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55-548: The Commodore SX-64 , also known as the Executive 64 , or VIP-64 in Europe, is a portable , briefcase/suitcase-size "luggable" version of the popular Commodore 64 home computer and the first color portable computer . The SX-64 features a built-in five-inch composite monitor and a built-in 1541 floppy drive. It weighs 10.5 kg ( 23 lb ). The machine is carried by its sturdy handle, which doubles as an adjustable stand. It

110-478: A 32-character screen, a floppy disk: capacity = 140 000 characters, of a thermal printer: speed = 28 characters / sec, an asynchronous channel, a synchronous channel, a 220 V power supply. Designed for an operating temperature of 15–35 °C (59–95 °F), it weighed 12 kilograms (26 lb) and its dimensions were 45 cm × 45 cm × 15 cm (17.7 in × 17.7 in × 5.9 in). It provided total mobility. Its operating system

165-510: A catch-22. In a 1998 editorial co-authored by Marcia Angell , a former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine , argued that: It is time for the scientific community to stop giving alternative medicine a free ride. There cannot be two kinds of medicine—conventional and alternative. There is only medicine that has been adequately tested and medicine that has not, medicine that works and medicine that may or may not work. Once

220-453: A concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them, he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to, he

275-494: A consequence of not signing a loyalty oath that Major Major was never given an opportunity to sign in the first place. Captain Black asks Milo, "You're not against Catch-22, are you?" In chapter 40, Catch-22 forces Colonels Korn and Cathcart to promote Yossarian to Major and ground him rather than simply sending him home. They fear that if they do not, others will refuse to fly, just as Yossarian did. Heller originally wanted to call

330-963: A continuous connection to an external power source; this limitation was later overcome by the laptop computers . Laptops were followed by lighter models such as netbooks , so that in the 2000s mobile devices and by 2007 smartphones made the term "portable" rather meaningless. The 2010s introduced wearable computers such as smartwatches . Portable computers, by their nature, are generally microcomputers . Larger portable computers were commonly known as 'Lunchbox' or 'Luggable' computers. They are also called 'Portable Workstations' or 'Portable PCs'. In Japan they were often called 'Bentocom'. ( ベントコン , Bentokon ) from " bento ". Portable computers, more narrowly defined, are distinct from desktop replacement computers in that they usually were constructed from full-specification desktop components, and often do not incorporate features associated with laptops or mobile devices. A portable computer in this usage, versus

385-474: A following with user groups and software developers, who could quickly pack and unpack the machine to use for copying software or giving demonstrations. Ahoy! favorably reviewed the SX-64, stating that the keyboard was better than the 64's, the monitor "isn't hard to read at all", and the disk drive was durable enough for travel. While criticizing the lack of any provision for internal or external battery power,

440-509: A laptop or other mobile computing device , have a standard motherboard or backplane providing plug-in slots for add-in cards. This allows mission specific cards such as test, A/D, or communication protocol (IEEE-488, 1553) to be installed. Portable computers also provide for more disk storage by using standard disk drives and provide for multiple drives. In 1973, the IBM Los Gatos Scientific Center developed

495-604: A logical catch-22 which ensures that any complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) method which is proven to work "would no longer be CAM, it would simply be medicine." U.S. Circuit Judge Don Willett referred to qualified immunity , which requires a violation of constitutional rights to have been previously established in order for a victim to claim damages, as a catch-22: "Section 1983 meets Catch-22. Important constitutional questions go unanswered precisely because those questions are yet unanswered. Courts then rely on that judicial silence to conclude there's no equivalent case on

550-425: A loophole in promotions, which one private had been exploiting to reattain the attractive rank of private first class after any promotion. Through courts-martial for going AWOL , he would be busted in rank back to private, but Catch-22 limited the number of times he could do this before being sent to the stockade. At another point in the book, a prostitute explains to Yossarian that she cannot marry him because he

605-429: A mental fitness evaluation are sane, and therefore must fly in combat. At the same time, if an evaluation is not requested by the pilot, he will never receive one and thus can never be found insane, meaning he must also fly in combat. Therefore, Catch-22 ensures that no pilot can ever be grounded for being insane even if he is. A logical formulation of this situation is: The philosopher Laurence Goldstein argues that

