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Computer Devices Dot MS-DOS v1.25 and Computer Devices Dot 8088 CPU and CRT Card ROMs

02k-guy02k-guy
in Software
https://archive.org/details/dot-ms-dos

Computer Devices Dot MS-DOS v1.25
by Computer Devices Inc

Publication date 1983-04
Topics floppy, disk image, operating system, dos
Item Size 5.5M
"This is a flux image of the MS-DOS operating system for use with a Computer Devices Dot. This computer uses 3.5in floppy drives was released in 1983, before a standard was settled on. As a result the disks for it are not compatible with any other PCs. The disk image here is provided in KryoFlux raw format for writing back to a disk directly."

https://archive.org/details/cdi-dot-roms

by Computer Devices Inc.

Publication date 1983-06
Topics ROM, computer
Item Size 2.0M
"These are the ROMs from an 8088 CPU card and CRT controller from a Computer Devices Dot. The computer was IBM compatible design wise but had an unusual wide format CRT with the ability to display 132x25 characters."





Comments

  • 02k-guy02k-guy
    Amazing1 I just stumbled on a YouTube video of a 1983 Dot Computer. Wasn't looking, it appeared in my usual feed of assorted crap.




  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    That's Gurgle's tracking for you.

    Interesting and odd little machine. Short screen CRTs like that were used in some single-purpose word processing machines. I wonder if this was really intended to be a word processing machine too. I wonder exactly how IBM PC compatible it really was.
  • 02k-guy02k-guy
    @SomeGuy : the video in the link of my post gives a pretty thorough history of the company, the Dot, and it's innards.

    "That's Gurgle's tracking for you.". Yes, dammit. This time I'm not unhappy about it.
  • 02k-guy02k-guy
    edited July 13
    More: went back to the link I posted for the MSDOS and roms, then checked out the uploaders page. Yup, several more uploads, including DOS, manuals, etc.

    https://archive.org/details/@akbkuku




  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    That video also has some interesting information about very early 3.5" drives, and those two units demonstrate two different early models. They use a different TPI at 70 tracks.

    I remember people complaining about the 3.5" drive in my Kaypro 2000 being "non-standard", even though the format was 100% the same as eventually used in the IBM PS/2 (and I think also the same as the IBM Convertible)

    So these would have been an even bigger headache.
  • 02k-guy02k-guy
    @SomeGuy Yes! I had no knowledge whatsoever of the 3.5 era, only that Sony set the standard and later, Sony/Phillips for CDs. Coming into the PC era from the CoCo world - where we had 5.25 floppies and flippies - there wasn't much time left in my day to do the deep digging I used to.

    The fact that CDI was able to put together such a high functioning machine with so few hardware and software resources just amazes me.

    And technology was moving at a breakneck speed. We just came to expect back then that something new would pop up every day.

    Also: did you catch the part that the Dot could also function as a terminal to mainframe?
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    edited July 14
    Well, their earlier products involved portable terminals, so that functionality would fit well in their product line. The Visual Commuter could also act as a hardware terminal.

    Most "personal computers", being programmable devices, would use software based terminal programs instead of ROM based.

    But with a ROM based terminal, you could use less ram, did not need an OS, and could do without a disk drive. They could have chosen to sell a disk-less version if they had wanted to.

    BTW: It looks like there is a code listing for their io.sys in the deleted space.
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