Acorn Archimedes
Type	Personal computer or Home computer
Released	June 1987
Discontinued	mid-1990s
Processor	ARM
Memory	512 KiB - 16 MiB
OS	RISC OS or RISC iX

The Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer based on their own 32-bit ARM RISC CPU. The name is also commonly used to describe computers which were based on the same architecture, even where Acorn did not include 'Archimedes' in the official name. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 627 × 365 pixelsFull resolution (627 × 365 pixel, file size: 60 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File links Arch-logo. ... Children playing on a Amstrad CPC 464 in the 1980s. ... The ARM architecture (previously, the Advanced RISC Machine, and prior to that Acorn RISC Machine) is a 32-bit RISC processor architecture that is widely used in a number of embedded designs. ... According to the International Electrotechnical Commission a kibibyte (a contraction of kilo binary byte) is a unit of information or computer storage. ... The three-letter acronym MIB may refer to any of several concepts: Management information base, a computing information repository used (for example) by SNMP In marbles, any marble, but esp. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... RISC iX was a Unix-like operating system designed to run on the Acorn Archimedes R140, R225 and R260 models. ... Acorn Computers Ltd. ... Children playing on a Amstrad CPC 464 in the 1980s. ... 32-bit is a term applied to processors, and computer architectures which manipulate the address and data in 32-bit chunks. ... The ARM architecture (previously, the Advanced RISC Machine, and prior to that Acorn RISC Machine) is a 32-bit RISC processor architecture that is widely used in a number of embedded designs. ... Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC), is a microprocessor CPU design philosophy that favors a smaller and simpler set of instructions that all take about the same amount of time to execute. ... Die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor (actual size: 12×6. ...

Description and History

Early models

The BBC Computer Literacy Project 'Owl' appeared on the keyboard, above the function keys on the Archimedes 300 series and A3000 keyboards.

The first models were released in June 1987, as the 300 and 400 series. The 400 series included 4 expansion slots (although a 4 slot backplane could be added to the 300 series) and an ST506 controller for an internal hard drive. Both models included the Arthur OS (later called RISC OS), BBC BASIC and an emulator for Acorn's earlier BBC Micro, and were mounted in two-part cases with a small central unit, monitor on top, and a separate keyboard and three-button mouse. All models featured onboard 8 channel stereo sound and were capable of displaying 256 colours on screen. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Seagate ST-412. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... A screenshot of Arthurs GUI desktop and its bundled accessory applications Arthur is an early GUI operating System (OS) that was used on Acorn ARM-cpu-based computers from about 1987 until the much-superior RISC OS 2 was completed and made available in April 1989. ... An operating system (OS) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... BBC BASIC was developed in 1981 as a native programming language for the MOS Technology 6502 based Acorn BBC Micro home/personal computer, mainly by Roger Wilson. ... An emulator reproducing a console games playable atmosphere on a Windows computer. ... The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... A computer display monitor, usually called simply a monitor when the meaning is clear from the context, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record. ... A computer keyboard is a peripheral partially modeled after the typewriter keyboard. ... Operating a mechanical 1: Pulling the mouse turns the ball. ... In popular usage, stereo generally refers to dual-channel sound recording and sound reproduction – sound that contains data for more than one speaker simultaneously. ...

Four models were initially released with different amounts of memory, the A305, A310, A410 and A440. The 300 and 400 were followed by a number of machines with minor changes and upgrades:

The A3000 and A5000

Work began on a successor to the Arthur operating system, initially named Arthur 2, but with the release of the Hollywood movie of the same name it was renamed to RISC OS 2. Along with it, a number of new machines were introduced as well, and in May 1989 the 300 series was phased out in favour of the new Acorn A3000. The earlier models were capable of being upgraded to RISC OS 2 by replacing the ROM chips which contained the Operating System. A screenshot of Arthurs GUI desktop and its bundled accessory applications Arthur is an early GUI operating System (OS) that was used on Acorn ARM-cpu-based computers from about 1987 until the much-superior RISC OS 2 was completed and made available in April 1989. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Read-only memory (often referred to as its acronym ROM) is a class of storage media used in computers and other electronic devices. ...