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660-550: A portable computer prototype called SCAMP (Special Computer APL Machine Portable) based on the IBM PALM processor with a Philips compact cassette drive, small CRT and full function keyboard. SCAMP emulated an IBM 1130 minicomputer in order to run APL\1130. In 1973, APL was generally available only on mainframe computers, and most desktop sized microcomputers such as the Wang 2200 or HP 9800 offered only BASIC . Because SCAMP

715-440: A prototype and did not enter production. Successful demonstrations of the 1973 SCAMP prototype led to the first commercial IBM 5100 portable microcomputer launched in 1975. The product incorporated an IBM PALM processor , 5-inch (130 mm) CRT, full function keyboard and the ability to be programmed in both APL and BASIC for engineers, analysts, statisticians and other business problem-solvers. (IBM provided different models of

770-454: A treatment has been tested rigorously, it no longer matters whether it was considered alternative at the outset. If it is found to be reasonably safe and effective, it will be accepted. But assertions, speculation, and testimonials do not substitute for evidence. Alternative treatments should be subjected to scientific testing no less rigorous than that required for conventional treatments. This definition has been described by Robert L. Park as

825-403: Is Catch-22?" "Didn't they show it to you?" Yossarian demanded, stamping about in anger and distress. "Didn't you even make them read it?" "They don't have to show us Catch-22," the old woman answered. "The law says they don't have to." "What law says they don't have to?" "Catch-22." According to literature professor Ian Gregson, the old woman's narrative defines "Catch-22" more directly as

880-499: Is about the size and weight of a sewing machine, and was advertised as the only computer that would fit underneath an airline seat . Another early portable computer released in 1982 was named the Kaypro II , although it was the company's first commercially available product. Some of the press mocked its design—one magazine described Kaypro Corporation as "producing computers packaged in tin cans". Others raved about its value, as

935-510: Is an organizational assumption, an unwritten law of informal power that exempts the organization from responsibility and accountability, and puts the individual in the absurd position of being excepted for the convenience or unknown purposes of the organization. Along with George Orwell's " doublethink ", "catch-22" has become one of the best-recognized ways to describe the predicament of being trapped by contradictory rules. A significant type of definition of alternative medicine has been termed

990-487: Is crazy, and she will never marry a crazy man. She considers any man crazy who would marry a woman who is not a virgin. This closed logic loop clearly illustrated Catch-22 because by her logic, all men who refuse to marry her are sane and thus she would consider marriage; but as soon as a man agrees to marry her, he becomes crazy for wanting to marry a non-virgin, and is instantly rejected. At one point, Captain Black attempts to press Milo into depriving Major Major of food as

1045-558: Is powered up, the screen sends out the C64 breadbin "blue" background with the typical 38911 BASIC BYTES FREE , and immediately under the READY prompt a statement of RAM is displayed. A version of the SX-64 with dual floppy drives, known as the DX-64 , was announced, but the press reported by early 1985 that plans for its release had been suspended. A few have been reported to exist , but it

1100-488: Is subject to, but has no control over, because to fight the rule is to accept it. Another example is a situation in which someone is in need of something that can only be had by not being in need of it (e.g. the only way to qualify for a loan is to prove to the bank that you do not need a loan). One connotation of the term is that the creators of the "catch-22" situation have created arbitrary rules in order to justify and conceal their own abuse of power . Joseph Heller coined

1155-494: Is told that Catch-22 requires him to do anything his commanding officer tells him to do, regardless of whether these orders contradict orders from the officer's superiors. In a final episode, Catch-22 is described to Yossarian by an old woman recounting an act of violence by soldiers: "Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing." "What the hell are you talking about?" Yossarian shouted at her in bewildered, furious protest. "How did you know it

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1210-403: Is unknown but ADD instructions are documented as taking 16μs, i.e. ~62k ADD/s. Catch-22 (logic) A catch-22 is a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules or limitations. The term was coined by Joseph Heller , who used it in his 1961 novel Catch-22 . Catch-22s often result from rules, regulations, or procedures that an individual

