X-Ray #01 17 августа 1996

История

Reflections on - On the Establishment and Development Company Ltd. "Condor".

                  Reflections on ...



                                         In the tank, most 
importantly - 

                                         time slip away ...

                                             (Proverb)



              1. You remember how it all began ...


    It all started fairly quietly and calmly. 15 years ago
ordinary man in the street, does not bind his career
work with computers, except for a desktop calculator
"Electronics", the other computers did not know and do not know
wanted. Only anxious students hauled bundles
punch cards in the Main Computer Centre, where they had served 
several hours on end in line for computer time, are often left 
with either nothing. EC-1033 and BESM-6 were the most common 
concepts of computer terminology, the student sample in 1984. 
Quite frequently in smoking rooms can be heard mention of the 
popular While the car "Iskra-226", but for some reason on this 
knowledge computers in the average student completed.

Mention of other professions related to
computer activities that do not make sense, because in 
production Automation is restricted, as a rule, "mechanical"

ways to manage the process, the Accountant is generally
ended with the purchase of new stationery, in the best case
aforementioned calculator, etc. etc. Apply process
COMPUTING somewhere else besides math, no one could, because not
knew that it was generally possible to do. Of course, there 
were people Enlightenment once invested in the notion of 
computer and therefore, to devote themselves to serving this 
brainchild technological progress. But they were too small to

computer as a social phenomenon that began to be mass
penetration into all spheres of human activity.


    In 1985. some faculties of some universities in Moscow
appeared elective course on "Computers" on
which it was possible to get acquainted with one of the first 
domestic KR580VM80 microprocessors, which is from a part-time

analog INTEL8080. However, the welding knowledge formed
kind of information base needed to further understand
that someday computers will take far
last place in our lives, because will be able to very much. I
I think it was the first major step.



               2. What does the future preparing for us ...


    ... Around 1985 is popular among amateurs
magazine "Radio" begins to publish an extensive series of 
articles detailed analysis on the PC

"Micro-80", where the CPU was working MP
KR580VM80. Very few amateurs could venture to
repetition of this development at home, because chips
belonging to the category of BIS in this design naschitavalos
Only one - the actual microprocessor (not taking into
memory and attention, maybe some chips above average
logic). All other functions are performed on this computer
"Shirpotrebnye" chip high degree of integration, of which at
specifications were the order of 200 (?) pieces. Such concepts
as a printed circuit board, for example, or keyboard (in the 
sense that make it yourself) does not specify. Therefore, this

computer is likely to exist in single copies,
for example in the magazine "Radio". But was first given
very detailed description of computer architecture, its
functional components and their interactions, the concept of
system and application software, etc etc.
For the first time the broad masses of potential users have 
learned Finally, what it is - a personal computer. And although 
this was largely in words, but not in reality, the people that

called stirred. Publication of the magazine have found such
wide response among the readers that the developers of the 
Micro-80 " had no choice but to continue to work intensively

in this direction. Machine start, the snow ball of
rolled ... The next stage of development of computers in our
the country became "Radio-86RK, which long occupied a niche home
microcomputers. From a modern point of view, "Radio-86RK was
extremely simple - it consisted of only 29 chips
K580 series chip set, which had already
produced by domestic industry and, therefore, was
available for many, the PCB can be repeated, even in
home, as a drive using household
recorder and monitor could be a conventional TV. Of course,
developing in parallel, and other home computers (of course
based on the K580), for example, known to many "expert", but
powerful attack from zhuranala "Radio" in the form of new 
hardware improvements, programs, descriptions of the assembler 
and lessons programming to pull the middle peasants to his side 
and, After all, "Radio-86RK" became a model of home computer

second half of the 80's in our country (at least in
Moscow). It is no secret that many modern developers
hardware and software of computers began their
the way it is with the Radio-86RK, "made him a platform
for learning and testing their knowledge into practice. So
way to objectively formed an entire platform of ideas, from
that in future any further development (although
some ways similar to) computers, for example, "Irisha"
"Ocean", "Corvette", "Orion" and others, and yet ...


