From: bv@wjv.com   
      
   In article ,   
   Dezorian   wrote:   
   >On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:05:01 +0000, Bill Vermillion wrote:   
   >   
   >   
   >> On relfecting further I think the Sony CP/M computer used them.   
   >> It was a low profile system, and it was used as a controller for   
   >> a Sony laser disk player back in 1983 on a project I was called in   
   >> for.  It pre-dated the Apple Mac's use of the floppy by several   
   >> months, and it seems that most people think the Mac was the first   
   >> to use a 3.5" - but 'tis not true.   
   >   
   >   
   >That wouldn't, by chance, be the Sony SMC-70 or SMC-70G, would it?   
   >   
   >-CJ   
      
   I really don't recall the number.   The Sony was a low-profile   
   machine, running CP/M with Sony Laserdisk extensions.  It had a   
   serial ports that talked to a Sony 1000 LD player.  The PC also got   
   information from the Sony as to which frame was being accessed, and   
   then scrolled up a screen relating to the parts page displayed on   
   the LD players screen. Then parts would be selected by moving a   
   mouse to the approriate parts line and clicking on the part.   
      
   The only strange part of the design was if you wanted a quantity of   
   3 pieces you had to click the mouse three times.   
      
   That is because the PC had ONLY a mouse for input, and the LD   
   has a lightpen that accessed the screen which passed the correct   
   part number to the PC.   
      
   It's the only two computer system - that could servo to another and   
   keep the LD players on the same frame and thus the parts list on   
   each PC the same - no mattter where in the world it was - that had   
   only ONE MOUSE and ONE LightPen for input.  No keyboards in sight   
   anywhere.   
      
   Bill   
      
   --   
   Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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