The Official Coleco ADAM Topic

[Tempest]

What about that Super Front Line Demo that always gets mentioned in ADAM lists? Does anyone actually have this?

 

I just saw this on a Colecovision list: ADAM Demo Cartridge. Any idea what this is?

 

Tempest

[Tempest]

I just glanced over at the DP Easter Egg section for the ADAM (odd how I never noticed it before) and saw all kinds of neat info. Has anyone tried these?

 

http://www.digitpress.com/eastereggs/cvadam.htm

 

Tempest

[+else]

I've seen most of these before in some shape or form.

 

With most Adam applications, you can press CONTROL-R to see the version number. You can even do this with SmartWriter (in typewriter mode, I believe) to see what version of firmware your Adam has (r80 is the latest). There are multiple versions out there of most software, as Coleco snuck in bug fixes as time went by.

[Tempest]

I've seen most of these before in some shape or form.

 

With most Adam applications, you can press CONTROL-R to see the version number. You can even do this with SmartWriter (in typewriter mode, I believe) to see what version of firmware your Adam has (r80 is the latest). There are multiple versions out there of most software, as Coleco snuck in bug fixes as time went by.

Yeah I think mine is R79, but obviously there's no way to update that (is there?).

 

Every time I get a copy of SmartBasic or some other ADAM app I always check the version number just to see if it's different.

 

So do you know the keys to push? All of those EE failed to mention what keys to press or what to type to get them to trigger.

 

Tempest

[moycon]

I remember years and years ago seeing stacks of Adam's at a store Phar Mor maybe? Was so long ago I don't recall where but they were selling them for like $49.99. I knew at that time the product had failed but I wanted one so bad because they were so cheap now (From what I recall they were like $600-$700 new?) Those stacks of HUGE boxes for only $49.99 were calling and I think I even asked my dad to lend me some the $$ to get one. I was visiting for the summer and had like $30 of my own. I think he talk me out of it. I had a friend who had an Adam and I always thought it was so cool. Ever since then I've wanted one but never committed to picking one up. Maybe someday.

[+else]

I know the ADAMCalc one:

 

At the screen asking whether or not you want ADAMCalc's online help file you hit the <UP ARROW> and <RIGHT ARROW> together and then type in the word "surfnazi", you get a hidden screen showing the monogrammed initials of all the ADAMCalc programmers.

[Bill Loguidice]

I remember years and years ago seeing stacks of Adam's at a store Phar Mor maybe? Was so long ago I don't recall where but they were selling them for like $49.99. I knew at that time the product had failed but I wanted one so bad because they were so cheap now (From what I recall they were like $600-$700 new?) Those stacks of HUGE boxes for only $49.99 were calling and I think I even asked my dad to lend me some the $$ to get one. I was visiting for the summer and had like $30 of my own. I think he talk me out of it. I had a friend who had an Adam and I always thought it was so cool. Ever since then I've wanted one but never committed to picking one up. Maybe someday.

 

 

It's actually a really great system hampered by plastic/toy company quality control. It was certainly a match in terms of potential for most any other 8-bit system ever officially released and had some great ideas mixed in with the bad (power supply in the required oversized printer, data drive). Even the software was well thought out, though of course often released before being in a fully stable state. I guess the closest analog to what would have happened if the Adam was able to fulfill its potential would have been what happened with the MSX platform/specification.

[Inky]

I just glanced over at the DP Easter Egg section for the ADAM (odd how I never noticed it before) and saw all kinds of neat info. Has anyone tried these?

 

http://www.digitpress.com/eastereggs/cvadam.htm

 

Tempest

 

Ive done the Jeopardy one.

[Tempest]

Ive done the Jeopardy one.

How?

 

Tempest

[Inky]

Ive done the Jeopardy one.

How?

 

Tempest

 

I'd have to check the back issues of the NIAD newsletter. It had to do with the ctrl and arrow keys on the load screen...