    While in the former USSR is accomplished "computer 
revolution", in Europe in full swing sold a small house 
"kompyutorchik" (Today called his word computer as a language 
and not turns), developed back in 1982 in England on the idea

known to all of our "Spectrum'istam" Clive Sinclair. This was
Spectrum-48. Somehow, quite randomly, he appeared in
Moscow (and perhaps first and not in MOSCOW, although it does 
not important), most likely in the hands of a man who, having

"86RK" could not understand how this little box,
the size of a little more of the above calculator, can also
work fine. Indeed, an extremely powerful and
dynamic graphics, color, sound, polotsennaya keyboard
built in such a small case, and most importantly, the vast
amount of software (especially games), gave a hundred
and even two hundred points ahead of our domestic monsters,
including some already known in narrow circles "analog" IBM PC
XT - "Neuron" and EC-1840. And now from a huge river in 
tekusheyu direction K580, small streams flowed toward the Z80, 
at What, in fact, was founded Spectrum-48, especially because he

is a direct descendant of the I8080 and even compatible with it 
on top of instruction set. Number of fans Spectrum'a steadily

grew, grew range of software and, lo,
Finally, the bubble burst is not available for general use
Spectrum has become possible to collect on the domestic element
basis (except, of course, MP Z80). Something happened that 
should happen - was understood logic and architecture

computer. So, to repeat the idea in other contexts is not
great difficulty (I mean ULA 555 series).
Began to appear different versions of domestic Spectrum'ov
(Moscow, Leningrad, Novosibirsk, etc.), Russian-speaking
program. Wronged while radio market in the area m.Belarusskaya
became a place of communication of different people, united by 
one idea Spectrum. In the market you could buy everything from 
Z80 and 27hhh and ending with the buttons for the keyboard. And 
although the state Institution has already began to bring IBM 
PC compatible computers, Spectrum firmly taken its place - the 
complete set of all chip self-assembly can be purchased at the

time for only 300 rubles. And, of course, such a broad 
phenomenon could not grow - the latest foreign developments 
immediately were reflected in domestic Spectrum-analogues

(Eg, cassette tape drive slowly replaced by
Floppy-disk drives, which opened the scope for
hackers, printer connections, too, played an important role for
computer, and much more) ...


    Spectrum moschno strode across the country. He has had 
considerable influence on young people who played enough 
enough, wanted to do something more useful and profitable, and 
very often in Spectrum'e found the use of their forces.



    Radio-86RK "were quietly forgotten, and the IBM PC
compatible computers were very few and they were very expensive.


    Here I want to digress and say that
that the overseas development of computer technology comes
quite differently. There was a lot more different
computer platforms and operating systems, and Spectrum was only
a small part of the huge diversity of computer and
predagalsya more like playing a home computer. Perhaps the most
known in 80 years was an operating system CP / M for
8-bit computer processor Intel8080 (by striking
representative we had Robotron1715). For this OS was
written many programs for the professional (or rather "not
home) use, but the most important outcome of the CP / M was
the fact that it was because she was born later is probably the 
most popular operating system MS-DOS to 16-bit

processors. By the early 90-ies in the world, almost no
computers OC CP / M. As the technology has been further
development of MS-DOS, there were other computer platforms 
(Apple Mac., UNIX, Amiga, etc.). Before us is the news from a 
variety of "Computer worlds" for obvious reasons did not reach 
and had limited IBM PC XT, in extreme cases AT286,

as more powerful models were very few senior and junior
Users of course, they were very expensive. Perhaps it is
due to lack of competition, Spectrum has been so popular. But by
laws of nature, any social phenomenon should not
stop in its motion and Spectrum already abroad
almost forgot, we also better than the Pentagon-128 did not
was. The answer to the question "To be or not to be Spectrum'u" 
found after specialists known firm "Profi" decided

create a computer which was supposed to run OC CP / M for
fully maintaining the functions of Spectrum. In fact, Profi 
united a two OC: TR-DOS, which runs the Pentagon-128 and CP / M 
- Professional OC for 8-bit computers. The idea was

so unexpected, that the result exceeded all expectations -
Spectrum users have received wide field of activities with
long term, with all that their loved
program from Spectrum'a were also available, as always. CP / M
on the Profi had a number of specific features, such as
advanced compared with Spectrum'om screen and the ability to
use more memory than the 128K. Worked on the Profi
standard CP / M program (DBaseII, SuperCalc, MicrosoftBasic,
ME, high-level languages) as well as a number of programs 
written programmers company specifically for Profi. Appear

