Compaq Portable
| Description | |
| Manufacturer | Compaq Computer Corporation |
| Model | Compaq Portable |
| Date Announced | 1982 (first shipped in 1983) |
| Date Canceled | Unknown |
| Number Produced | Over 100,000 |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| Price | $3,000 plus for a typical configuration |
| Current Value | $25-$100 |
| Specifications | --- |
| Processor | Intel 8088 |
| Speed | 4.77 MHz |
| RAM | 128K-640K |
| ROM | Approximately 12K |
| Storage | |
| Expansion | Three IBM PC compatible slots |
| Bus | ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) |
| Video | |
| I/O | Parallel and Serial |
| OS Options | MS-DOS or CP/M-86 |
| Notes | Compaq was one of the first successful IBM PC clones. Their success was largely based on a black-box cloning of the IBM PC BIOS (Basic Input Output System) that allowed them to be virtually 100% compatible with PC software and hardware. |
| Related Items in Collection | Full set of manuals and original Compaq MS-DOS. Compaq padded carrying case. Columbia VP and IBM PC |
| Related Items Wanted | Other Compaq models with software, manuals, etc. |
Compaq Computer Corporation was started in 1982 by three men and a place mat. These men, Rod Canion, Jim Harris and Bill Murto conceptualized a portable version of IBM's new PC (drawn out on the place mat) and formed the company around the idea.
The Compaq Portable followed the recent tradition of portable machines like the Osbornes and Kaypros of the day while shunning CP/M in favor of MS-DOS and PC compatibility. The idea was a hit and catapulted Compaq to the lead in the PC Clone market.
My Compaq is a fully functional, nearly pristine example of that first model line. It came complete with the full set of Compaq manuals, also in excellent shape.