An update to my article on the Advance 88d Computer. 

    I think an update is necessary as I wrote the article some time ago and 
    things have changed a bit since then! 

    I  was  interested to see the new Ferranti Advance machine and  took  a 
    good  look  at it (unfortunately only on the outside) at last years  PC 
    User Show.  Then Practical Computing reviewed the new Ferranti  machine 
    with  pictures showing the inside layout,  and I was very surprised  to 
    recognise  many  of  my old Advance 86b details in this  so-called  new 
    machine, even to the point of it having a Daughterboard attached to the 
    Motherboard (the modification used to sort out the interrupt problem on 
    the  original  design).  It  seems  that this  new  Ferranti  model  is 
    basically the Advance 86b in a redesigned case with the added option of 
    an XT version. 

    The  machine  that  I purchased was not the Ferranti  machine  but  the 
    Advance  88d designed and manufactured by Advance Technology,  it is  a 
    Twin Floppies version with 640K memory, the drives are half height 360K 
    Mitsubishi, and these worked very well indeed, but being me I wanted to 
    improve things,  so I fitted a 10MB Shugart half height Hard disk so  I 
    have  3 actual drives A:  B:  and C:  This setup gives the best of both 
    worlds and I can heartily recommend it! 

    I  have  been using this type of layout since  last  October,  with  no 
    problems,  but have just decided to make a further update,  this time I 
    have  changed the 10MB hard disk for a 20MB NEC half height version.  I 
    now think that I have absolutely the best in Compatibles! 

    Since  much  is  made  about  the legality of  the  BIOS  used  in  IBM 
    Compatibles,  I would like to confirm that the BIOS used in the Advance 
    88d is one of the legal ones! 

    There  has  also been other very important changes since  I  wrote  the 
    article and that is the prices and the versions available. 


    There are now 6 main versions,  their cost and details are as follows:-  
                     
    a) D2LL  With 2 x 360K DSDD Floppy Disk Drives and 256K Memory.     799
    b) D2HH  With 2 x 720K DSQD Floppy Disk Drives and 256K Memory.     899
    c) D5LL  With 2 x 360K DSDD Floppy Disk Drives and 640K Memory.     999
    d) D5HH  With 2 x 720K DSQD Floppy Disk Drives and 640K Memory.    1099
    e) D5L20 With 1 x 360K DSDD Floppy Disk and 1 x 20MB Hard Disk.    1499
    f) D5H20 With 1 x 720K DSQD Floppy Disk and 1 x 20MB Hard Disk.    1549

    These prices include 12 months warranty but do not include VAT. 
                 
                     
    I  firmly believe that the Advance 88d is a very good buy if you  would 
    like to have an IBM but do not have the Big Blue type of money!  If you 
    are interested in purchasing one or getting more information, you still 
    have to contact Advance Technology direct at 8a, Hornsey St, London, N7 
    8HR. Telephone 01-609-0061 

        
    PS. 
    I  hear  that there is an AT version that is soon to be released but  I 
    have  no real details as yet.  If I get lucky and manage to give one  a 
    test run, I'll do another write up.