Unlike the previous Archimedes models, the A3000 came in a single-part case similar to the Amiga 500 and Atari ST computers, with the keyboard attached to the main unit. This kind of housing consumes a lot of desktop space, a problem that Acorn tried to overcome by offering a monitor stand that could be attached to the base unit. The new model only sported a single expansion slot. Unlike the 300 series, the 400 series was kept in production. Missing image A500 The A500, also known as the Amiga 500, was the first low-end Commodore Amiga 16_bit multimedia home/personal computer model. ... The Atari 520ST Atari 1040STF with SC1224 color monitor The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was commercially popular from 1985 to the early 1990s. ... Fitting an expansion card into a motherboard An expansion card in computing is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer motherboard to add additional functionality to a computer system. ...

The other new model, the A5000, came in a newly designed two-part case that looked more conventional than the housings of its predecessors. It featured the new 25 MHz ARM3 processor, while the A3000 was still equipped with an 8 MHz ARM2. The A3000 ran RISC OS 2, while the A5000 ran the new RISC OS 3.0. It came with 2 or 4 MiB of RAM, compared to the A3000's 1 MiB, and featured either a 40 MB or an 80 MB hard drive. Its video capabilities were enhanced as well and the A5000 could comfortably display VGA resolutions of up to 800×600 pixels. It was the first Archimedes to feature a High Density capable floppy disc drive as standard and could read and write various formats, including DOS and Atari discs. A later version of the A5000 was available, featuring a 33 MHz ARM3, 4 or 8 MiB of RAM, an 80 or 120 MB hard drive and a revised OS, namely RISC OS 3.10. The ARM architecture (previously, the Advanced RISC Machine, and prior to that Acorn RISC Machine) is a 32-bit RISC processor architecture that is widely used in a number of embedded designs. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a computer display standard first marketed in 1987 by IBM. VGA belongs to a family of earlier IBM video standards and largely remains backward compatible with them. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that comprises a circular piece of thin, flexible (hence floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic wallet. ... Instructions on how to use the directory command. ... This article is about a corporate game company. ...

As previously, earlier machines were capable of being upgraded to the new RISC OS 3, though some needed help[1], as well as the ARM3 CPU.[2] Via a third party upgrade,[3] earlier models could benefit from equal video performance to the A5000.

A new range and a laptop

In 1992, a new range was produced, using the ARM250 microcontroller, an ARM2 processor with integrated memory and video controllers, performing better thanks to an increase in clock frequency, and running RISC OS 3.10. The A30x0 series had a one-piece design, similar to the A3000 but far smaller, while the A4000 looked like a slightly slimmer A5000. The A3010 model was intended to be a home computing machine, featuring a TV modulator and joystick ports, while the A3020 targeted the home office and educational markets, featuring a built-in 2.5" hard drive and a dedicated network interface socket . Technically, the A4000 was almost identical to the A3020, only differing in hard disk size (3.5" in the A4000), though it sported a different appearance. All three ARM250-based machines could be upgraded to 4MB with plug-in chips (though the A3010 was designed for 2MB, third party upgrades overcame this) and one "mini-podule" slot as used for internal expansion in the A3000. The integrated circuit from an Intel 8742, an 8-bit microcontroller that includes a CPU running at 12 MHz, 128 bytes of RAM, 2048 bytes of EPROM, and I/O in the same chip. ... In synchronous digital electronics, such as most computers, a clock signal is a signal used to coordinate the actions of two or more circuits. ... The home computer is a consumer-friendly word for the second generation of microcomputers (the technical term that was previously used), entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s. ... For the musical use of modulation, see modulation (music). ... Joystick elements: 1. ...

Also in 1992, Acorn introduced a laptop computer called A4 that featured an ARM3 processor like the A5000, even though it had a slightly lower clock speed, and a LCD screen capable of displaying a maximum resolution of 640 × 480 pixels in 16 levels of grey. However, it did feature a monitor port which offered the same display capabilities as an A5000. A notable omission from the machine was a built-in pointing device, requiring users to nagivate with the cursor keys or attach a conventional Acorn three-button mouse.[4] An ultraportable IBM X31 with 12 screen on an IBM T43 Thin & Light laptop with a 14 screen A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer or notebook), is a small mobile computer, which usually weighs 2. ... LCD redirects here. ... An Apple pro mouse A pointing device is any computer hardware component (specifically human interface device) that allows a user to input spatial (ie, continuous and multi-dimensional) data to a computer. ...