1265-560: Is very rare. Instead of an extra floppy drive, a modem could also be built in above the first drive. Some hobbyists installed a second floppy drive themselves in the SX-64's empty drive slot. Later models of the SX-64 use the larger power supply intended for use with the DX-64. At around the same time the SX-64 was announced in January 1983, a version with a monochrome screen called the SX-100

1320-410: Is willing to fly such dangerous missions, as one would have to be mad to volunteer for possible death. However, to be evaluated, he must request the evaluation, an act that is considered sufficient proof for being declared sane. These conditions make it impossible to be declared "unfit". The "Catch-22" is that "anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy". Hence, pilots who request

1375-411: The "airman's dilemma" is logically not even a condition that is true under no circumstances; it is a " vacuous biconditional " that is ultimately meaningless. Goldstein writes: The catch is this: what looks like a statement of the conditions under which an airman can be excused flying dangerous missions reduces not to the statement (which could be a mean way of disguising an unpleasant truth), but to

1430-403: The "brutal operation of power", stripping away the "bogus sophistication" of the earlier scenarios. Besides referring to an unsolvable logical dilemma , Catch-22 is invoked to explain or justify the military bureaucracy. For example, in the first chapter, it requires Yossarian to sign his name to letters he censors while he is confined to a hospital bed. One clause mentioned in chapter 10 closes

1485-644: The "portable" Hyperion Computer System. Both Eagle Computer and Columbia were sued by IBM for copyright infringement of its BIOS. They settled and were forced to halt production. Neither the Columbia nor the Eagle were nearly as IBM PC DOS compatible as Compaq's offerings. The first full-color portable computer was the Commodore SX-64 in January 1984.. Originally announced in 1987, the Atari STacy

1540-464: The 5100 supporting only BASIC, only APL, or both selectable by a physical switch on the front panel.) IBM referred to its PALM processor as a microprocessor , though they used that term to mean a processor that executes microcode to implement a higher-level instruction set , rather than its conventional definition of a complete processor on a single silicon integrated circuit ; the PALM processor

1595-503: The C64's default blue background. The default device for load and save operations is changed to the floppy drive. The Datasette (cassette) port and RF port were omitted from the SX-64. Because it has a built-in disk drive and monitor, Commodore did not perceive a need for a tape drive or television connector. However, the lack of a Datasette port poses a problem for a number of C64 Centronics parallel printer interfaces, since several popular designs "borrowed" their +5V power supply from

1650-645: The MIT Digital Systems Laboratory as a thesis project, it never entered production. It is currently in the collection of Dr. Hoo-Min D. Toong. An early portable computer was manufactured in 1979 by GM Research, a small company in Santa Monica, California. The machine which was designed and patented by James Murez. It was called the Micro Star and later the name was changed to The Small One. Although Xerox claims to have designed

1705-463: The books. No precedent = no clearly established law = no liability. An Escherian Stairwell. Heads government wins, tails plaintiff loses." The archetypal catch-22 , as formulated by Joseph Heller , involves the case of John Yossarian , a U.S. Army Air Forces bombardier , who wishes to be grounded from combat flight. This will only happen if he is evaluated by the squadron's flight surgeon and found "unfit to fly". "Unfit" would be any pilot who

Commodore SX-64 - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-506: The cartridge port can prevent the REU from seating properly. The 1700 and 1750, 128K and 512K units intended for the C128 , are said to work more reliably with the SX-64 than the 1764 unit that was intended for the regular C64. Some SX-64 owners modify Commodore REUs to use an external power supply in order to get around the power supply issues. IDE64 is also non-compatible at the present time. When it

1815-547: The company advertised the Kaypro II as "the $ 1,595 computer that sells for $ 1,595 ", some noting that the included software bundle had a retail value over $ 1,000 by itself, and by mid-1983 the company was selling more than 10,000 units a month, briefly making it the fifth-largest computer maker in the world. It managed to correct most of the Osborne 1 's deficiencies: the screen was larger and showed more characters at once,

1870-464: The first such system, the machine by Murez predated anything on the market or that had been documented in any publication at the time – hence the patent was issued. As early as 1979, the U.S. Government was contracting to purchase these machines. Other major customers included Sandia Labs, General Dynamics, BBN (featured on the cover of their annual report in 1980 as the C.A.T. system) and several dozen private individuals and companies around

