• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

ASIO uses cassette-based TRS-80 Model 4 to scan your emails

@ Gonk23

Thanks for the Video, I can suggest an up grade Perhaps Floppy drives, and then in a years time , If they can see the advantage a Hard Drive ( Or Even a FreHD )

Most enjoyable.
Ray
 
Heh, I thought that might be one of yours! Especially considering they mention a Melbourne suburb and you've got one for sale. It would be interesting to know the story behind why they chose a TRS-80 for the ad.
 
I noticed it says "Model 4 Microcomputer" again over where the Radio Shack logo would be. Did you modify the badge, or did they do that in video editing?
 
They must have done it as a part of the editing. I noticed that as well. Not sure why they did that.

@gonk23 - The asked to loan a computer from me, I told them I had on hand all TRS-80 models, including MS-DOS Tandy machines, Apple ][ plus, IIe and IIc, Dick Smith System 80, but they chose the Model 4...

Ian.
 
The ABC, being a non-commercial TV channel, often removes branding from the programmes it produces, although it's a bit silly considering the whole programme is about advertising!

Someone in the agency must be a TRS-80 fan, or maybe the Model 4 just has a particular retro look that they were aiming for. Anyway, it made my evening when I saw it :)
 
gonk23 said:
Someone in the agency must be a TRS-80 fan, or maybe the Model 4 just has a particular retro look that they were aiming for.
Click to expand...

The Model 4 does have a rather stodgy and utilitarian look to it -- perfect for a government agency.

But the ad did give me thoughts of getting a dead Model III or 4, putting a color monitor in it, and turning it into a PC!
 
gonk23 said:
It would be interesting to know the story behind why they chose a TRS-80 for the ad.
Click to expand...
Some possibilities:

1. ASIO is trying to convince their adversaries that ASIO's email-scanning capability is less productive than it actually is.

2. The ad has the secondary purpose of attracting ICT graduates to join ASIO, and ASIO's ICT chief has an old-school view of 'cutting edge' computing.

3. With the limited Australian Government funding over the years, a TRS-80 is actually what is still in use for email-scanning, but for security reasons, the actual TRS-80 used by ASIO could not be loaned to the production company.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top