🚀 go-pugleaf

Is anyone out there familiar with the Eclipse 16 PC clone?

My little brother is going to graduate from high school next month, and
we were thinking of getting him a computer as a present.  (He used Apples
in jr. high and sr. high.)  Since my older brother, my folks and I are not
as rich as we'd like, we're going to have to keep it under about $500.
I hadn't even considered any MS-DOS computers because I thought they would
be out of our price range.

However, my boss just showed me a California Digital ad for the Eclipse 16
for $496, including 256K, DSDD disc drive, 135W power supply, etc.  This
could almost be in our price range IF it's a decent machine and doesn't
require too many add-ons.  No monitor is included (would be about $200
extra for graphics card & monochrome monitor) -- is there an RF modulator
in these things so you can use a normal TV?  (I'm not at all familiar with
the PC or PC-compatible world, so I don't know what stuff is normally
available.)

My boss says California Digital is a reputable outfit, but he's never
heard of Eclipse.  Has anyone seen/used one of these beasties, and if
so, what was your impression?  Where would you take/send one if it broke?
If you want to look, the ad is on page 446 of the March '86 BYTE.

In case anyone has any other ideas, here are the other computers we've
been considering, and why we don't like 'em:

	- Commodore C64.  I vetoed this one because I've used one.  It's
	  little more than an underpowered toy, in my opinion.  The BASIC
	  is incredibly difficult to use.
	- Atari 520ST.  Nice system, and in our price range, except you
	  can't use a TV as a monitor.  Add the monitor and it's too
	  expensive.
	- Atari 1040ST.  Great system, tremendous value, RF modulator, but
	  it's $1000 list.
	- Amiga.  Too expensive (~$1200 list).
	- Apple IIe.  I've seen used ones for $500 in the Denver paper,
	  but I'd much rather get him a 68000-based machine with better
	  graphics.

If anyone has any information or suggestions, please MAIL them to me ASAP.
If desired, I can summarize to the net.

Thanks!
Gary Fritz
Ft Collins, CO
{ihnp4,hplabs}!hpfcla!fritz