] Adam Osborne, 64, a technical writer, business executive
] and computer pioneer whose Silicon Valley achievements
] included the introduction of the Osborne 1, the first
] portable personal computer, died March 18 at his home in
] Kodiakanal, India.
]
] Dr. Osborne had an organic brain syndrome and died
] following a series of strokes.
]
] He introduced his computer in June 1981 at the West Coast
] Computer Fair. The computer, which retailed at $1,795,
] weighed 24 pounds and was about the size of a sewing
] machine. Dr. Osborne designed the machine to be light
] enough to carry as luggage and compact enough to fit
] under a commercial airline seat.

] Adam Osborne, 64, a technical writer, business executive
] and computer pioneer whose Silicon Valley achievements
] included the introduction of the Osborne 1, the first
] portable personal computer, died March 18 at his home in
] Kodiakanal, India.

Awww. The "Osborne I" was my first personal computer, and I still have many fond memories of playing the early Infocom games on it. I still have my old CP/M operating system diskettes, though the only times I dig the Osborne out these days are to take it to the "historical" displays at the occasional technology convention. I was also pleased to see an Osborne I on display in the Smithsonian when I visited Washington DC.

I have many memories of my time in the service that are wrapped up with the Osborne, since I would carry it with me whenever I was assigned to temporary duty somewhere. I lugged the Osborne (we used to joke that it was "transportable" but not necessarily "portable") through many an airport, and would set it up in my tiny barracks room to play games such as "Zork I" and "Deadline" off the 5 1/4" diskettes, when I wasn't working on the U-2 aircraft!

A toast to Osborne -- I'm sorry to see you go.

Elonka

] Adam Osborne, 64, a technical writer, business executive
] and computer pioneer whose Silicon Valley achievements
] included the introduction of the Osborne 1, the first
] portable personal computer, died March 18 at his home in
] Kodiakanal, India.
]
] He introduced his computer in June 1981 at the West Coast
] Computer Fair. The computer, which retailed at $1,795,
] weighed 24 pounds and was about the size of a sewing
] machine. Dr. Osborne designed the machine to be light
] enough to carry as luggage and compact enough to fit
] under a commercial airline seat.

And an awesome machine it was, for the day. It was quickly called a "Luggable" computer, pre-dating laptop- and notebook-computer designations.