https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/ Fri, 21 Aug 2026 22:24:11 +0000 MyBB https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1062.html Sun, 02 Aug 2026 09:52:18 +1000 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1062.html kimjohn for bringing these to my attention.

On 4 April 1982, MLC School, Sydney made history as the first school in Australia to bring computers into classroom learning.
Each student in Kent House’s 5W class received a Microbee desktop computer, launching the pioneering Computer Aided Learning Project.
It was so groundbreaking that 60 Minutes filmed a segment, calling it “the first of its kind in Australia, and possibly the world.”

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story...Vx1sCU6qgA#

Also, the Prendiville Catholic College, Perth show off the Microbee being used back in 1986. Check it out also, at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C4x1GzPK1/  In the first 1986 pic, top left corner you see the Microbee Starnet server with HD.]]> kimjohn for bringing these to my attention.

On 4 April 1982, MLC School, Sydney made history as the first school in Australia to bring computers into classroom learning.
Each student in Kent House’s 5W class received a Microbee desktop computer, launching the pioneering Computer Aided Learning Project.
It was so groundbreaking that 60 Minutes filmed a segment, calling it “the first of its kind in Australia, and possibly the world.”

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story...Vx1sCU6qgA#

Also, the Prendiville Catholic College, Perth show off the Microbee being used back in 1986. Check it out also, at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C4x1GzPK1/  In the first 1986 pic, top left corner you see the Microbee Starnet server with HD.]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1049.html Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:16:38 +1000 Graham72]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1049.html
It  was an interesting concept that also lives on today in emulation. So I thought can I port the original 2mhz bee to it. And the answer is yes. A Z80 core can be quickly coded and the 6545 can also be emulated. See attached code = flags need to be added.
 
However, I wont be pursuing it, my 5.29 emulation needs more smoke tests. The 1980s saw many systems that sadly the IBM/Apple behemoths annihlated. But fun to remember what may have been.

Any readers used one?

*I understand the later Samsung tape loops were so over-engineered they still work today.

  z80core.disassembly.txt (Size: 3.09 KB / Downloads: 27) ]]>
It  was an interesting concept that also lives on today in emulation. So I thought can I port the original 2mhz bee to it. And the answer is yes. A Z80 core can be quickly coded and the 6545 can also be emulated. See attached code = flags need to be added.
 
However, I wont be pursuing it, my 5.29 emulation needs more smoke tests. The 1980s saw many systems that sadly the IBM/Apple behemoths annihlated. But fun to remember what may have been.

Any readers used one?

*I understand the later Samsung tape loops were so over-engineered they still work today.

  z80core.disassembly.txt (Size: 3.09 KB / Downloads: 27) ]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1031.html Fri, 22 May 2026 16:30:31 +1000 markfre]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1031.html
i.e. Most of the program in BASIC, but with some assembly language routines added in.

What ways were there? USR, Call or adding to REM statement?
Do you have examples?

Thanks.]]>
i.e. Most of the program in BASIC, but with some assembly language routines added in.

What ways were there? USR, Call or adding to REM statement?
Do you have examples?

Thanks.]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1027.html Sat, 16 May 2026 09:15:58 +1000 MbeeTech]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1027.html Thanks to Mr. Lurch for alerting me to it after Andy reached out, we've both been involved in the script.

It's compact at only 18 mins long, but does a great job of telling the major points and is well worth the watch.

Here's the link :

Australia's Greatest Computer? The MicroBee Story by LittleCar]]> Thanks to Mr. Lurch for alerting me to it after Andy reached out, we've both been involved in the script.

It's compact at only 18 mins long, but does a great job of telling the major points and is well worth the watch.

Here's the link :

Australia's Greatest Computer? The MicroBee Story by LittleCar]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1019.html Fri, 01 May 2026 17:56:28 +1000 Graham72]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1019.html
Implementations soon flowed in. In January 1976, the first issue of Dr. Dobb’s Journal of Computer Calisthenics & Orthodontia, Running Light Without Overbyte was published — the birthplace of Tiny BASIC in working code.

Two Tiny BASIC implementations published in DDJ would prove historically significant for Australian computing. The first, by Dick Whipple and John Arnold of Tyler, Texas, appeared in the January 1976 issue. The second, Palo Alto Tiny BASIC by Li-Chen Wang, appeared in May 1976 and later became the basis for Tandy’s TRS-80 Level I BASIC in 1977.

