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  • Gwbasic

    From Rob Mccart@1:2320/105 to MIKE POWELL on Friday, January 30, 2026 07:59:46
    Yes, when I was looking at the C-64 / C-128 systems the Apple II
    >> computers were out and they were a lot more of a true computer.
    >> But they were about $1500 as well.. When my friend turned me on
    >> to building my own Apple Clone for more like $500, I was thrilled..

    I know that some people have built "Hackintosh" computers more recently.
    >I had no idea that people were able to build Apple clones back then.

    There were Chinese shops in Toronto that had replica cases and carried
    all the parts needed. The motherboards were made in Toronto and were
    better quality than the genuine Apple parts with things like gold
    plated sockets for chips and such, and the boards could handle more
    RAM than 'real' Apples could. (80k instead of 48k upgradable to 64k.)

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * In rap, the C is silent... Like the 'P' in swimming
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)
  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/195 to ROB MCCART on Friday, January 30, 2026 09:06:38
    I know that some people have built "Hackintosh" computers more recently.
    >I had no idea that people were able to build Apple clones back then.

    There were Chinese shops in Toronto that had replica cases and carried
    all the parts needed. The motherboards were made in Toronto and were
    better quality than the genuine Apple parts with things like gold
    plated sockets for chips and such, and the boards could handle more
    RAM than 'real' Apples could. (80k instead of 48k upgradable to 64k.)

    Sweet. I wonder if such things were available in the US then, or if
    "controls" prevented them from being so?

    Maybe an American who knows more about Apple from back then would have to answer that one. ;)

    Mike


    * SLMR 2.1a * Lite Year: low calorie year!
    --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
    * Origin: moe's tavern * 1-5028758938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27 (1:2320/195)
  • From Rob Mccart@1:2320/105 to MIKE POWELL on Sunday, February 01, 2026 08:41:54
    There were Chinese shops in Toronto that had replica cases and carried
    >> all the parts needed. The motherboards were made in Toronto and were
    >> better quality than the genuine Apple parts with things like gold
    >> plated sockets for chips and such, and the boards could handle more
    >> RAM than 'real' Apples could. (80k instead of 48k upgradable to 64k.)

    Sweet. I wonder if such things were available in the US then, or if
    >"controls" prevented them from being so?

    Maybe an American who knows more about Apple from back then would have to
    >answer that one. ;)

    I'm sure these little Chinese stores were everywhere - run by recent
    Chinese immigrants and selling a lot of electronics directly from
    China - and the whole idea of clones was technically illegal everywhere
    but it was quite common. Back then over about a 5 year period I had
    3 Apple systems and 2 PC type systems and they were all built from
    mostly cloned parts.

    ---
    * SLMR Rob * Caught between a moose and a snowplow...
    * Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)