8 Bit Japanese Computers (4 Interviews from 1987)

[Pasokon Deacon]

On the voting list, there are currently 7 votes accrued for this collection but they're listed as separate entries (4 and 3 votes), which is odd and should be fixed during the next tally.

Is this collection aimed towards hardware or software topics related to the organizations represented (J-PC Big Three + Sony/Matsushita MSX)? Insider commentary on the industry would have been edited for the public back in 1987, but I hope these interviews are more than PR and can illuminate events and trends related to late '80s J-PC growth vs. the Famicom and bubble economy. Also, what's the overall length of these interviews combined?

[blackoak]

Thanks for catching that, I've tallied the votes correctly.

It took me some time to locate these: I thought they were in my BEEP archive, but they're actually from the GSLA. I'm guessing a LOGiN feature.

I would call these interviews "industry" focused. They talk about the advent of 16-bit computers and whether they'll be replacing their 8-bit hardware. I get the sense they're trying to assuage the concerns of a userbase that is worried they'll be left behind. There's some "promotional" stuff interwoven as each company talks about the strengths of their hardware, but there's also a good amount on industry trends (market penetration, new software, etc). Overall I wouldn't call it the most in-depth piece ever, but it's not fluff either.

Each interview is several paragraphs long, so the overall length is good.

[blackoak]

Oh, and I didn't spot much about the bubble economy or the Famicom (surprisingly--just one reference by Matsushita Denki).