piece of iron - the story of creation and development firm Peters. "

<b>piece of iron</b> - the story of creation and development firm Peters.

  In the article "SPRINTER" up at the start, "you
could read about the new design firm in St. Petersburg Peters. 
But, understandably, that new ideas are not born from scratch, 
and We are interested in the question: How is the firm

to create a new computer?


  (C) Alexei Goryachev, 1996.



  Company History PETERS originated in 1989
year.

  Two of Leningrad, Nikolay Noskov and Igor Borisov (today - 
the sales director of the firm PETERS), seeking to sell itself 
in the domestic computer business, have noticed all growing 
interest in inexpensive home computers. Engaged in a process 
begun computerization of the country, they began to produce

housings, is becoming popular,
Computer ZX SPECTRUM. These were the epoxy
black boxes, with rounded shapes and are so strong, that is 
still encountered, is stored within a variety of fillings. 


  Things were going well and when the summer of 1989
received a proposal to assemble a small party
ZX SPECTRUM of prefabricated components, the enterprising young 
men have launched a new production by organizing a small team 
of experts for hardware. Thus appeared the first tape computers 
Mark Peters, collected under the scheme COMPOSITE 48.



  Convinced that the sale of their own ready-
computers - it worthwhile, the firm fully
switched to the assembly of computers and the beginning
increase production volume. Not forgetting, of course, about 
the quality. Scheme has undergone some changes, which allowed

place the power supply in general on the computer. There was 
already familiar to us pyatidesyativosmiknopochnaya keyboard. 
Was developed and created a test bed for testing finished

machines.


  By 1993, the company has completely mastered PETERS
market for home personal computers and the beginning of greater 
attention paid to the diversity of models produced by it. An 
increasing number are manufactured SPECTRUM 128 with music 
coprocessor. Now you can equip your computer

a very good TV signal modulator that supports PAL or SECAM 
standards. 


  In 1993, the increased demand for computers
drive and our experts have developed
own wiring diagram of the controller drive. A variety of 
models, of course, has to a variety of prices. But customers 
could the Machine "afford" to exchange it

(For a fee) during the warranty period for
a more advanced machine. The service firm
practiced today, finding it mutually beneficial.


  By the way, not be superfluous to specify when PETERS became 
firm. 

  Since its introduction was PETERS
relatively close to the city center, Krasnogvardejskiy area. By 
1993, the team professionals already fully formed and in April 
1993 PETERS company was officially registered. Since almost all 
the specialists of the company lived in Krasnoselsky district, 
then Autumn 1993 PETERS moved there, we can

say to the outskirts. But the firm is not turned on
the outskirts of the market home computers - in the shops
St. Petersburg was always possible to buy any
model computers Peters.


  In spring 1994 there has been a decline in demand for home 
PCs. This, of course, could not affect the producers

Spectrum-compatible computers. The fate of the firm PETERS 
crisis of 1994 also played a role. Group ELSY Co, has developed 
a By the time a very successful scheme diskovodnogo

SPECTRUM 256, decided not to start in the current
situation, an independent production of computers and
agreed to offer his design firm
PETERS. For example, since 1994, the board has ELSY Co
basis diskovodnyh computers produced
by Mark Peters.


  It is no secret that one reason for falling demand
on home computers has been reducing
Life of potential users. Many people dream to buy a more 
advanced models Spectrum, were forced to seek less expensive

tape machines. And here is the way
developed by fallen for these machines service monitor, 
allowing you to quickly download from the option ROM in RAM, 
the most commonly used software.



  Computers PETERS 64, having a service monitor appeared in 
autumn 1993. The first version of the monitor has been designed 
for users writing their programs in assembly language. It

entered GENS4-MONS4, teleizobrazheniya test and tape copier.


  But the most popular in April 1994 began to use computer tape
PETERS 128 with the second version of the service monitor. It 
includes a toy "Tetris", a test teleizobrazheniya, ribbon and 
copier text Editor TLW2 +. The computer also had a printer 
port, which is not often found in tape computers. In addition, 
Peters bought the game small inkjet printers, could offer

whole complex: a computer with a text editor and compatible 
with low-cost printer. 


  That sale PETERS 128 with the second version
Service monitor allowed us to stay
on the market in 1994, while some
other manufacturers of home computers curtailed production 
because of declining demand for their products.



  In 1995 PETERS began looking for new ways
development. In August, ended the development of
computer class for school-based
ZX SPECTRUM. The basis of this complex was the NIC CONTACT. The 
complex includes diskovodny computer teacher and 15

computers students who do not have floppy drives, but
able to access the floppy drive of the teacher.
Network software has been developed in ISKRASOFT. In the summer 
of 1995 were sold first grade at the Pushkin area

St. Petersburg.


  In autumn 1995 there has been another area of the company. 
PETERS acquired the rights to CONTACT trademark and production 
of computers this mark, pledging to carry out warranty and

after-sales service already released cars. CONTACT computers 
differ greatly from PETERS their scheme and have several other

value. They are now available
very little.


  It must be noted that, to seriously address
Educational Complex, the firm at a time
made this area a priority. It's like
would be "ripening" in preparation for a new leap in its 
development. It was understood that the Spectrum no longer able 
to meet the needs of the majority of its users. Was to

create a new compatible computer, but there was no
a certain conception of the new Spectrum.


  Formed in spring 1996 production model
PETERS 256, does not claim to be a fundamentally new computer. 
Although, the third version Service monitor, with the inclusion 
of IS-DOS, was able to please fans of the operating system. A 
computer with 256K RAM and the ability to instantly download 
the progressive OS Of course, more than meets modern 
requirements, and no wonder that today, this model a major 
production company PETERS. 


  The last production model was produced in parallel production 
of educational computer complexes. It is working on a computer 
class and its cooperation with the firm ISKRASOFT helped define 
the direction of Spectrum: To increase the popularity of the 
Spectrum-compatible computers, they are primarily require more 
powerful hardware capabilities. 


  Concentrating its efforts in this direction, the firm in a 
remarkably short time managed to develop fundamentally new home

computer that has many advantages. But
important thing is that, looking up from the conservative
architecture of the Spectrum, the new machine was cut from 
numerous (still!) user-spektrumistov. 


  With the advent of new computer begins a new stage in the 
firm Peters. 


  Perhaps on this, the history of the firm
PETERS can be completed. But over just a story, and development 
- continues. 



  P.S. Thank you for agreeing to Nikolay Noskov

        to answer questions.