Discussing using a Model 100 for programming a CNC machine:
 > Really?  What sort of interface did that machine use?  That's an 
 > area that has always held a lot of fascination for me,  though I 
 > can't seem to find much work in the fields...
The old Bridgeport Boss6 uses a serial port. Although I couldn't easily 
locate a matching connector, I got the pinout so I could install my own. We 
write the program in the text editor, then upload it using TELCOM.
 >JD> They'd be a good machine for many HomePower folks, as they're 
 >JD> extrememly frugal with the power requirements.
 > 
 > Yeah,  I'll say.  This PX-8 has *three* batteries in it,  
 > apparently,  though I've only replaced the main set to get it to 
 > work.  Lots of nifty features in there.
The Model 100/200 machines use 4 AA batteries and will run for about 15 hours 
on them. I've powered mine with 4 'D' cells and/or a rechargeable gellcell. 
They'll go darn near forever on those. Don't bother with NiCads, the voltage 
is marginal when you first take them off the charger, and the low battery 
light comes on after only a couple of hours of operation.
 > I believe that this is still very much a viable market,  though the 
 > mass-production orientation of places like radio shack aren't going 
 > to let them continue to market a machine like that when they can get 
 > so much more for a "laptop" which has to have a "big" hard drive in 
 > it running windoze or w95...
Radio Shack would still be selling them if the market still demanded them. 
They were in production for about 10 years, and that has to be a record. 
Remember that it must COST nearly as much to produce a Model 100 as a modern 
laptop, but customers would expect it to sell for much less. So there'd be no 
profit in the machine.
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