[Coco] OT: Amiga controls heat and AC...

[Mark McDougall]

On 18/06/2015 4:42 AM, lciotti at lrlc.us lciotti at lrlc.us wrote:

> The disturbing part to me is that they quote a replacement for this computer to
> be in the $1M-$2M range...

Not as silly as it sounds...

About 10 years ago we were asked to quote for replacement of the 
state-wide school security system here in NSW, Australia. Our company 
(before my time) did some enhancements to the system in previous years.

The system was based around the Microbee, an Australian-designed 
Z80-based computer, a contemporary of the TRS-80 Model I and thereabouts 
the Coco as well. Each school dialed into the central monitoring station 
via Microbee 300 baud modems and a fixed number of lines. I recall 
getting a tour of the place and seeing a bunch of Microbee computers 
sitting on the lab benches - what I'd give to go back there now! ;)

Money was tight so our tendered solution was a phased approach that 
allowed them to gradually replace the older hardware with newer 
technology as they had the budget for. Ultimately even that was "too 
costly" and I have no idea what was eventually done to the system - and 
it would surprise me not one bit if they still hadn't done anything 
(knowing our government particularly where spending on education is 
concerned).

Regards,

-- 
|              Mark McDougall              | "Electrical Engineers do it
|  <http://members.iinet.net.au/~msmcdoug> |   with less resistance!"