I've added a bit of info below.
Best Regards,
Lowell Kinzer
lkinzer_at_sciti.com
At 08:06 PM 9/28/99 , Phil Clayton wrote:
>Since everyone is on the subject of Kaypro here is some information that
>I have compiled from articles I have read.. Kaypro BTW is my favorite
>computer I have at least one of every model in my collection, excluding
>a Kaypro Robie.. ALso have a Model 16 .. Perhaps someone could update
>this list and ad to it.. The more information the better.. Hope this is
>of some interest to everyone..
>Phil...
>
>Kaypro Computer and Non-Linear Systems
>
>After Adam Osborne came out with the O-1, it was immediately set up as a
>target. Every company started shooting at the magic price of $1800.
>Among the people to set their sights at this figure was Alan Kay. Alan
>had originally started a company which sold oscilloscopes called
>Non-Linear Systems.
The company name was Non-Linear Systems, Incorporated. Here is a
description of the company from a KAYCOMP II brochure, circa 1982:
A WORD ABOUT NLS
Non-Linear Systems, Inc., is the originator of the digital voltmeter and
an innovative leader in the field of electronic test equipment.
Organized in 1952, NLS has been a major supplier of digital voltmeters and
ratiometers to large corporations in the aerospace industry. Since 1972 NLS
has been consumer directed, organizing a worldwide network of distributors,
providing small, portable multimeters, oscilloscopes, counters, frequency
meters, temperature meters and DPM's. And now--NLS has entered the world of
computers with one prime thought--to provide the best value in a small,
business and family computer.
>He decided Osborne had the right idea, but needed a
>little tweaking on the case. He envisioned a computer which would not
>only be rugged enough to be carried around, but would be tough enough to
>be carried out in the field by engineers. With this idea in mind, he
>designed the Kaypro Computer.
>
>The case was made of aluminum which allowed it to be extremely rugged,
>but still save a little weight. These are sometimes nicknamed "Darth
>Vader's lunch box." Needless to say, this case passed the test for
>ruggedness. Except for the Robie and later DOS machines, all Kaypros
>had the same case and varying shades of gray paint.
>
>All the computers came bundled with software, originally the Perfect
>Series, but later WordStar and
>SuperCalc.
An early (black & white) KAYCOMP II brochure lists the following software
bundle:
STANDARD SOFTWARE
CP/M -- General purpose operating system.
SUPERVYZ -- a menu operating system providing the untrained user immediate
access to computer activity.
MBASIC -- High-level interpreter language for quickly obtaining problem
solutions.
MULTIPLAN electronic worksheet for interdependent variables.
Word processing program.
MU/MATH -- Advanced mathematical manipulation program.
A later color KAYCOMP II brochure lists a different software bundle.
STANDARD SOFTWARE INCLUDED:
CP/M 2.2
SBASIC
SELECT wordprocessor
PROFITPLAN spreadsheet program
UTILYZE menu driven CP
SOFTWARE OPTIONS:
Finance and programmable PROFITPLAN enhancements.
SELECT spelling dictionary.
M/BASIC
Here is the software list from a 1983 KAYPRO II brochure.
STANDARD SOFTWARE INCLUDED:
WORDSTAR
THE WORD PLUS
PERFECT WRITER
PERFECT SPELLER
PERFECT FILER
PERFECT CALC
PROFITPLAN
CP/M 2.2
MICROSOFT BASIC
UNIFORM
OPTIONAL SOFTWARE:
MAILMERGE -- A WORDSTAR-compatible mailing list/form letter program
MICROPLAN -- An upgrade of PROFITPLAN specializing in financial analysis
CONSOLODATED MODULE -- A MICROPLAN enhancement for merging individual
spreadsheets
dBASE II -- A relational database management system
SUPERTERM -- For transmitting and receiving data via a modem
S-BASIC -- A structured basic language for programming
B-TREES -- A programmer's file indexing system written in S-BASIC
C-BASIC -- A basic high level language for programming
TINKERKIT -- BIOS ROM and utility source listings
>
>Kay originally sold his computers under the company name of Kaypro, but
>it turned out this name had already been taken. He then sold the
>computers under the Non-Linear name, but was able to keep the Kaypro
>name on the computers. Somewhere along the way, he did manage to acquire
>the rights to Kaypro Company, but it was late in the company's life.
The computer was originally marketed as the KAYCOMP II. Copyright to the
name "Kaycomp" was held by others, so the computer name was changed to
Kaypro II (I don't know if I still have a copy of the source for that
info). If I recall correctly, Kaypro Incorporated was created in mid 1983,
separating the computer production from NLS ( which "became a wholly-owned
division of Linear Measurements, Inc." in 1992 according to
http://www.nonlinearsystems.com/index.html). Andy Kay's latest venture is
Kay Computers (www.kaycomputers.com), which produces the Pro Series line of
computers.
>The Kaypro II is the oldest computer Kaypro made. It has SSDD disks and
>the screen is green and it has the standard 64 K of RAM.
