ScuzzBlog: Diaries April 2020
Entry 2nd April 2020: Post 03: Was the computer world ready for MSX.
Was the computer world ready for MSX.
Often a question I pose to myself is just whether the MSX range of
machines came a little early to the party. The hand of Bill Gates
is evident in the MSX range given that the software as a vehicle
for standardising the way we use computers, echoes loudly at the
heart of the machines. For those that know little of the MSX range
it imposed a standard of uniform specs for machines made by various
electronics companies in Japan, using the MicroSoft software. This
was the brainchild of Kazuhiko Nishi who partnered with Microsoft
in 1983 in a bid to standardise home computer architecture.
Certainly Commodore took the possible invasion seriously as Jack
Tramiel responded with the ill-fated 264 series of the C116 and
Plus/4 with the inclusion of the arrow keys paying homage to the
MSX style of machines.
So why did it fail ? In truth I don't know and I don't even want
to hazard a guess, however I will make one comment. The Japanese
were very skilful in the day of interpreting technology of other
countries, and adapting and enhancing and selling the shiny new
products to the very countries they plagiarised, to an extent. An
example is in the way cars and particularly motor cycles were
greatly enhanced using the known technology and in turn destroyed
the home markets of many brands.
The MSX machines do look the part and certainly were very capable
kit, but I do wonder whether they had that bedroom home
computer style that made them fun and exciting to use. Both the
Atari and Commodore machines had such a vast repertoire of games
and hardware in place to make any new player's progress a real
challenge. In the UK Sinclair was so embedded in gamers minds
that to displace it would need a major change in users habits.
For me I think they tended to look and feel too much like grown-
ups kit and consequently less fun at the lowest level. This I
sense is how a kid wanting a computer would perceive something as
workaday as the joystick. I feature here the Mitsubishi joystick
which other than a different foot arrangement and colour of
buttons was exactly the same as the Toshiba and any other MSX
joystick. And it wasn't in any way inspiring.
And so standardising the product in the end was enough to take all
the joy out of the machine. This was sadly something the Plus/4
did to the C64 causing most Commodore users to say ' WtF' !!!
And so the MSX albeit a most excellent machine failed cus it was
perceived as boring. There you go, I said it.
OK !! Time to play spot the difference.
Was the computer world ready for MSX.
Me I love the MSX computer. !!!
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