Micral
Micral is a series of minicomputers made by the French manufacturer Réalisation d'Études Electroniques (R2E). Production began with the Micral N in the spring of 1973. The Micral N was a forerunner of the personal computer ; the first of its kind with a microprocessor , in this case an Intel 8008 .
history
The R2E founders André Truong Trong Thi and François Gernelle began in 1972 at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) to develop a minicomputer that should be able to carry out hygrometric measurements automatically.
The necessary software was developed by Benchitrite ; Alain Lacombe and Jean-Claude Beckmann are working on the electronic and mechanical implementation.
Subsequently, the concept of the Micral N, which was much smaller than the already existing, cabinet-sized minicomputers, was developed.
Technology and implementation
The software, a ROM memory-based MIC-01 monitor and ASMIC 01, was written on an Intertechnik Multi-8 minicomputer with a cross assembler . The heart of the microcomputer was an Intel 8008 microprocessor with a clock rate of 500 kHz (0.5 MHz).
The backplane bus, the so-called Pluribus , had a 74-pin connector. With two Pluribus, the Micral N could support up to 24 boards. The computer was already using MOS memory instead of core memory and supported parallel and serial input and output. The programs were read in via punched tape. The front panel console was optional and allowed customers to design their own console to suit specific applications.
At the beginning of 1973 the Micral N could be delivered, a full-fledged, inexpensive replacement for minicomputers, which ushered in the era of the PC .
Further development
In fact, a PDP-8 computer was originally intended to be used for process control. However, this plan was abandoned because the technical concept of the Micral N provided the same performance for only one fifth of the cost.
The so-called "stack channel" - a buffer that could hold 1 megabyte per second - made it possible to install an 8-inch floppy disk reader in the Micral series. In 1974 the Micral computers were equipped with keyboard and screens, hard disks for them were available from 1975. In 1979 the further developed Micral 8031 D was equipped with a 5¼-inch hard drive of 5 megabytes from Seagate .
The last Micral designed by François Gernelle was the 9020 series, released in 1983.
Web links
- INRA International Website (English)
- Computer History Museum 1973 (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ The Micral-N-History old-computers.com - accessed February 7, 2013
- ↑ Micral Documentation - bitsavers.org - accessed February 3, 2013
- ↑ Micral. In: History-Computer.com. Retrieved July 14, 2020 .
- ^ E-book - A History of the Personal Computer - accessed February 8, 2013