bag_s1.jpg
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- title: SPARK LABEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_logo_s1.jpg
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- title: BOTTOM LABEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_label_s1.jpg
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- title: ORIGINAL DOS DISKETTE
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subtitle: ''
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text: Original Datavue DOS 2.11 and utilities diskette.
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_dosdiskette_s1.jpg
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- title: REAR CONNECTORS
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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From left to rignt:\
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• Reset button\
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• Serial RS-232 DB9 connector\
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• RGBI connector for external CGA monitor\
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• Monochrome Composite video output jack\
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• Parallel printer DB25 connector\
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• External floppy drive DB15 connector\
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• Extension bus connector (covered).
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_rearcon_s1.jpg
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- title: INSIDE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** 256 KB Expansion RAM card (8 x 4464 Dip IC's)\
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**(2)** Dual 3.5" 720 KB floppy disc drives\
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**(3)** Modem card\
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**(4)** Power regulation card
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_inside_s1.jpg
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- title: MAIN BOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Expansion RAM card connector\
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**(2)** A faster NEC V20 replaces the original Intel 8088\
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**(3)** The rare and expensive 8087 math co-processor option has been added\
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**(4)** Modem and power regulation card connectors\
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**(5)** Battery pack housing\
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**(6)** Keyboard cable\
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**(7)** RAM banks. 12 x 4464 chips hold 384 KB of RAM
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_mainboard_s2.jpg
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- title: CUSTOM CHIPSETS
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subtitle: ''
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text: Each custom chip has different and enigmatic figurines painted on it!
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_chipsigns_s1.jpg
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- title: MODEM AND RAM CARDS
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subtitle: ''
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text: Internal Modem and 256 KB RAM expansion cards
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_modemcard_s1.jpg
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- title: CHARLY
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subtitle: ''
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text: We also found this 'Charly 286' which case is strictly the same as the Spark. Was it a copy? or was it manufactured under licence? We don't know the story.
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image: /media/museum/photos/datavue_spark_charly_s1.jpg
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links:
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- title: Good pictures of the Spark, manual, bag,...
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url: http://sbibuilder.free.fr/spark/
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text: ''
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comments:
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- author: Simon Templar (Finland)
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date: Monday 19th April 2021
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text: 'To Harie Elkiess: I''''ve sold one for 15€ without a power supply. Still have another to sell, hope to get a bit more.'
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- author: Harie Elkiess (Uk)
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date: Tuesday 19th January 2021
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text: Just wondering what they are worth now as I have one in great working condition
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- author: Tony Logan (USA)
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date: Friday 29th May 2020
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text: Hello, I would like to thank you for sharing this useful material. I appreciate reading it. What is more, the material provided here will be useful for a lot of people
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- author: Stewart (New Zealand)
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date: Tuesday 21st January 2020
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text: |-
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This was our first family computer when I was at high school. Mum and dad got it second hand when the local polytechnic sold off their fleet (probably because hard drives were just coming in as an essential...)\
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Many assignments were done using First Choice. Many hours were spent playing Bill and Ted''s Excellent Adventure, and Lemmings. (All in glorious blue monochrome.)\
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in the end it got trashed by a virus and I could never get another boot diskette to work...
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- author: Speedypaper (USA)
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date: Wednesday 26th December 2018
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text: Cheap essay writing can be top-notch with Speedypaper writing service.
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- author: Rupesh Joshi (Mumbai)
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date: Tuesday 18th December 2018
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- author: IOTAP (UK)
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date: Tuesday 21st August 2018
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text: IOTAP is a global IT consulting and software services company with presence in USA, UK, India and the Middle East.
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- author: IOTAP (UK)
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date: Tuesday 21st August 2018
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text: IOTAP is a global IT consulting and software services company with presence in USA, UK, India and the Middle East.
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- author: Ket Jaw (Mumbai)
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date: Wednesday 18th July 2018
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- author: Ket Jaw (Mumbai)
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date: Wednesday 18th July 2018
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- author: NY Charlie (United States)
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date: Monday 7th May 2018
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text: I just bought one of these at an estate sale in Albany NY. It was part of the estate of a former editor of the Washington Post. Boots right up to MSDOS 2.11. It came with a disk that launches Wordperfect.