The A7000, despite its name being reminiscent of the Archimedes naming conventions, was actually more similar to the Risc PC – the line of RISC OS computers that succeeded the Archimedes in 1994. It lacked, however, the DEBI expansion slots and multi-slice case that characterized the RiscPC (though by removing the CDROM, a backplane with one slot could be fitted). The Risc PC (codenamed Medusa) was Acorn Computers Ltds next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched in 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes. ...

List of models

Also produced, but never sold commercially were: Look up RAM, Ram, ram in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... RISC iX was a Unix-like operating system designed to run on the Acorn Archimedes R140, R225 and R260 models. ... RISC iX was a Unix-like operating system designed to run on the Acorn Archimedes R140, R225 and R260 models. ... A network computer is a lightweight computer system that operates exclusively via a network connection. ... RISC iX was a Unix-like operating system designed to run on the Acorn Archimedes R140, R225 and R260 models. ...

• A500 - 4 RAM, ST506 interface, Archimedes development machine [5]
• A680 and M4 - 8 MiB RAM, SCSI on motherboard, RISC iX development machines

RISC iX was a Unix-like operating system designed to run on the Acorn Archimedes R140, R225 and R260 models. ...

Significance and impact

The Archimedes was one of the most powerful home computers available during the late 1980s and early 1990s; its main CPU was faster than the 68000 microprocessors found in the more popular Atari ST and Commodore Amiga machines. "An 8 MHz 68000 had an average performance of roughly 1 MIPS." The 8MHz ARM2 yields 4.5-4.8 MIPS in repeatable benchmark tests [6] The Motorola 68000 is a CISC microprocessor, the first member of a successful family of microprocessors from Motorola, which were all mostly software compatible. ... The Atari 520ST Atari 1040STF with SC1224 color monitor The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was commercially popular from 1985 to the early 1990s. ... Amiga is the name of a range of home/personal computers using the Motorola 68000 processor family, whose development started in 1982. ... The Motorola 68000 is a CISC microprocessor, the first member of a successful family of microprocessors from Motorola, which were all mostly software compatible. ...

The Archimedes won significant market share in the education markets of the UK, Ireland and Australasia; the success of the Archimedes in British schools was due partly to its predecessor the BBC Micro and later to the Computers for Schools scheme organised by the Tesco supermarket chain in association with Acorn, and most students and pupils in these countries in the early 90s were exposed to an Archimedes or A-series computer. Outside of education, despite a technical edge the Archimedes only ever met a moderate success, becoming a 'minority' platform outside of niche markets (not unlike the Apple Macintosh). Niche markets included professional work such as radio, medical and railway station management and music publishing. Australasia Australasia is a term variably used to describe a region of Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. ... The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... Tesco plc is a UK-based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain. ... The first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac. The Macintosh or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Computer. ... See drugs, medication, and pharmacology for substances that are used to treat patients. ... Passengers bustle around the typical grand edifice of Londons Broad Street Station in 1865. ...

By the early 1990s, the UK educational market began to turn away from the Archimedes. Many schools started using Macintosh computers. The increasing multimedia capabilities of IBM compatible PCs also lead to an erosion of the Archimedes market share. One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ...

See also

• BBC Micro - predecessor
• Risc PC - the next-generation Archimedes
• Acorn Computers Ltd
• Arculator

The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... The Risc PC (codenamed Medusa) was Acorn Computers Ltds next generation RISC OS/Acorn RISC Machine computer, launched in 1994, which superseded the Acorn Archimedes. ... Acorn Computers Ltd. ...

External links

• Acorn Archimedes site
• arcem machine emulator released under the GNU GPL
• RedSquirrel ARM machine emulator
• Virtual Acorn - commercial Archimedes / RISC OS emulation package
• Acorn Archimedes memories
• Acorn Archimedes Emulator related site
• Castle Technology - Acorn's hardware successor, producing the next generation RISC OS machines
• RISC OS Ltd - continuing the development of the RISC OS operating system
• Chris' Acorns - computer 'museum'