1925-480: The floppy drives stored over twice as much data, the case was more attractive-looking, and it was also much better-built and more reliable. The Grid Compass ran its own operating system, GRiD-OS. Its specialized software and high price (US$ 8,000–10,000) meant that it was limited to specialized applications. The main buyer was the U.S. government. NASA used it on the Space Shuttle during the early 1980s, as it

1980-633: The magazine concluded that the average $ 750–800 retail price was "worth every penny!". Like the Commodore 64 , except for the following differences: Portable computer The first commercially sold portable computer might be the 20-pound (9.1 kg) MCM/70 , released 1974. The next major portables were the 50-pound (23 kg) IBM 5100 (1975), Osborne 's 24-pound (11 kg) CP/M -based Osborne 1 (1981) and Compaq 's 28-pound (13 kg), advertised as 100% IBM PC compatible Compaq Portable (1983). These luggable computers still required

2035-483: The phrase (and hence, the book) by other numbers, but he and his publishers eventually settled on 22. The number has no particular significance; it was chosen more or less for euphony . The title was originally Catch-18 , but Heller changed it after the popular Mila 18 was published a short time beforehand. The term "catch-22" has filtered into common usage in the English language. In a 1975 interview, Heller said

2090-461: The port. This was not an issue for later interfaces which were supplied with an AC adapter power supply, or those which can use the +5V line supplied by the Centronics port (Pin #18) on the printer itself, if the printer implements it. Alternatively, a +5V supply is also available from the joystick ports. The audio/video port is still present, so an external monitor can still be used; it displays

2145-420: The request and thus cannot be declared insane. This phrase also means a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions. "You mean there's a catch?" "Sure there's a catch," Doc Daneeka replied. "Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy." There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that

2200-421: The same content as the built-in monitor. Differences, electrically and in placement on the board, means that there are compatibility problems with some C64 cartridges. The original SX-64's (built in) power supply limits the machine's expandability. Compatibility with Commodore RAM Expansion Units varies. Early SX-64 power supplies cannot handle the extra power consumption from the REU. The physical placement of

2255-463: The term in his 1961 novel Catch-22 , which describes absurd bureaucratic constraints on soldiers in World War II . The term is introduced by the character Doc Daneeka, an army psychiatrist who invokes "Catch-22" to explain why any pilot requesting mental evaluation for insanity—hoping to be found not sane enough to fly and thereby escape dangerous missions—demonstrates his own sanity in creating

Commodore SX-64 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-529: The term would not translate well into other languages. James E. Combs and Dan D. Nimmo suggest that the idea of a "catch-22" has gained popular currency because so many people in modern society are exposed to frustrating bureaucratic logic. They write of the rules of high school and colleges that: This bogus democracy that can be overruled by arbitrary fiat is perhaps a citizen's first encounter with organizations that may profess 'open' and libertarian values, but in fact are closed and hierarchical systems. Catch-22

2365-745: The world. In 1979, Adam Osborne viewed the machine along with several hundred other visitors at the first computer show that was sponsored by the IEEE Westec in Los Angeles. Later that year the machine was also shown at the first COMDEX show. The portable micro computer; the " Portal " of the French company R2E Micral CCMC officially appeared in September 1980 at the Sicob show in Paris. The Portal

2420-522: Was Prolog . A few hundred were sold between 1980 and 1983. The first mass-produced microprocessor-based portable computer released in 1981 was the Osborne 1 , developed by Osborne, which owed much to the NoteTaker's design. The company had early success with the design and went public but later due to small screen sizes and other devices being released found trouble selling the Osborne. The Osborne 1

2475-405: Was Catch-22? Who the hell told you it was Catch-22?" "The soldiers with the hard white hats and clubs. The girls were crying. 'Did we do anything wrong?' they said. The men said no and pushed them away out the door with the ends of their clubs. 'Then why are you chasing us out?' the girls said. 'Catch-22,' the men said. All they kept saying was 'Catch-22, Catch-22.' What does it mean, Catch-22? What

