Model M
No, this wasn't an IBM keyboard. The Leading Edge Model M computer was an 8088‐based computer offered by Leading Edge alongside of the Model D. The "M" designation of the computer indicated that the interior hardware was manufactured by Mitsubishi. Leading Edge famously switched to the South Korean manufacturer, Daewoo, with the Model D. Much confusion existed during the Model M's time as customers expecting to find the Model D would sometimes find the Model M in stores and confused customers asking for an explanation of the differences would receive muddied replies from salesmen. Let's clear the air once and for all.
The Model M's appearance was both a mix of understated office machine and a showy tech wonder. The case of the system was rather large, its footprint measured in at 16 ½" long, 18" wide, and 6" tall which meant that the user had to dedicate a significant portion of desktop real estate to the computer. The Model D, which was available at the same time, measured in at only 13" by 11 ½".
The beige exterior belied the machine's appearance where a sleek metallic front end met the user. The metallic portion of the front extended the entire length of the face interrupted only by the Leading Edge badge on the upper left side and the drive bay to the right where the 5.25" drives, presented in a stylish black, appeared. Below the metallic portion was a section of plastic beige on the front. This area measured 1 ΒΌ" wide and also extended the length of the font. In the plastic beige area, the user could have found the keyboard plug on the left−hand side and the power rocker switch and red power LED to the right.
The sides of the Model M were very plain, which gave the machine a very business−like appearance when viewed from the side. The plain beige sides mirrored each other with no distinct features other than two case screws on each side at the bottom of both sides. Unlike the rest of the machine, the bottom of the Model M was completely unfinished and featured bare steel that had some paint over spray, case ventilation, and rubber feet to protect the user's desktop.
At the rear of the Model M, the user would have found the majority of the computer's I/O except for the keyboard's interface. From left to right, the power supply's interfaces appeared first with case ventilation provided by the PSU's fan. Power input was provided by a standard three−prong C13 jack while the monitor or accessory power output was provided by a NEMA 5−15 plug that made simultaneous power−on of the monitor easy. Toward the center of the back panel was the only motherboard integrated I/O port which (except for the keyboard jack) provided serial interface access. The rest of the back panel featured seven ISA bus expansion slots.
The exterior was not the only place where the Model M's differences versus the Model D ended. The interior featured circuitry manufactured by Japan's Mitsubishi whereas the Model D featured Korea's Daewoo electronics. The motherboard measured 12 1/8" by 10 ½" and had less integration than its Model D counterpart; even the Model M's floppy drive required a separate controller card whereas the Model D did not. The Model M came standard with a CGA graphics adapter which was often pared with the AT−1332 AL CGA monitor. Aboard the Mitsubishi−made motherboard, the Intel 8088 was clocked at 7.16 MHz standard whereas the Model D's earliest model came clocked at 4.77 MHz and later at a toggleable 4.77−7.16 MHz. On the storage end of things, some units were outfitted with dual half−height 5.25" 360K floppy drives or one floppy drive and a hard drive.
