Osborne Computer 4 (Vixen) prototype?

[Frank McConnell]

Bob Armstrong wrote:
>   I've found machine that I think is a prototype for the Osborne Vixen.
> From the outside the case looks exactly like a Vixen case except that mine
> is a ugly brown color rather than the grey/white color scheme you usually
> see and when you open it up it's slightly different from a "production"
> Vixen - the floppy drives in mine are horizontal rather than vertical and
> the back panel is re-arranged a little.  There are no labels of any kind on
> the machine except for the giant "OSBORNE" that's molded into the plastic,
> and the PCB inside says "Osborne Computer Corp, Rev 2".   When you turn it
> on, though, it identifies itself as an "OCC 4" and asks for a boot diskette,
> so I'm thinking that must be what it is.

>   Has anybody seen a Vixen in this style?  None of the photos I've found on
> the web look like this configuration.

I'm remembering....

There was an issue of Microcomputing/Kilobaud that ran photos of Adam
Osborne showing the Executive and the Vixen, and the Vixen in those
photos had drives in the "other" orientation from the example I have.
I don't recall which issue this was, but am certain that it was in
Microcomputing/Kilobaud, and I'm thinking it was the issue that went
to press just after OCC filed Chapter 11.

I'm thinking the unit shown may have had a smaller CRT than the production
Vixen/OCC4 too.

>   And does anybody have software for the OCC4?  Will the boot diskettes for
> an OCC1 or Executive work on it?

I think I've got it but it'll take a while for me to get to 'em.

-Frank McConnell