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The
Key-Cassette drawing, 1972 |
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This
drawing by Mers Kutt, the first president of Micro
Computer Machines, depicts an early conceptual prototype
of the MCM/70 microcomputer. The drawing is among
the oldest preserved sketches of a personal microcomputer
to be manufactured for the consumer market. |
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An
early production model of the MCM/70, 1974 |
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This
photograph, taken in the early 1974, was used liberally
by Micro Computer Machines in its promotional brochures,
manuals, and press articles
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The
MCM/70 Microcomputer |
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The
MCM/70 computer, designed by Canadian company Micro
Computer Machines (MCM) between 1972 and 1973, is
possibly the earliest example of a microcomputer
designed and manufactured specifically for personal use.
Photograph
by Z. Stachniak
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The
MF8008 microprocessor (1973), and the MF1702
(1971) and MF1103 (1971) memory chips, Microsystems
International Ltd. |
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Microsystems
International Ltd. (MIL) was established as a joint
collaborative effort between the Federal Government
and Northern Telecom in 1968. MIL was a Canadian
entry into the semiconductor industry. MIL manufactured
a variety of products from RAM, ROM, EPROM, CPU
and linear ICs to telecom circuits. MIL's demise
in 1975 seeded the Canadian high technology industry
with a number of new companies developing innovative
products ranging from telecom switches to memory
and logic chip designs.
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MIL
MOD8-8, 1974 |
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The
MIL MOD8 prototyping system was offered by MIL in
1974. It was based on the MIL MF8008 8-bit microprocessor.
The MOD-8 microcomputer and the MONITOR8 software
developed by MIL were aimed at the development of
the MF8008-based hardware systems. The MOD8 was particularly
popular with electronics hobbyists in the US and Canada
thanks to the low price and availability of the MOD8
boards as well as to the popularity of the MONITOR8.
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MF8008
Central Processor, Applications Manual,1974
Edition |
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The
MF8008 Central Processor manual (MIL's Bulletin 80007)
was a promotional document describing the MF8008 microprocessor
and the MOD-8 microcomputer. The manual was especially
popular among the electronics hobbyists in the US
and Canada thanks to the MONITOR8 software listing
included as the Appendix C in the manual. The MONITOR8
could be executed on the Intel 8008-based hobby microcomputers
such as the Mark 8, RGS 008A, or Martin Research Mike-2.
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H. Franklin reconnecting the boards of his MIL MF8008-based
microcomputer, Toronto 2004
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The historical mission of the creation of the first
microprocessor powered PCs was fulfilled by small, obscure
electronic firms and the computer hobbyists' movement of the
mid 1970s. These were the computer hobbyists
who challenged the traditional boundaries of
computing and its social status, and helped making personal
computer use and ownership a reality. In 1974,
Howard Franklin designed and constructed in Toronto a
fully functional microcomputer using MIL MF8008 8-bit
microprocessor. His computer is
possibly the earliest example of a Canadian hobby
microcomputer and is one of the earliest hobby
microcomputers ever designed.
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Dynalogic
DMS-8, 1976 |
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Dynalogic
Corporation was among the first Canadian microcomputer
manufacturers. Founded in 1973 in Ottawa, it initially
focused on the design of floppy disk systems and interfaces
for minicomputers and desk-top calculators. In 1976,
the company moved into the general-purpose computer
market announcing its Dynalogic Microcomputer System
(DMS). The DMS computers employed Motorola's 6800
processor and were among the earlist microcomputers
with built-in floppy disk drives.
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Dynalogic
Microcomputer System (DMS) 7032/7042 promotional brochure,
1977(?) |
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The
NDS Pancake, 1977 |
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The
Pancake wordprocessor and communication system was
manufactured by Network Data Systems (NDS) from 1977
to 1985. NDS was founded by Bill Moore, former president
of IBM Canada. The Pancake used proprietary application
software for word processing and communication.
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The
MCM/900, 1978 |
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The
MCM/900 was the third-generation computer manufactured
by MCM (after the MCM/70, /700 and the MCM/800). It
was one of the best selling MCM computers.
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