Acorn Business Computer

Acorn Business Computer
DeveloperAcorn Computers
ManufacturerAcorn Computers
Operating systemPanos, Concurrent DOS
CPU6502, Z80, 32016, 80286
PredecessorBBC Micro
SuccessorAcorn Archimedes

The Acorn Business Computer (ABC)[1] was a series of microcomputers announced at the end of 1983 by the British company Acorn Computers. The series of eight computers was aimed at the business, research and further education markets. Demonstrated at the Personal Computer World Show in September 1984, having been under development for "about a year" and having been undergoing field trials from May 1984, the range "understandably attracted a great deal of attention" and was favourably received by some commentators.[2] The official launch of the range was scheduled for January 1985.[3]

Acorn had stated in a February 1985 press release that the ABC machines would soon be available in 50 stores, but having been rescued by Olivetti, no dealers were stocking the range and only the Personal Assistant and 300 series models were expected to be on display by the end of March.[4] However, the ABC range was cancelled before any of the models were shipped to customers. The ABC 210 was subsequently relaunched as the Acorn Cambridge Workstation in July 1985,[5] and sold in modest numbers to academic and scientific users.

The ABC range was developed by Acorn essentially as a repackaged BBC Micro, expanded to 64 KB RAM, to which was added (in some models) a second processor and extra memory to complement the Micro's 6502. The electronics and disk drives were integrated into the monitor housing, with a separate keyboard.

The Zilog Z80, Intel 80286 and National Semiconductor 32016 were all used as second processors in the various models. Two of the eight models produced, the Personal Assistant and the Terminal, had no second processor.[6]

  1. ^ The Acorn Business Computer (PDF). Acorn Computers Limited.
  2. ^ Naylor, Jeff (27 September 1984). "The ABC trial". Popular Computing Weekly. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  3. ^ "The party's over". Personal Computer World. November 1984. pp. 110–111. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Business computers miss release dates". Acorn User. April 1985. p. 129. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  5. ^ "The saving of Acorn - part 2". Acorn User. September 1985. p. 7. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Acorn Business Computer (ABC) (Prototype) - Computer - Computing History".