Profi appearance in some way continued life itself
Spectrum, which led to the emergence, for example, new 
operating systems (IS-DOS) or tools to work with the modem, 
etc. On the other hand attempts have been made (and quite 
successful) to create a computer similar Profi (ATM-Turbo), but 
it turned out that it was Profi became the next stage of 
development through cheap home computers in Russia in the early 
90's. It laid great potential. Until 1996. experts of firm

were constantly corrected and improved circuitry of the original
Computer Version (Profi v3.2). The result is a concept
graphics and color (which is the standard CP / M has never 
been), memory was increased to 1Mb, designed to connect 
komtroller standard IBM PC XT keyboard appratnye watches

independent of the supply timing, interface standard
COM-port, allowing you to connect a serial mouse
(PC-Mouse), a standard modem or a printer with a serial
interface, finally, for the latter equilibria computer was 
written driver, which maintains a standard IDE hard drive.

In parallel with these applications appear and system programs,
written specifically for Profi and fully use it
opportunities. Geography of the computer is so extended,
that he became known, and in Kamchatka, and Siberia, and 
Ukraine, and in many other parts of the former Soviet Union. 
But as they say, no that does not lasts forever - the era of 
8-bit computers irrevocably gone, the world market have long 
since sold TV-boxes with 32 and even 64-bit processors. We

there were many different computers and programs, so that
Profi it hard to compete, using their 8-bit and
1Mb on 7Mhz ...



                  3. What's behind all of this will be ...


    Can you come up with something more to this computer
could have at least some success with home users? This
question in recent times is very often raised with the 
developers Profi and, oddly enough, the answer was in the 
beginning, the very idea of ​​a computer. Zest Profi was that

he actually united in himself two very different computer
in one case. To switch required only occasionally
click. And why not do so in one case
worked to CP / M, Spectrum and Atari? Or, for example, Spectrum,
Yamaha MSX and the IBM PC? Can I make a "universal"
computer, which would be after a little reconfiguring
(Hardware or software) could work quite different
Operating system? The firm "Condor" (formerly "Kramis"
(095) 300-15-51) talk about going for a long time, but all ideas
rested on the brick wall of 8 bits and 7Mhz. Use
basic elements of other computers, such as IBM PC, not quite
reasonable, because price will increase significantly as the 
result of more just get something like the same IBM - because 
of the specificity This element base and existing software. A

come up with entirely new, and yes even "universal"
computer - a task requiring much time and many
material investments. In short, any new ideas, for whatever
reasons, will inevitably come to a standstill. And it would 
have continued, probably for a long time if, in 1994. the firm 
"Condor" is not first computer AMIGA-600, the American company 
Commodore, which had already attracted the attention and

demanded careful consideration. 1995. was tyazhelym for "Amiga"
because of financial difficulties at the Commodore and work 
with computer as it receded into the background (but not 
forgotten, and any Information about the "Amiga" re-read and 
discussed). In late 1995 in Europe has resumed production of 
computers Amiga-Amiga-1200 and 4000 under the control of German 
firms and EsCom everything fell into place. The popularity of 
"Amiga" is growing day, a huge amount of software allows

solve a variety of tasks and, most importantly, decided
the question of "universality" of the computer because "Amiga",
With its unique multi-tasking, the compactness
executable code, an incredibly quick work with graphics and
sound, can somehow emulate many popular
once the computer systems - CP / M (including debugger code
to Z80), ATARI, Yamaha MSX, Commodore 64, Spectrum 48, IBM PC 
and Even Apple Macintosh with OS 7.0. A huge number of game

programs satisfy the most demanding, with lots of games from
Spectrum and IBM exists in versions for "Amiga", only
they look more colorful and dynamic, sound more
quality. Specialists of "Condor", which last 5
years of fine tuning, "Profi" to mind, and decided that he had 
successfully has reached its logical end, and the tasks that he 
does not unable to resolve, resolves "Amiga". The question 
"Will continued Profi? ", I would say briefly (sm.epigraf). A" 
Amiga "can become the perfect home (and not only) for today's 
computer. 


                                                (C) Sergei 
Kutyin 

                                                    TOO "Condor"

                                                  (095) 
300-15-51