Non-Linear Systems, Incorporated's first computer model was called the
Kaycomp II and was released in March 1982 at a price of $1,795. A "new
products" article about the Kaycomp II appeared in the Electronic
Engineering Times 3/15/82 issue. It included a black & white photo of the
Kaycomp II, which has the CRT centered in the case, a disk drive placed
vertically on either side of the CRT. The brightness control, power and
reset switches are above the left-hand disk drive. There are no ventilation
holes along the top of the sides like those on later models. The case is
painted a solid, dark color. There is a horizontal stripe, in a lighter
color across the center of the side containing the logo "KAYCOMP II." The
keyboard enclosure is the same color as the contrasting stripe. The picture
caption says that "[t]he Z80A-based micro comes wrapped in a fan-cooled
metal cabinet that snaps together for easy portability." In the body of the
article, the case is referred to as "weatherproof" and "low-profile."
>After Kaypro left Chapter 11, they came out with several DOS
>compatibles, but were no longer considered a force in the industry.
>There were several unique units that came out including some extremely
>compact units that were designed to be desktop computers but were light
>enough to be carried from place to place.
>
>Kaypro II
>In the beginning there was the Kaypro II (aka II'83 later). It came
>with 2 SS/DD full-height floppies, a 2.5 MHz Z-80, one serial port, and
>bundled software from Perfect Software. Introduced late 82.
>
>Kaypro 10
>Next was the original Kaypro 10. It came with 1 DS/DD floppy drive, a 10
>meg HD, a 4.0 MHz Z-80A, two serial ports, light pen port, rudimentary
>graphics, a real time clock, and software from Perfect
>Software and dBase II. Introduced mid-83.
>
>Kaypro IV
>Then there was a Kaypro IV (aka IV'83 later). It was a II, but with
>DS/DD full-height floppy drives. Wordstar started being included in
>addition to the Perfect Software suite. Introduced in mid-83. (Same goes
>for the II'83, late versions included Wordstar also.)
>
>1984 rolls around, and some changes made.
>
>Kaypro 4
>The 4 (aka 4'84) is introduced. It now has two DS/DD half-height floppy
>drives, a Z-80A at 4.0 MHz, 2 serial ports, internal 300 baud modem, a
>real-time clock, rudimentary graphics. Software is from Micropro
>(Wordstar, Calcstar, etc.) Early 1984.
>
>Kaypro 2
>The 2 (aka 2'83) is introduced. It has two SS/DD half-height floppy
>drives, a Z-80A at 4.0 MHz, 2 serial ports, rudimentary graphics.
>Software is from Micropro. Slightly later in 84.
>
>Kaypro 2X
>The 2X is introduced. This is closer to an old IV, or a 2 with DS/DD
>half-height drives. Again a Z-80A running at 4.0 MHz, 2 serial ports,
>rudimentary graphics, software from Micropro.
>
>Kaypro Robbie
>Early 84. The Kaypro Robie is introduced. This is the first non-portable
>machine, a black desktop. This has 2 2.6 Megabyte (not a typo) floppy
>drives. Motherboard is basically the same as a 4, with the 300 baud
>modem, rough graphics, etc. (late 84?)
>
>1985 arrives. Kaypro upgrades most of the machines to the "Universal
>ROM", so a boot disk for one can be used in another.
>
>The 4'84 is renamed the 2X (sometimes known as 2X MTC). Old 2X, 2'84,
>4'84 are all dropped.
>
>Kaypro New 2
>The "New 2" is introduced. This is basically an old 2X motherboard, but
>with just one DS/DD floppy drive. It comes with just CP/M and Wordstar
>for software. (early 85?)
>Kaypro starts producing the II'83 again, with Perfect software as
>opposed to Micropro software. (early 85).
>
>Kaypro 4X
>The Kaypro 4X is announced. It's a Robie but in the standard portable
>case. I also have seen reference to the 12X, which was going to be a
>Kaypro 10 but with a Robie floppy drive. (I've never actually
>seen a 4X or a 12X. The store where I worked might have sold only one or
>two Robies, so it wasn't a big seller.)
>
>1986 or so arrives.
>
>Kaypro 1
>The Kaypro 1 (yes one) is introduced. It's equivalent to the old 2X,
>with 2 DS/DD floppies, 4.0 MHz Z-80A, 2 serial ports, etc. The floppies
>are vertical as opposed to horizontal. It comes with
>CP/M and Perfect Writer for software.
>
>At this point, Kaypro is producing just the 1, 2X MTC, 10 and Robie
>basically. This continued until they got out of the CP/M machines.
>
>There were also a few variations on some of these machines, such as the
>4+88, which had a SWP (?) co-processor board with an 8088, 256K of
>memory (which could be a ramdisk under CP/M), and could run some MS/Dos
>software.
>
>
Received on Sun Oct 17 1999 - 11:17:47 BST