Posts tagged acorn

Acorn Archimedes is 25

0
1 year ago
by Andy in

Article taken from The Register -  Acorn Archimedes is 25

The Acorn Archimedes is 25 years old this month (June 2012). The first machines based on the company’s ARM (Acorn Risc Machine) processor were announced in June 1987, the year after the 32-bit chip itself was launched.

Four versions of the Archimedes were released in 1987: the A305, A310, A410 and A440. The first two had 512KB and 1MB of memory, respectively. You could upgrade an A305 to an A310 simply by adding in the extra Ram.

The A410 had 1MB of memory too, but the A440 had a (then) whopping 4MB and came with a 20MB hard drive as well as the 800KB 3.5in floppy drive – which also supported 640KB discs for BBC Master compatibility – found on the other three models.

Upgrading the A305 or A310 to A410 level was a matter of adding in a “Podule” backplane circuit board, which contained the hard drive controller. You also had to add, of course, the hard drive. There was room for two Podules on the A300 series.

You can read the rest of the article at Acorn Archimedes is 25

New Addition – Acorn A7000

1
1 year ago
by Andy in

Acorn A7000 logo Picked up one of these yesterday – A Acorn A7000. Specs are…

  • CPU: ARM7500 clocked at 32 MHz. With hardware floating point unit, clocked at 48 MHz.
  • Memory type: 4 MiB FPM motherboard mounted and, 1 SIMM slot, supporting a maximum memory size of 132 MiB
  • Video subsystem: VIDC20 controller integrated into ARM7500 core, display memory is shared with main memory.
  • Expansion: One Eurocard-sized Podule support in common with Archimedes-series machines. One internal network card socket.
  • Case: One 3.5 inch bay, with floppy drive, one 5.25 inch bay for a CD-ROM. Note, only one of a CD-ROM/DVD-ROM or an Eurocard Podule could be fitted.
  • Ports: RS-232 Serial, Parallel, PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse, headphone audio out, DE15 VGA, network (optional).
  • Dimensions, HxWxD: 102 x 357 x 283 mm
  • Operating System: RISC OS 3.60 A7000

Beeb@30 – Thirty years of the BBC Micro and Computer Literacy Project

3
1 year ago
by Andy in

BBC Model A - CaseThe Computer Literacy Project was a BBC-led initiative to improve computing education in Britain. A new series entitled The Computer Programme was planned for 1982, and the corporation wanted their own machine to accompany it.

A number of British computing firms were approached to produce a machine to the BBC’s own specification. The contract was awarded to Acorn Computers, whose own Atom replacement machine, the Proton, was adapted to satisfy the criteria.

The resulting BBC Micro became the machine of choice for schools up and down the country, backed by the then Conservative government’s own desire to make Britain lead the world in computer education.

Thirty years on, the BBC Micro is fondly remembered as being the computer that started a generation of careers in IT. It also begs the question – what did the Computer Literacy Project achieve, and how does it compare to how computing is taught now?

Beeb@30 will be a celebration with a twist, with the people who made it happen just over thirty years ago.

For more information and how to order tickets, please visit this page.

Event – Wakefield RISC OS Show 2012

0
1 year ago
by Andy in

The North’s Premier RISC OS Show is now in its 17th year.

When : 28th April 2010. 10:30 until 16:30
Where : The Cedar Court Hotel, Denby Dale Road, Calder Grove, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 3QZ

More information on the official website here.

Hermann Hauser Announced as Patron of New Cambridge Computer Museum

0
1 year ago
by Andy in ,

A leading figure in the worlds of technology, science and business, Dr Hauser has agreed to take on this important role 30 years after the company he co-founded – Acorn Computers – unveiled the BBC Micro, the machine which, along with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, epitomised the British home computer boom of the early 1980s. The BBC Micro ultimately changed the history of computing in the UK by bringing home computing within reach of the general population. In 1984 he was voted the UK’s ‘Computer Personality of the Year’.

Photograph left to right: Director - Jason Fitzpatrick, Trustee – Dr Lisa McGerty, Patron - Dr Hermann Hauser, Trustee - Peter Robson.

In the late 1980s Acorn went on to develop the ARM processor forerunner of the processors still manufactured by ARM Holdings and found in 95% of today’s mobile phones. Since then Hermann has been responsible for setting-up numerous technology companies and in 1997 co-founded Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd, a venture capital company. During his career he developed strong links with Cambridge, and has played a big part in the city’s enterprise culture.

Read the full story here : Hermann Hauser Announced as Patron of New Cambridge Computer Museum

Your BBC Micro Stories

0
1 year ago
by Andy in

With the BBC Micro turning 30 years old, The Centre for Computing History are asking people to send in their stories and anecdotes about using the beeb in its heyday.

Perhaps the BBC Micro was the first computer you used at school? Or were you one of the many developers that created 3rd party products for it? Did you work for Acorn? Or perhaps you were one of the thousands of people had had one at home and spent every spare moment exploring this fantastic machine?
Whatever your story we’d love to hear it. Write your story here.

Go to Top