The 3300 was a modular system. Although the minimum configuration was for one user, the machine was most cost effective when used in timesharing mode, since most of the cost could be amortized over all the users. Up to 16 users could be accommodated with one CPU, and a system could have up to 64 KB of RAM. I/O was performed using modified IBM Selectric typewriters. Optionally, teletype consoles could be used instead.
Besides the cassette storage, 64KB disk and 0.5 MB disk storage was promised for future delivery. It took a while for that to appear, so early users were stuck loading system software via paper tape. This became a major sore point. Loading BASIC was a multi-step process, requiring toggling in a tape boot loader by hand, loading a bootstrap loader from paper tape, then loading the BASIC interpreter from paper tape. It took on the order of 40 minutes to get the interpreter running. Then came the process of loading the BASIC program itself, if required.
Tom Lake, a user of the 3300, says that the cassette tape option showed up in 1972, but it wasn't reliable enough for common use.
The base 3300 configuration was to have the CPU, 12 KB of core memory (three 4 KB boards), two Selectric terminals, a terminal control unit (suitable for controlling up to four Selectrics), cassette storage, and BASIC software, all for a total cost of $17,550. There was an option to do without cassette storage for $15,200.
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