The Softcard was a Z-80 based single-board
computer
On Sat, 20 Oct 2018, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote:
It wasn't. It was only a processor card.
No version of the Softcard had it's own video output. It used normal Apple
video output. If you wanted 80x24, you had to use a separate third-party
80-column card, or (later) and Apple IIe, IIc, IIc+, or IIgs.
I'm not sure what you're referring to by "etc.", but the vast majority of
Softcards and their clones did not have their own RAM, and used that of the
Apple II.
The PCPI Applicard and it's clones had their own RAM. Some very late models
of the Softcard had their own RAM.
I remember hearing, at one point, a statement (not necessarily reliable),
that said that 20% of Apple computers had a Softcard.
What was the approximate percentage in 1980/1981, when IBM contacted
Microsoft?
(or number that had been sold, which would include ones not actually in
use)
What was the PEAK percentage?
(or number that had been sold, which would include ones not actually in
use)
Were there other brands, or imitations, available then (1980/1981)?
Later, what percentage were imitations?
Speculatively, how much were they used V use of the machine in non-Z80
ways? (How many people bought it just ot have the capability, without
necessarily being active CP/M users?)
This is definitely not the first time that I have heard that IBM had
assumed that CP/M was a Microsoft product.
