That first one is kind of interesting as it looks like it has a white CRT. Almost certainly just a repair job - that particular seller is known for mixing and matching things. All other VPs I have seen have had green or amber CRTs.
That second one has a low serial, but I would take that with a grain of salt, as I have seen a few "low serial" CDP VPs that appeared to have been special runs that used their own serial sequence.
Right, the information out there indicates that the desktop Columbia Data Products 1600 was the first "fully compatible" clone, followed by the desktop Eagle 1600, and then the portable Compaq.
I seem to recall that technically another luggable computer beat Compaq to the market, but whichever one that was, was considered not compatible enough.
The Columbia Data Products VP portable and Eagle PC/Spirit machines came a little later.
This is confusing, but Columbia Data Products was not only the first, but also with a "reverse-engineered BIOS" just like Compaq. IBM sued Eagle and Corona Data Systems(I emphasize to distinguish from Columbia "Data Products") for copying BIOS, which they were guilty of, and settled. It's also interesting to note IBM didn't actually pursue this in court. It was Apple, in Apple vs Franklin Computer(1983) where a judge ruled that BIOS was protected by copyright. Franklin's defense was that copyright didn't cover non-human readable code. Therefore this set a legal precedent for all computer code, not just firmware. IBM was happy to just bully companies into settling. they may have been afraid if a judge found any part of computer code not covered by copyright, they'd have to lobby Congress to extend copyright. They saved a bunch in lobbying expenses when things went Apple's way in court. BTW it was Compaq's insistence on 100% (or nearly so) compatibility with PC-DOS, so they could run anything in IBM's PC library of software. This had to have been done with a knowing wink by Bill Gates. IBM showed remarkable leeway in letting Microsoft license even incompatible MS-DOS versions. Microsoft wouldn't directly challenge IBM at the time; they were, after all, cooperating with OS/2. I think Compaq's success, as well as the Mac's, made them more confident of putting out Windows, and undermining IBM completely.
I also meant to comment I have no idea why "1600" was added to both the Columbia Data Products PC and the Eagle PC. Coincidence? Corona Data Systems' PC was the "Corona Portable PC Model PPC-400" Again I don't know why the "PPC" or number "400" was picked, in fact I couldn't find information about it beyond it's reputation for have a very clear font that was imitated in early PC fonts! Well that, and Wikipedia's comparison to "Halt and Catch Fire". The story is much closer to Corona's than Compaq's, except the part about "Cameron Howe" character legally clean-room reverse engineering the BIOS, and the Houston, Texas location. Back then a woman would never have been hired to a position like that, anyways. It's also interesting that nearly all these first IBM PC clones were "luggable" form factor, along with the Seequa Chameleon, the Hyperion (computer). Except for Compaq, all these companies were also making Z80 CP/M machines, or combination machines.
Comments
NEC FC98-NX FC-S34Y Industrial Computer
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154459625907?nordt=true
NEC FC98-NX FC-D18M/SK1Q3Z
https://www.ebay.com/itm/153548770392?nordt=true
NEC FC-D18M FC98-NX
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324502858397?nordt=true
*NEC PC98-NX / FC98-NX series was Windows/Intel PC based on PC98 Design Guide.
It is Not compatible with NEC PC-9800 Series.