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- author: Ketan Jawale (Mumbai)
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date: Tuesday 28th November 2017
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text: This very unique info related to PCs
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- author: Ketzilla (India)
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date: Monday 13rd November 2017
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text: Thats Great.
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- author: Ketzilla (India)
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date: Monday 13rd November 2017
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text: Linkcue is an online platform for comparing best broadband in Mumbai and searching list of internet service providers in Mumbai.
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- author: Sql Online Programming Help
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date: Wednesday 16th August 2017
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- author: Accounting Homework Help
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date: Wednesday 16th August 2017
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text: Dissertation Guidance Provides quality Online Dissertation Help for students.
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- author: Joe C Buckner (USA)
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date: Friday 6th January 2017
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text: Have one of these for sale email me if interested pyajoe@earthlink.net
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- author: Kelvin Walter (Boston,United States)
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date: Tuesday 6th September 2016
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text: Time really flies, some years ago, floppy disks were all over. I am personally a computer lover but good things keep disappearing. Anyway they sparkle good memories.
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- author: Ronald Harper (USA)
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date: Tuesday 10th November 2009
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text: I bought about 15 of these in the late ''80s and wrote Turbo Pascal programs for our field salesmen to use. First, the price was about $1000-$1200, depending on the amount of memory and whether 1 or 2 drives. The "tiny" screen was about 5" high by 10" wide, which was HUGE for 1987. Plus, it was backlit, which made it very bright and readable. The screen was bright white with blue text and graphics. (No color) The closest (decent) competitor to the Spark was the Toshiba T-1000. A very well-made laptop, but its screen was only about 3-1/2" x 7" and much less readable.
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- author: Keith (Philadelphia PA)
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date: Thursday 25th October 2007
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text: |-
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Wow this brings back memories. I had one of these while I was in grammar school. (mid 90s)\
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I had a small box of floppies I would carry with it, as it had 2 low density 3 1/2 floppies built into it (no hard drive). I would keep a boot disk with a DOS menu system in drive A, and insert the appropriate floppy for the program before I selected it off the menu, into drive B. I remember spending hours on dial-up AOL searching for free DOS software for this laptop, and giving a presentation on it for the science fair (external CGA monitor. presentation written in Q-BASIC) Great times. Wish I still had it, but it broke while in high school.
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- author: Michael Reilly (Ft. Walton Beach, FL)
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date: Friday 21st April 2006
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text: |-
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Does anyone know how long it takes the battery to charge?
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Or, more importantly, the amperage required on the transformer?
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Also, mine says Fivestar Express on the top, and Datavue Spark on the bottom on the label. Remanufactured?
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- author: Michael Buchan (Perth, Australia)
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date: Sunday 29th June 2003
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text: |-
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Hello Ken
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You could do this, but It may be expensive. You can probably only run A Maximum of windows 3.0 On it and Wordpad.
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Glad To Help!
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Michael
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- author: Ken Lopossa (Olympia )
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date: Thursday 12th June 2003
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text: I am interested in getting the Old Spark going and I see it has an exxternal floppy option could this be a hard drive instead? could it handle windows? word, or wpad? Where could one get a manual?
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oc_id: 808
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230531230529/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=808
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date: '2023-05-31'
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---
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The Datavue Spark was one of the First Laptops Ever Made. It Featured a Powerful (Back Then) Intel 8088 with a clock Speed of 9.77MHz.
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It had a blue 5" x 10" screen (which was big for 1987) made by Epson that supported 16 shades of blueish grey. Plus, it was backlit, which made it very bright and readable.
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DOS could be run on this system, but needed a boot disk to do anything.
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Due to a very high retail price, very few Spark were sold (at least in Australia). In the US, the price was about $1000-$1200, depending on the amount of memory and whether 1 or 2 drives.
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The closest (decent) competitor to the Spark was the Toshiba T-1000. A very well-made laptop, but its screen was only about 3-1/2" x 7" and much less readable.
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Datavue made it up until 1993, then the company went under due to the many more powerful laptops on the market at the time. Datavue produced many other laptops.
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Thanks to **Michael Buchan, Ronald Harper** for information.
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<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>
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