[Inky]

Just looked through my stash of NIAD newsletters, but cant find the Jeopardy trick. I did note that I have a lot more issues missing than I first thought, too. I'll keep trying to google it

[Vectorman]

I think we've discovered that Super Dambusters doesn't like the 64K memory expansion. We tried it on Doubledown's expanded ADAM and it hung on the title screen, but when I tired it on mine it worked just fine (game still sucks, but it works). Can anyone else out there test this?

 

Also, I've been trying to compile a list of software made by Coleco for the ADAM. I'm only looking for official Coleco titles, not 3rd party or PD stuff. This is what we've come up wtih:

 

2010: The Text Adventure Game (#7849 - Data Pack; #9659 - Disk)

ADAM Home Software Library (#7826 - DDP; #???? - Disk)

ADAMCalc (#7831)

ADAMLink DDP

Address Book Filer (#7815) (DDP); Disk Version also released?

BC II Grogs Revenge (DDP) - Coleco of Canada

The Best of Broderbund (Choplifter & A.E.) (#7850)

The Official Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom

CP/M 2.2 and Assembler (#7832) (DDP & Disk Version)

Disk Manager: Disk Operating System (D.O.S.)

Dam Busters (DDP) - Coleco of Canada

Donkey Kong (#2628)

Donkey Kong Junior (#2629)

Dragon's Lair (#2683)

Electronic Flashcard Maker (#7662)

Expertype (#7602)

Family Feud (#7710)

Flash Facts: Flashbacks (#2901)

Flash Facts: Trivia (#2902)

Flash Facts: Vocabulator (#2900)

Recipe Filer (#7814)

Richard Scarry's Best Electronic Word Book Ever (#7658)

SimpleCalc

SmartBasic 1.0

SmartBasic 1.2 (DDP? & Disk)

SmartFiler (#7813) (DDP & Disk)

SmartLetters & Forms (#7805)

Smartlogo (#7600)

Tax Planner (DDP) - Coleco of Canada

Wacky Word Games (#7657)

The Official Zaxxon (#2623)

 

 

I'm not sure if these were officially released, or just left to Public Domain. Can any provide some info?

===============

ADAM Link II

The Best of BC (DDP?)

The Best of Electronic Arts (Hard Hat Mack & Pinball Construction Set)

Cabbage Patch Kids

Electronic Flashcard Maker: Algebra DDP

Electronic Flashcard Maker: American History I DDP

Electronic Flashcard Maker: American History II DDP

Jeopardy (#7716)

SmartBasic 2.0

Subroc SuperGame

Super Frontline Demo - I assume this was never released in a completed form

Temple of Asphai - Was this to be a Coleco release?

Troll's Tale - Was this to be a Coleco release?

 

 

I'm also trying to find out which titles were released on both disk and DDP.

 

Tempest

 

 

I've found one or two ZORK games online for ADAM. I don't know if they were specifically ported to ADAM or just designed to run on any CP/M system. I thought there were one or two Dr. Suess edu-tainment games released for ADAM.

[Tempest]

Infocom did not release any ADAM specific games, people simply converted the CP/M versions to the ADAM.

 

Tempest

[gamerz]

Here is the list of Adam software I had compiled for my website a few years ago, I cannot personally verify the existence of all the titles but this is what i had researched. Sorry for the poor format.

 

