Cromemco (was Re: S-100 bus specs)

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Thu Mar 18 20:29:55 1999

<Re:
<> > 1979
<> > First multi-user operating system CROMIX (UNIX derivative)
<> >
<> > First multi-user operating system...what? On a micro? Maybe.
<>
<> Even then, dubious. When did OS-9 come out?
<
<IIRC, I was using a multiuser Alpha Micro (probably an AM 100)
<in my apartment around June or July of 1978. It was based on the
<Western Digital microengine, which emulated a DEC 11.
<
<Stan

Lessee there are some points of order...

Alpha Micro AM100 was a sorta LSI-11 in that it used the same chip set and
was similar but not compatable in any way.

The Western Digital PASCAL Microengine was a P-machine and operationally
as well as programativcally very different from DEC PDP-11. It did however
use the same chipset.

The chipset is WD13 and it's functionality is determined by microms
(microprogramming roms). Alpha micro was very close to the PDP-11 but
far enough away to avoid copyright problems. The WD P-engine was oneof the
few direct P-code executing systems (a stack machine).

All very interesting machine as they were pushing the microcomputer envelope
for the time.

Allison
Received on Thu Mar 18 1999 - 20:29:55 GMT