Your thoughts are valid; the answers vague. Coleco intended at a minimum that ADAM could support a serial modem in slot 1, I believe a language card in slot 2, and a memory card in slot 3. They also used the external expansion on the side for the Auto Answer device. When orphaned and others charged onto the scene, they made larger memory expanders, serial modems, printer cards and all the rest. Basically, almost anything a developer wanted, the ADAM "could" provide in one form or other. Trysid made a slot 1 serial 1200 baud modem; MI made mem expanders for slot 3, ide cards for slot 1 & one for slot 2, and powermate hd's using slot 2 - w/ or w/out printer support etc. HLM/GMK did serial on the side port, 80 col video. and on and on. You just need to think outside the ADAM box and use whatever slot you need to and keep in mind what else might use that slot and conflict. IF you think it, you CAN do it!!!