Whipple and Arnold took an unconventional approach: rather than using an assembler, they wrote their interpreter directly in octal!  Fellow Tiny BASIC author Tom Pittman later described this as “a surprisingly popular Luddite methodology whose proponents have never survived long in the marketplace.” Harsh, but it speaks to the unmaintainability of code written without symbolic structure.

From Octal to MicroBee: The Lineage of MicroWorld BASIC

In January 1976, Dick Whipple and John Arnold published TBX — a Tiny BASIC interpreter for the Intel 8080 — in Dr. Dobb’s Journal. Written entirely in octal with no assembler, it supported variables named as a single letter or a letter followed by a digit (0–7). By May 1976 it had been paired with Robert Suding’s TV-Cassette Operating System for The Digital Group’s S-100 hardware.

Within a year, Whipple and Arnold commercialised an expanded version called **Basic Etc**, sold through Binary Systems Inc in Richardson, Texas. By July 1977, a disk-capable version — **Disk Basic Etc** — was announced. The product targeted the iCOM FD3712 dual 8-inch floppy drive (the MITS/Pertec/Altair standard). It assembled to roughly 12,000 bytes of 8080 code from a 6,000-line source listing, sold for $100, and retained the distinctive base-8 variable system (A0–Z7).

A business suite built on it included a general ledger package (CPA) and a letter-writing system (Write-On). By June 1979, both Whipple and Arnold were listed as Associate Editors of Kilobaud Microcomputing. That same summer, The Digital Group declared bankruptcy, which destroyed much of Binary Systems Inc’s primary customer base. The $100 source listing continued to be available by mail order.

In Australia, Applied Technology of Waitara, NSW, was selling S-100 hardware and software, including MicroWorld BASIC for the 2650 processor. Written in 1979 by Ian Binnie (with a manual by Martin Hood), this interpreter used the identical A0–Z7 base-8 variable naming convention.

Meanwhile, Sydney hobbyist Alan Peek had independently written a 2650 BASIC in 1978 that used only single-letter variables — confirming that the two-character base-8 system in MicroWorld BASIC was a deliberate design choice, not an obvious default.

 In 1982, Matthew Starr was credited with MicroWorld BASIC for the MicroBee. The A0–Z7 variable convention survived intact into every MicroBee shipped — around 70,000 machines used in Australian and international schools — carrying the octal philosophy of the two Texas hobbyists forward six years and twelve thousand miles

Earlier, by 1981, Ron Harris had ported BASIC ETC to the Zilog Z80 for Dick Smith Electronics, producing Super-80 BASIC. The Super-80 Reference Manual explicitly states: 

“Developed and written by John Arnold and Dick Whipple. Re-written and modified by Ron Harris for Dick Smith Electronics. Super-80 BASIC is based on a BASIC interpreter written in the USA by East Texas Computers, originally titled ‘BASIC ETC’.

Harris was closely connected to the MicroBee ecosystem — he also wrote EDASM (the Z80 Editor/Assembler that shipped as an optional ROM for the MicroBee) and co-authored the Graphic WordBee manual.

MicroWorld BASIC, written by Matthew Starr and burned into the MicroBee’s 16KB ROM from 1982 onward, thus shows the clearest surviving evidence of this lineage. Its variable naming convention of A0–Z7 (letter plus digit 0–7) is identical to that of BASIC ETC and distinct from Microsoft BASIC’s 0–9 range. This is not coincidence — it is a direct inherited trait from the 1976–77 octal implementation by Whipple and Arnold in Tyler, Texas, through Ron Harris’s Z80 port, and into every Australian MicroBee.

Dick Whipple continued working in electronics, particularly in Amateur Radio. He contributed to Nuts & Volts magazine and later published the two-book From Scratch series on Amazon 11 - 1) Build Your Own Computer and 11 -2) Build Your Own BASIC, the latter implementing Tiny BASIC on an FPGA. His author biography notes that he “was there at the beginning of the Microcomputer Revolution, programming an Intel 8080, first in machine code then in assembler” — a quiet acknowledgement of where it all started.

NB: “East Texas Computers” appears only in Australian publications with no other records found. It seems to have been an informal or trading name for Whipple and Arnold / Binary Systems???

