Was the Spartan by Mimic Systems a real product?
I was flipping through an old copy of RUN magazine and came across an advertisement for a product called "The Spartan" produced by Mimic Systems. I had forgotten about this product completely, but I remember lusting after one when I was in high school.
Here is a copy of the advert:
All these years later, I have to wonder if this product really ever existed or if it was just vaporware? I have never seen an actual Spartan in real life. I have never seen one on any auction site I track. Frankly, if it really exists, I want one for my collection!
Does anyone have any first hand experience with this device? Did it actually exist, and if so, did it live up to it's claims?
commodore-64 apple-ii
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
add a comment |
I was flipping through an old copy of RUN magazine and came across an advertisement for a product called "The Spartan" produced by Mimic Systems. I had forgotten about this product completely, but I remember lusting after one when I was in high school.
Here is a copy of the advert:
All these years later, I have to wonder if this product really ever existed or if it was just vaporware? I have never seen an actual Spartan in real life. I have never seen one on any auction site I track. Frankly, if it really exists, I want one for my collection!
Does anyone have any first hand experience with this device? Did it actually exist, and if so, did it live up to it's claims?
commodore-64 apple-ii
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
add a comment |
I was flipping through an old copy of RUN magazine and came across an advertisement for a product called "The Spartan" produced by Mimic Systems. I had forgotten about this product completely, but I remember lusting after one when I was in high school.
Here is a copy of the advert:
All these years later, I have to wonder if this product really ever existed or if it was just vaporware? I have never seen an actual Spartan in real life. I have never seen one on any auction site I track. Frankly, if it really exists, I want one for my collection!
Does anyone have any first hand experience with this device? Did it actually exist, and if so, did it live up to it's claims?
commodore-64 apple-ii
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
I was flipping through an old copy of RUN magazine and came across an advertisement for a product called "The Spartan" produced by Mimic Systems. I had forgotten about this product completely, but I remember lusting after one when I was in high school.
Here is a copy of the advert:
All these years later, I have to wonder if this product really ever existed or if it was just vaporware? I have never seen an actual Spartan in real life. I have never seen one on any auction site I track. Frankly, if it really exists, I want one for my collection!
Does anyone have any first hand experience with this device? Did it actually exist, and if so, did it live up to it's claims?
commodore-64 apple-ii
commodore-64 apple-ii
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
asked 4 hours ago
Geo...Geo...
2,352523
2,352523
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
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It appears to have really existed. Here's a page with a manual PDF and EPROM images, and another with pictures and an account by the head of software development for the product.
From those pages, it seems to have sort of worked, since there was an Apple II clone in the box, but it was easy to mess up the disk drives, and it was never popular.
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
2
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
1
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
1
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It appears to have really existed. Here's a page with a manual PDF and EPROM images, and another with pictures and an account by the head of software development for the product.
From those pages, it seems to have sort of worked, since there was an Apple II clone in the box, but it was easy to mess up the disk drives, and it was never popular.
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
2
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
1
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
1
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It appears to have really existed. Here's a page with a manual PDF and EPROM images, and another with pictures and an account by the head of software development for the product.
From those pages, it seems to have sort of worked, since there was an Apple II clone in the box, but it was easy to mess up the disk drives, and it was never popular.
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
2
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
1
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
1
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
add a comment |
It appears to have really existed. Here's a page with a manual PDF and EPROM images, and another with pictures and an account by the head of software development for the product.
From those pages, it seems to have sort of worked, since there was an Apple II clone in the box, but it was easy to mess up the disk drives, and it was never popular.
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
It appears to have really existed. Here's a page with a manual PDF and EPROM images, and another with pictures and an account by the head of software development for the product.
From those pages, it seems to have sort of worked, since there was an Apple II clone in the box, but it was easy to mess up the disk drives, and it was never popular.
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
answered 4 hours ago
John DallmanJohn Dallman
3,036715
3,036715
2
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
1
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
1
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
add a comment |
2
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
1
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
1
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
2
2
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
I can confirm actually seeing them in person, stacked up in a bin at a surplus store. I was tempted to get one, but I already had an Apple II clone I could use.
– Ross Ridge
4 hours ago
1
1
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
Wow, it's a shame you didn't buy the whole stack. After snooping around on ebay, these things are ridiculously priced - if you can find one at all.
– Geo...
3 hours ago
1
1
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
Yes, a friend owns one. He always teases me that his C64 can do everything my Apple II can do and has better graphics :))
– Raffzahn
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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