pOhio Scientific Instruments <strong>of</strong>fers thefirst microcomputer with <strong>Micro</strong>s<strong>of</strong>t Ifloating-pointiBASIC in ROM: it is also the fastest,Kilobaud (which later changed its nameto <strong>Micro</strong>computing) publishes its first issue.Computer Shack (which later changesIts name to ComputerLand) opens its first store.i ,. Jim Warren organizes the let West CoastComputer Fain) in San Francisco <strong>The</strong> Apple II andCommodore PET (see below) are introduced there.APRIL Commodore Business Machines Inc. unveilsits PET computer (6502. 4K bytes <strong>of</strong> RAM, 14Kbytes <strong>of</strong> ROM, keyboard, display, tape drive, for$595 assembled). Its all-in-one packaging and 8Kbytes <strong>of</strong> <strong>Micro</strong>s<strong>of</strong>t BASIC were innovative. Itscelculetor-ped keyboard was (unfortunately) theprecedent for later microcomputers.Camp Retupmoc, the first weeklongcomputer camp, is held in Terre Haute, Incliane,Apple Computer Inc, runs its first ad inBYTE (6502, 4K bytes <strong>of</strong> RAM, Integer ROM andmonitor in 16K bytes <strong>of</strong> ROM, keyboard, cassetteinterface, 8-slot motherboard, game paddles,graphics text interface to color display, for $1298;with maximum 48K bytes <strong>of</strong> RAM, $2638).SwTPC <strong>of</strong>fers n two-drive 6800 systemwith terminal. monitor, and computer for $1999.<strong>Micro</strong>computers become more widelyavailable 'service does, tool through Radio Shack:their TRS.80 Model I (Z80, 4K bytes <strong>of</strong> RAM, 4Kbytes <strong>of</strong> ROM ;Level I BASIC), keyboard, display,cassette interlace, and recorder) costs $599.95.North Star <strong>Computers</strong> announces itsHorizon computer (Z80A, 16K bytes <strong>of</strong> RAM, oneY.-inch floppy drive, 12-slot 5100 motherboard,serial interface to terminal, $1599 kit, $1999assembled!.Ciarcia's Circuit Cellar begins.FEBRUARY Ward Christensen and Randy Seosscreate the Computerized Hobbyist Bulletin BoardSystem, the first major CBBS running on amicrocomputer.Kathe and Dan Spraklen s Sargon winsthe 2nd West Coast Computer Faire chesstournament. (<strong>The</strong> 3rd takes place in Los Angeles inNovember.)P <strong>The</strong> Digital Group advertises the Bytemaster,a sewing-machine-size computer housing adisplay, keyboard, and disk drive. Never verypopular. it predates the Osborne 1,MAY Ken Bowles first describes the machineindependent UCSD Pascal languagefoperatingsystem in BYTE..Ic Exidy unveils the Sorcerer (180, 8K bytes <strong>of</strong>RAM, 12K bytes <strong>of</strong> ROM, keyboard, parallel, serial,and cassette interfaces, $895). <strong>The</strong> machine'sinnovations are its user-definable characters andits optional s<strong>of</strong>tware on plug-in ROM cartridges.<strong>Micro</strong>Pro International unveils WordMaster, the precursor <strong>of</strong> the ubiquitous WlortiStarword processor (which appears in mid-19791.Epson America Inc, announces theMX-80 dot-matrix printer; its high performanceand low price stun competitors and forcecompetition and lower prices in the printer market.Atari announces the Atari 400 and800 <strong>The</strong> 800 has a full keyboard, 8K byte <strong>of</strong>RAM (expandable to 48K via memory slots), twoROM cartridge slots, and custom graphics andsound chips designed by Jay Miner (who laterdesigns the Amiga custom chips); it originallycosts $1000, <strong>The</strong> machines do not becomeavailable until late 1979. A derivative machine(now costing under $100) is still on the market,and Its graphics are unsurpassed in the 8-bit market.SPRING CompuServe, a telecommunicationsfounded,MA: Dan Bricklin and Bob Franksttm <strong>of</strong> S<strong>of</strong>twareArts Inc, show the VisiCalc spreadsheet programat the 4th littlest Coast Computer Fairs. Thisprogram caused many to take microcomputersseriously for the first time VisiCalc was originallymarketed by Personal S<strong>of</strong>tware (which laterchanged its name to VisiCorpl, but S<strong>of</strong>tware Artsregained the rights to VisiCalc in September 1984.(VisiCorp merged with Paladin in late 1984, andS<strong>of</strong>tware Arts merged with Lotus in April 1985.)MAY <strong>The</strong> FORTH Interest Group distributes O)first public-domain version <strong>of</strong> fig-FORTH, whichbegins the eventual widespread availability <strong>of</strong> thelanguage on microcomputers."')E <strong>The</strong> Source telecommunications utilityfounded,Texas Instruments unveils the TI-99 4,which originally sold for $1150 (which included acolor monitor). <strong>The</strong> machine is slow (even thoughit uses TI's TMS9900 16-bit processor). thebutton-style keyboard is oddly laid out. and TIdiscouraged third-party s<strong>of</strong>tware. <strong>The</strong> revisedT1-99 4A solved some problems, but TI finallydiscontinued the computer in late 1583; itscloseout price went as low as $50.S!'"" Magic Wand becomes the first seriouscompetitor to WordStar; it was just as powerfuland easier to useSUMMER Wayne Ratliff develops the Vulcandatabase program lAshton:Tate later markets it asdBASE 11),You've /tot run out <strong>of</strong> CIECIAinfor nut owning 4 pervonal computer40 JUST COMPUTERS • DECEMBER 1985
VICOSFARILM/Vt WI:AM 31). il)t I ftstrti tWistMM.'S 14:7 1.11.1.N.13 SIXCARPGiniftlatttiRETOPRO4WM 0$ ATsknw r).y4: 2f.nitehe t, itak, t5; July 11.11JUNE 19 ? THE FIRST COMPUTER CAMPTHE TI-95'Pk:xi:0,14R 19 THE EPSON MX-80DECEf';F7 THE ATARI 800 THE ATARI 400THE BYTEMASTERTHE TRS-80 MODELTHE COMMODORE PETDECEMBER 1985 • JUST COMPUTERS 41
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