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computers / comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware / Was the IBM PC Convertible meant to be a PS/2?

Was the IBM PC Convertible meant to be a PS/2?

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Subject: Was the IBM PC Convertible meant to be a PS/2?
From: evangagain@gmail.com (MisterArgent)
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by: MisterArgent - Thu, 3 Aug 2023 19:16 UTC

Got to thinking about this again while charging the sucker to make sure my recell held up. Maybe it's just my overactive imagination, but the machine really feels more like a launch-era PS/2 than any of the previous generation PC line machines, down to the Richard Sapper design, use of 3.5" drives, and the refdisk-ish system setup diskette.

The model numbering makes it a bit of a odd duck, too. None of the other IBM PCs ever de-incremented the 51XX model number - but assuming it was intended to be a "PS/2 Model 40", it'd fill a pretty conspicuous gap in the 1987 launch lineup (30, 50, 60). Notably, one of the Model 40 that ultimately was released in 1992 was the L40SX - another laptop!

Only real question mark is the one year release date between the PC Convertible (04/1986) and 30/50/60 (04/1987) - Hard to explain how a laptop's specs somehow got finalized and reached production faster than the ostensible desktop counterparts, but close enough to suggest some degree of simultaneous development.

Who was Richard Sapper?

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From: ohland@charter.net (Louis Ohland)
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Subject: Who was Richard Sapper?
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2023 15:32:01 -0500
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by: Louis Ohland - Thu, 3 Aug 2023 20:32 UTC

Re: Who was Richard Sapper?

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Subject: Re: Who was Richard Sapper?
From: ibmmuseum@gmail.com (IBMMuseum)
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by: IBMMuseum - Thu, 3 Aug 2023 20:46 UTC

> > Richard Sapper design

https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/mod-5140/

Someone at IBM felt that the external appearance of the 5140 should carry over to the PS/2 line - as far as an intended 'Model 40', I think that is nothing more than a coincidence (and even '5140' vs. '8543'). However, the PC Convertible does have a number of components from Seiko-Epson, which are prevalent in the 8086-based Model 30 (and later the Model 25 'XT'). Then we go down the rabbit-hole of whether the Model 30 was even an IBM design (Epson Equity 1e being a Model 30 clone down to the hidden I/O registers).

Re: Who was Richard Sapper?

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Subject: Re: Who was Richard Sapper?
From: evangagain@gmail.com (MisterArgent)
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by: MisterArgent - Thu, 3 Aug 2023 20:59 UTC

On Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 3:46:31 PM UTC-5, IBMMuseum wrote:
> > > Richard Sapper design
>
> https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/mod-5140/
>
> Someone at IBM felt that the external appearance of the 5140 should carry over to the PS/2 line - as far as an intended 'Model 40', I think that is nothing more than a coincidence (and even '5140' vs. '8543'). However, the PC Convertible does have a number of components from Seiko-Epson, which are prevalent in the 8086-based Model 30 (and later the Model 25 'XT'). Then we go down the rabbit-hole of whether the Model 30 was even an IBM design (Epson Equity 1e being a Model 30 clone down to the hidden I/O registers).

Huh, I hadn't considered the possibility that the PC Convertible was just them genuinely trying something new (which influenced the PS/2 line in turn).. Had a hunch there was a close relation between the two, but was unclear on the exact details.

Re: Who was Richard Sapper?

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From: ohland@charter.net (Louis Ohland)
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by: Louis Ohland - Thu, 3 Aug 2023 22:58 UTC

https://web.archive.org/web/20230601155953/https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/mod-5140/

MisterArgent wrote:
> On Thursday, August 3, 2023 at 3:46:31 PM UTC-5, IBMMuseum wrote:
>>>> Richard Sapper design
>>
>> https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/mod-5140/
>>
>> Someone at IBM felt that the external appearance of the 5140 should carry over to the PS/2 line - as far as an intended 'Model 40', I think that is nothing more than a coincidence (and even '5140' vs. '8543'). However, the PC Convertible does have a number of components from Seiko-Epson, which are prevalent in the 8086-based Model 30 (and later the Model 25 'XT'). Then we go down the rabbit-hole of whether the Model 30 was even an IBM design (Epson Equity 1e being a Model 30 clone down to the hidden I/O registers).
>
> Huh, I hadn't considered the possibility that the PC Convertible was just them genuinely trying something new (which influenced the PS/2 line in turn). Had a hunch there was a close relation between the two, but was unclear on the exact details.
>

Re: Who was Richard Sapper?

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From: ibmmuseum@gmail.com (IBMMuseum)
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by: IBMMuseum - Fri, 4 Aug 2023 14:56 UTC

Re: Who was Richard Sapper?

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by: Louis Ohland - Fri, 4 Aug 2023 17:15 UTC

Re: Who was Richard Sapper?

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From: you.want.my.address@ask.for.it (JWR)
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Subject: Re: Who was Richard Sapper?
Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2023 20:47:56 +0200
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by: JWR - Fri, 4 Aug 2023 18:47 UTC

On 03-08-2023 22:46, IBMMuseum wrote:
>>> Richard Sapper design
>

Some more designs:

https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/thinkpad-701/

https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/thinkpad-700c/

https://richardsapperdesign.com/products/ps-1-mod-111/

Distinctive . . .

--
Jelte,
Admirer of the letter of IBM with blue Ishiki

Subject	Author
Was the IBM PC Convertible meant to be a PS/2?	MisterArgent
Who was Richard Sapper?	Louis Ohland
Re: Who was Richard Sapper?	IBMMuseum
Re: Who was Richard Sapper?	MisterArgent
Re: Who was Richard Sapper?	Louis Ohland
Re: Who was Richard Sapper?	IBMMuseum
Re: Who was Richard Sapper?	Louis Ohland
Re: Who was Richard Sapper?	JWR