IBM PC 5150 with Early S/N (Rev.A)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175189604975?nordt=true
IBM PS/2 (Model 30) (8530-021) (Early Rev.1)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203858062791?nordt=true
Tandy 1000 SL/2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334353224344?nordt=true
IBM PC 5150 with Early S/N (Rev.A)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175189604975?nordt=true
Corona Data Systems Model PC400-22
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154852726549?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373914343929?nordt=true
Zenith data systems ZW-151-52
https://www.ebay.com/itm/194741127872?nordt=true
TANDY 1100FD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284690141262?nordt=true
IBM PS/2 Model 60 (8560)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284705238835?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125121416032?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/133868000157?nordt=true
Commodore Colt PC Computer Model PC10C / PC20C
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255346593517?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/313476740998?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175065367892?nordt=true
Commodore computer PC10
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224886757526?nordt=true
Commodore PC 20-III
https://www.ebay.com/itm/265099685004?nordt=true
Panasonic Sr. Partner RL-H7000W
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224894177073?nordt=true
Commodore PC10C
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144467985268?nordt=true
IBM CGA P/N:1804472
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185349846668?nordt=true
SEGA TERADRIVE MODEL-3 HTR-2002
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373985729231?nordt=true
IBM 61-031099-00 16-BIT ISA MFM Fixed Hard Disk
https://www.ebay.com/itm/275023812645?nordt=true
IBM PC 5150 CGA P/N:804472
https://www.ebay.com/itm/185349846668?nordt=true
IBM PC XT 64-256K System Board (Early 1983)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284727317449?nordt=true
Tandy 3000 HL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175219966294?nordt=true
Commodore PC 20-III
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373997370140?nordt=true
VTech Laser Turbo XT
https://www.ebay.com/itm/265614286793?nordt=true
Tandy 1000 RL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154944296087?nordt=true
Tandy 1000 TL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/265639927134?nordt=true
SEGA Tera Drive Computer Model 3
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125252922770?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224448321340?nordt=true
Original IBM PC 5150 Rev.A Motherboard (P/N : 1802437)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125269017434?nordt=true
Commodore PC20-III
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255481536017?nordt=true
Tandy 1000TL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/165441117337?nordt=true
motherboard Commodore PC-III PC-10c
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224559856501?nordt=true
Motherboard Commodore PC-10 PC-20 PC10 PC20 PC10 III GX-211 V0 PC-10C
https://www.ebay.com/itm/203847508111?nordt=true
Tandy 1000RL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154964837750?nordt=true
Tandy 1000SL2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154964837750?nordt=true
Columbia 1600 VP Portable Computer
https://www.ebay.com/itm/195015802192?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144077139362?nordt=true
That second one has a low serial, but I would take that with a grain of salt, as I have seen a few "low serial" CDP VPs that appeared to have been special runs that used their own serial sequence.
I seem to recall that technically another luggable computer beat Compaq to the market, but whichever one that was, was considered not compatible enough.
The Columbia Data Products VP portable and Eagle PC/Spirit machines came a little later.
IBM was happy to just bully companies into settling. they may have been afraid if a judge found any part of computer code not covered by copyright, they'd have to lobby Congress to extend copyright. They saved a bunch in lobbying expenses when things went Apple's way in court.
BTW it was Compaq's insistence on 100% (or nearly so) compatibility with PC-DOS, so they could run anything in IBM's PC library of software. This had to have been done with a knowing wink by Bill Gates. IBM showed remarkable leeway in letting Microsoft license even incompatible MS-DOS versions. Microsoft wouldn't directly challenge IBM at the time; they were, after all, cooperating with OS/2. I think Compaq's success, as well as the Mac's, made them more confident of putting out Windows, and undermining IBM completely.
*IBM PC XT 286 (5162)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/195019286709?nordt=true
*IBM PS/2 8530 (Early model)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125291309463?nordt=true
*Hey Guys, if you want to be specific, please do it in the another discussion.
Commodore Colt PC10C
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224968722900?nordt=true
IBM XT Model 286 (5162)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125304114024?nordt=true
Tandy 1000TL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255529978189?nordt=true
TANDY 3000HL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115382957629?nordt=true
IBM CGA (P/N:1804464) early
https://www.ebay.com/itm/394079008078?nordt=true
ICL Personal Computer - Model 36
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325195345468?nordt=true
Commodore PC10-III
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255537310789?nordt=true
ATARI PC3
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255539936835?nordt=true
Tandy 1000 TL/2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334450330689?nordt=true
Tandy 1000 RL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/314002279944?nordt=true
IBM 94X1649 JAPANESE DISPLAY ADAPTER with Kanji
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144572914335?nordt=true
IBM 5162 PROTOTYPE Development System Board 286
https://www.ebay.com/itm/195071255450?nordt=true
TANDY 1000 TL/2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255558512586?nordt=true
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284834651172?nordt=true
Tandy 1000 HD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304482721407?nordt=true