Altos machines

From: Innfogra_at_aol.com <(Innfogra_at_aol.com)>
Date: Sun Mar 26 21:02:50 2000

Altos machines came in several generations.

1st Generation

Altos 5-ZZ where ZZ was the size of the HD. These were Z80 machines with 5
1/4 inch drives. These are small rectangular desktop boxes.

Altos 8XXX-ZZ was a large heavy rectangular desktop box with Z80s or 68000
CPUs. These were generally multiuser machines. ZZ again refers to the size of
the 8" HD(10=10 Meg, 12=20 Meg, 14=40 Meg HDs). They used a large custom
single board computer the size of the case. The drive controller was a
separate half card mounted on top of the SBC. The early 8000s had separate
cases for the 8" FD & HD. In later models the drives and cards were
integrated in the same case. I think the 68000 processor machines were
labeled 68XX-ZZ but it has been too long to be sure. I also think the 68000
machines ran an early version of Xenix. You could get them in versions up to
9 users and a supervisor.

2nd Generation

Altos 5XX & 6XX class machines. These looked like squashed hexagons, flat on
the bottom and top with two angles on each side. These were medium sized
desktop cases, usually beige but often came in custom colors. They carried on
the two circuit card configuration. Large SBC with secondary drive controller
card.

Altos 580 was my favorite. Half height floppy and St 225 20 Meg HD with a Z80
and ran 4 terminals under MPM. They would also run CPM. These also came with
FH 10 & 15 Meg HDs

Altos 586 came with a 40 meg FHHD and the new 8086 processor and was a 6 user
machine. These often ran Xenix and were password protected.

While I never had one I think the 686 series machines had the 68000 processor
and ran Xenix.

These were all squashed Hexagonal shaped machines. I think this line went up
to 9XX series numbers with greater amounts of users.

3rd Generation

Then there were the Brown floor towers, Altos II & III. These were multiple
card towers for large amounts of users. These had 80286 and 80386 processors.
I believe there were machines that continued the 680xx processor line too. I
only had a couple of these.

The Altos II terminal is a rebadged Wyse 100 and the Altos III was a Wyse 50.
I think the Altos IV was a Wyse 60 but I am not sure at the moment.

Paxton
Received on Sun Mar 26 2000 - 21:02:50 BST