Subject: Fw: AdamComputer.com domains

From: "Jay West" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 27 11:19:48 2003

Question....

Was there a vintage computer called an "Adam"? I *THINK* I recall hearing
something about that name. If so, then the below email MAY be of interest to
someone. If there wasn't such a computer, then this email is SPAM and I
apologize for posting it here.

Jay West
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dusty Fohs" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 11:01 AM
Subject: AdamComputer.com domains

> Hello,
>
> We purchased the domain names AdamComputer.com & AdamComputers.com for a
project that we are no longer able to develop.
>
> Domains for sale are:
>
> www.AdamComputer.com
> www.AdamComputers.com
>
> I wanted to see if you have an interest or know of someone who could make
use of these domains.   We are just looking to recoup what we paid for these
domains, as they no longer fall into our business plans.
>
> Let me know if you are interested or if you have any questions.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dusty
> [email-masked]

---

From: Bryan Pope <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 27 12:54:40 2003

> apologize for posting it here.

The Coleco Adam?

Cheers,

Bryan

---

From: Martin Scott Goldberg <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 27 15:50:30 2003

>apologize for posting it here.

Yes, the Adam was produced by Coleco from '83-'85.  It came in two
different models, the first as an expansion module to the Colecovision
game system and the 2nd as a stand alone that could accept Colecovision
cartridges (had a Colecovision build in).

I have a boxed one (you can see mine off to the left here -
http://www.goatstore.com/museum15.jpg), which is the Colecovision
expansion module.

It was basicly a Z80 based micro with it's sound and graphics based around
the Texas Instruments TMS9928A for graphics and SN76489AN for sound (both
of which were already in the Colecovision).  If it sounds familiar, it's
because it's similar to the TI99/4A and what became part of the MSX
stanadard.  It also had 64K of RAM, along with 16k of Vram (which is why
you'll often see it advertised as having 80k of RAM).  From my
understanding it's a dual Z-80, supplying it's own Z-80 and having access
to the one in the Colecovision portion.

It consisted of three components connected through a serial net
called ADAMNET.  Consequently, all three components (The daisywheel
printer, the main chasis, the keyboard) had to be connected for the Adam
to function.  If you were missing the printer for example (which the power
was actually supplied through), you couldn't start up your Adam.

The main chasis had a special storage medium called a High Speed Digital
Data Pack, with an empty section for a second one to be added.  They were
basicly a type of DAT used for storage, and most of the Adam's software
was distributed on these.  

Inside you had 3 card slots where you could add things like an internal
modem (which I have), extra ram, or whatnot.  There was also a bus
expansion slot as well.  There were cards made at the time to add seperate
printers, expand the memory an additional 256k, etc.  Later 3rd part
expansions included adding a couple megs of memory, hard drives, etc.

You could also add a 160k 5 1/4" floppy drive developed by Coleco, as well
as a cd-rom by Coleco as well (though this didn't see any real
mass-production).

The first batch had to basicly be returned or refubished because of
production errors, and the company spent so long promising it on the
market that by the time it actually got there it was to late to do
anything.  Interestingly, the company cancelled two products to put it's
focus on the Adam. The first being the original expansion module #3 for
the Colecovisionin 1983.  This was to expand the capabilities of the
Colecovision and use special program wafers instead of cartridges, that
would have given the Colecovision NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) or
SMS (Sega Master System) level hardware support long before anyone heard
of the two.  The second was when they canned the Colecovision alltogether
in 1984 to focus on marketing the Adam (as many companies felt at the time
of the '84 crash that the future was in computers and not game consoles).

When the Adam failed in the market because of the long delays and quality
problems, it was pulled in '85.  (I was a stock holder at the time, and
still have a bunch of the big color stock portfolios they'd release to
shareholders).  It's other claim to fame was almost nixing a deal (which
never went through) between Nintendo and Atari.  To put it breifly,
Nintendo had approached Atari to distribute it's system in the US.  They
had several meetings, one of which was to be at the Summer '84 CES.  It
turned out Coleco was showcasing the Adam at that show as well, along
with a datapack called Super Donkey Kong (an expanded version of it's
original Donkey Kong cartridge that it had licensed from Nintendo for the
Colecovision - it came packed in with the original Colecovision game
console).  Atari had the exclusive license from Nintedo for Donkey Kong on
home computers, and threw a stink and threatened to nix the distribution
deal (which never occured, and the Atari computer and console divisions
were sold the next month to the Tramiel family).  Consequently, Coleco
pulled the game from it's computers.

As an expansion module, the Adam represents one of the few tangible
representations of the promise of what I call the "holy grail" of video
game companies of the late 70's and early 80's.  The promise to turn their
video game console in to an actual programmable computer.

Marty

---

From: "Witchy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri Mar 28 12:45:00 2003

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]On
> Behalf Of Jay West
> Sent: 27 March 2003 17:17
> To: [email-masked]
> Subject: Fw: AdamComputer.com domains
> 
> 
> Question....
> 

There was indeed - the Coleco ADAM from 1984/5. 

http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/Coleco/adam.htm

cheers

--
adrian/witchy
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the online computer museum
www.snakebiteandblack.co.uk - monthly gothic shenanigans

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri Mar 28 12:48:10 2003

It was the Coleco Adam.  Played games really well.

Peace...  Sridhar

On Thu, 27 Mar 2003, Jay West wrote:

> Question....
>
> Was there a vintage computer called an "Adam"? I *THINK* I recall
> hearing something about that name. If so, then the below email MAY be of
> interest to someone. If there wasn't such a computer, then this email is
> SPAM and I apologize for posting it here.