Title Format Manufacturer

AdamCalc Data Cassette Coleco

Adam's Rib 2 Data Cassettes Tapeware Technology

Address Book Filer Data Cassette Coleco

Best of B.C. Data Cassette Sydney Development Group

Best of Broderbund: A.E. and Choplifter Data Cassette Coleco

Black Gold Data Cassette or Disk Image Microcorp

Bounty Hunter Data Cassette Victory Software

Buck Rogers and the Planet of Zoom Data Cassette Coleco

CP/M 2.2 and Assembler Data Cassette Coleco/Digital Research

Diablo Data Cassette or Disk Image Microcorp

Dragon's Lair Data Cassette Coleco

ExperType 2 Data Cassettes Coleco

Extended Basic Utilities Data Cassette Extended Software Co

Family Feud Data Cassette Coleco

Disassembler Data Cassette or Disk Image Microcorp

Learning Morse Code Data Cassette Image Microcorp

Mountain King Data Cassette Sunrise Software

Quest for Quintana Roo Data Cassette Sunrise Software

Recipe Filer Data Cassette Coleco

Search for the Ruby Chalice Data Cassette or Disk International Computing

SmartBASIC Bonanza Data Cassette Martin Consulting

SmartFILER Data Cassette Coleco

Smart Letters & Forms Data Cassette Coleco

Super Donkey Kong Data Cassette Coleco

Super Donkey Kong Jr Data Cassette Coleco

Super Zaxxon Data Cassette Coleco

The Stock Market game Data Cassette or Disk Image Microcorp

Tomb Data Cassette or Disk International Computing

Trek Data Cassette Victory Software

Video Tunes Data Cassette or Disk Future Vision

[ed1475]

[doubledown]

So Tempest and I had a friendly game of Jeopardy on the ADAM today. To nobody's surprise I won, and I was asked by the ADAM if I would like to get my prize. So obviously, I said hell yes! This is what I got:

 

Edited April 19, 2009 by doubledown

[gamerz]

So Tempest and I had a friendly game of Jeopardy on the ADAM today. To nobody's surprise I won, and I was asked by the ADAM if I would like to get my prize. So obviously, I said hell yes! This is what I got:

 

 

LOL...I remember that.

[Tempest]

So Tempest and I had a friendly game of Jeopardy on the ADAM today. To nobody's surprise I won

And who won Family Feud 3 times in a row before you had to play against the computer to win? Hmm?

 

So what's the exchange rate of Adam Dollars to USD?

 

Tempest

[doubledown]

And who won Family Feud 3 times in a row before you had to play against the computer to win? Hmm?

Tempest

 

I have no such recollection!

[youki]

Coleco’s cartridge adaptor for Expansion Module #1 (Atari Adaptor)

 

Sorry, but what is the purpose of that adaptor?

 

i know the Expansion Module #1 for the coleco , but i don't see what is exactly your item here.

[TwiliteZoner]

So Tempest and I had a friendly game of Jeopardy on the ADAM today. To nobody's surprise I won, and I was asked by the ADAM if I would like to get my prize. So obviously, I said hell yes! This is what I got:

 

 

That's funny, but I bet you scared the hell out of your neighbors when it printed that thing.

[Tempest]

That's funny, but I bet you scared the hell out of your neighbors when it printed that thing.

It sounded like a gang war going on...

 

Tap Tap Tap Tap (pause) Tap Tap Tap Tap (pause) Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap (pause), etc.

 

That thing was LOUD!

 

Tempest

[TwiliteZoner]

That's funny, but I bet you scared the hell out of your neighbors when it printed that thing.

It sounded like a gang war going on...

 

Tap Tap Tap Tap (pause) Tap Tap Tap Tap (pause) Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap (pause), etc.

 

That thing was LOUD!

 

Tempest

 

 

LOL. I think I actually jumped when I first printed something out on the Adam.

[DracIsBack]

- Is the A-Bomb worse than a Trash-80?

 

That's like saying "is the ADAM worse than an Atari?" (Which one?)

 

I'll take my Tandy Co Co III over an ADAM any day.

[Bill Loguidice]

- Is the A-Bomb worse than a Trash-80?

 

That's like saying "is the ADAM worse than an Atari?" (Which one?)

 

I'll take my Tandy Co Co III over an ADAM any day.

 

Any of that type of fan boy talk is foolish in the modern era when it doesn't really matter which system is better than another in one area or another. It's not like we're just limited to a choice of just one system these days like many were back then. It's easy enough to collect for most systems and nearly all systems are easily accessible via emulation.

 

Personally, I collect every system, and these days can appreciate the nuances and quirks of each beyond even their historical value or interest. Who cares if, in the example above, the CoCo 3 has better visuals than the Adam, or the Adam has better sound than the CoCo 3? Each system is terribly fascinating in its own right, as are the overwhelmingly vast majority of platforms.