2530-456: Was a large circuit board populated with over a dozen chips. In the late 1960s, such a machine would have been nearly as large as two desks and would have weighed about half a ton (0.45 t). In comparison, the IBM 5100 weighed about 53 pounds (24 kg and very portable for that time). The MIT Suitcase Computer, constructed in 1975, was the first known microprocessor-based portable computer. It

2585-409: Was a portable microcomputer designed and marketed by the studies and developments department of the French firm R2E Micral in 1980 at the request of the company CCMC specializing in payroll and accounting. The Portal was based on an intel 8085 processor, 8-bit, clocked at 2 MHz. It was equipped with a central 64 KB RAM, a keyboard with 58 alpha numeric keys and 11 numeric keys (separate blocks),

2640-506: Was announced in January 1983 and released eleven months later in December 1983, at $ 995 USD (equivalent to $ 2,918 in 2023). Aside from its built-in features and different form factor, there are several other differences between the SX-64 and the regular C64. The default screen color is changed to blue text on a white background for improved readability on the smaller screen. This can cause compatibility problems with programs that assume

2695-490: Was announced. Despite releasing plans by June 1983, it was never released. The SX-64 did not sell well, and its failure has been variously attributed to its small screen, excessive weight (10.5 kg or 23.1 lb), poor marketing, and smaller business software library than that of its competitors, which included the Osborne 1 and Kaypro II ( Zilog Z80 CPU, CP/M OS) and Compaq Portable ( 16-bit CPU, MS-DOS ). The exact number of SX-64 sold from 1984 to 1986, when it

2750-459: Was based on the Motorola 6800 . Constructed in a Samsonite suitcase approximately 20 by 30 by 8 inches (510 mm × 760 mm × 200 mm) and weighing approximately 20 lb (9.1 kg), it had 4K of SRAM, a serial port to accept downloaded software and connect to a modem, a keyboard and a 40-column thermal printer taken from a cash register. Built by student David Emberson in

2805-531: Was discontinued, is unknown. The serial numbers of over 130 SX-64s from series GA1, GA2, GA4, GA5 and GA6, with serial numbers ranging over 49,000 for series GA1, 1,000 for GA2, 17,000 for GA4, 11,000 for GA5, and 7,000 for GA6 have been reported Some would-be buyers waited instead for the announced DX-64, which never became widely available due to the slow sales of the SX-64, creating a Catch 22 situation similar to that endured by Osborne after announcing an improved version of its computer. The SX-64 did however gain

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2860-533: Was powerful, lightweight, and compact. The military Special Forces also purchased the machine, as it could be used by paratroopers in combat. Although Columbia Data Product 's MPC 1600, "Multi Personal Computer" came out in June 1983, one of the first extensively IBM PC compatible computers was the Compaq Portable . Eagle Computer then came out with their offering. and Corona Data Systems 's PPC-400.,

2915-860: Was released to the public in December 1989 and was one of the first laptop-like portables. Apple Inc. introduced and released the Macintosh Portable in 1989, though this device came with a battery, which added to its substantial weight. The Portable has features similar to the Atari STacy , include integrated trackball and clamshell case. After release of IBM PC Convertible in 1986, IBM still produced classic portable computers, include released in 1989 PS/2 P70 (with upgrade in 1990 to P75 ), and IBM produce portables for up to release of PS/2 Note and PS/55note notebook lines. In today's world of laptops, smart phones, and tablets, portable computers have evolved and are now mostly used for industrial, commercial or military applications. Clock speed

2970-436: Was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle. Different formulations of "Catch-22" appear throughout the novel. The term is applied to various loopholes and quirks of the military system, always with the implication that rules are inaccessible to and slanted against those lower in the hierarchy. In chapter 6, Yossarian (the protagonist)

3025-500: Was the first to emulate APL\1130 performance on a portable, single user computer, PC Magazine in 1983 designated SCAMP a "revolutionary concept" and "the world's first personal computer". The engineering prototype is in the Smithsonian Institution . Xerox NoteTaker , developed in 1976 at Xerox PARC , was a precursor to later portable computers from Osborne Computer Corporation and Compaq , though it remained

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