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Info for dgone


====== Data General One / DG-1 (1984) ======




===== Features =====

* CPU: 80C88 4Mhz
* RAM: 128K expandable to 512K
* ROM: 32K
* Video: CGA and MDA LCD (640x256) or EL
* I/O Ports: Serial (1 RS232C/RS-422, 1 RS-232C, both driven by 82C51), External Bus Adapter
* Keyboard: 79-key QWERTY
* Built-in Media: 1 or 2 internal 3.5" floppy drives
* OS: MS-DOS 2.1, CP/M-86
* Peripherals: external 5.25" floppy drive



===== Usage =====

== Keyboard ==

This system requires full keyboard emulation to work correctly. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the "Scroll Lock" key (by default).



===== Known Issues =====

The emulation of this system is Preliminary.



===== History and Trivia =====

Data General was one of the first minicomputer firms from the late 1960s.

Data General's introduction of the Data General-One in 1984 is an interesting side-note, one of the few cases of a minicomputer company introducing a truly breakthrough PC product. The DG One was a nine-pound battery-powered MS-DOS machine equipped with dual 3 1/2" diskettes, a 79-key full-stroke keyboard, 128K to 512K of RAM, and a monochrome LCD screen capable of either the standard 80x25 characters or full CGA graphics (640x200).

Despite the memorable advertisements ("The first computer able to fit inside the IBM PC"), the DG-1 was, however, only a modest success. One problem was the use of 3 1/2" diskettes, which were slightly ahead of their time; popular software titles were not available in 3 1/2" format and this was a serious issue because then-common diskette copy-protection schemes made it difficult for users to copy the software into that format. Although Creative Computing termed the price of US$2895 "competitive", it was a very expensive system and usually-needed additions such as more RAM and an external 5 1/4" drive drove the price higher yet. But the Achilles heel was the liquid-crystal display itself, which was not backlit, had low contrast, and was frequently accused of serving better as a mirror than as a screen. Usable outdoors or in bright offices only, a flashlight, it was joked, was often necessary to see the contents of the screen. Another killer was the incompatible serial port chip, an Intel 82C51 was used to co
nserve power, instead of the 8250 used in the IBM PC. For a portable system, this was a critical flaw -- PC programs that used the serial port wouldn't run on the DG-1 because of the different register arrangement within the 82C51.

An updated version of the DG-1 (Model 2) appeared later, with a much improved electroluminescent screen, however being a light-producing display the screen could be washed out by bright sunlight. In addition, the new screen was power hungry, and consumed so much power that the battery option was removed, thereby causing the DG-1 to lose its status as a true portable.

//(info from Wikipedia)//



===== Links =====

* DG-1 at Uncle Roger's Computers -- http://www.sinasohn.com/cgi-bin/clascomp/bldhtm.pl?computer=dg1
* DG-1 at DigiBarn Systems -- http://www.digibarn.com/collections/systems/dg-1/index.html




Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009