---

references
"\micro_basic_2650_manual.pdf"
"\dick_smith_super80_brochure.pdf"
"\Creative_Computing_v05_n04_1979_Apr.pdf"
"\Interface Age 1979-03.pdf"
"\Kilobaud_Microcomputing_1979_June.pdf"
"\dr_dobbs_journal_vols 1-2-03.pdf"
\amazon.com.au\
\archive.org\
\microbee_repository\]]>
Implementations soon flowed in. In January 1976, the first issue of Dr. Dobb’s Journal of Computer Calisthenics & Orthodontia, Running Light Without Overbyte was published — the birthplace of Tiny BASIC in working code.

Two Tiny BASIC implementations published in DDJ would prove historically significant for Australian computing. The first, by Dick Whipple and John Arnold of Tyler, Texas, appeared in the January 1976 issue. The second, Palo Alto Tiny BASIC by Li-Chen Wang, appeared in May 1976 and later became the basis for Tandy’s TRS-80 Level I BASIC in 1977.

Whipple and Arnold took an unconventional approach: rather than using an assembler, they wrote their interpreter directly in octal!  Fellow Tiny BASIC author Tom Pittman later described this as “a surprisingly popular Luddite methodology whose proponents have never survived long in the marketplace.” Harsh, but it speaks to the unmaintainability of code written without symbolic structure.

From Octal to MicroBee: The Lineage of MicroWorld BASIC

In January 1976, Dick Whipple and John Arnold published TBX — a Tiny BASIC interpreter for the Intel 8080 — in Dr. Dobb’s Journal. Written entirely in octal with no assembler, it supported variables named as a single letter or a letter followed by a digit (0–7). By May 1976 it had been paired with Robert Suding’s TV-Cassette Operating System for The Digital Group’s S-100 hardware.

Within a year, Whipple and Arnold commercialised an expanded version called **Basic Etc**, sold through Binary Systems Inc in Richardson, Texas. By July 1977, a disk-capable version — **Disk Basic Etc** — was announced. The product targeted the iCOM FD3712 dual 8-inch floppy drive (the MITS/Pertec/Altair standard). It assembled to roughly 12,000 bytes of 8080 code from a 6,000-line source listing, sold for $100, and retained the distinctive base-8 variable system (A0–Z7).

A business suite built on it included a general ledger package (CPA) and a letter-writing system (Write-On). By June 1979, both Whipple and Arnold were listed as Associate Editors of Kilobaud Microcomputing. That same summer, The Digital Group declared bankruptcy, which destroyed much of Binary Systems Inc’s primary customer base. The $100 source listing continued to be available by mail order.

In Australia, Applied Technology of Waitara, NSW, was selling S-100 hardware and software, including MicroWorld BASIC for the 2650 processor. Written in 1979 by Ian Binnie (with a manual by Martin Hood), this interpreter used the identical A0–Z7 base-8 variable naming convention.

Meanwhile, Sydney hobbyist Alan Peek had independently written a 2650 BASIC in 1978 that used only single-letter variables — confirming that the two-character base-8 system in MicroWorld BASIC was a deliberate design choice, not an obvious default.

 In 1982, Matthew Starr was credited with MicroWorld BASIC for the MicroBee. The A0–Z7 variable convention survived intact into every MicroBee shipped — around 70,000 machines used in Australian and international schools — carrying the octal philosophy of the two Texas hobbyists forward six years and twelve thousand miles

Earlier, by 1981, Ron Harris had ported BASIC ETC to the Zilog Z80 for Dick Smith Electronics, producing Super-80 BASIC. The Super-80 Reference Manual explicitly states: 

“Developed and written by John Arnold and Dick Whipple. Re-written and modified by Ron Harris for Dick Smith Electronics. Super-80 BASIC is based on a BASIC interpreter written in the USA by East Texas Computers, originally titled ‘BASIC ETC’.

Harris was closely connected to the MicroBee ecosystem — he also wrote EDASM (the Z80 Editor/Assembler that shipped as an optional ROM for the MicroBee) and co-authored the Graphic WordBee manual.

MicroWorld BASIC, written by Matthew Starr and burned into the MicroBee’s 16KB ROM from 1982 onward, thus shows the clearest surviving evidence of this lineage. Its variable naming convention of A0–Z7 (letter plus digit 0–7) is identical to that of BASIC ETC and distinct from Microsoft BASIC’s 0–9 range. This is not coincidence — it is a direct inherited trait from the 1976–77 octal implementation by Whipple and Arnold in Tyler, Texas, through Ron Harris’s Z80 port, and into every Australian MicroBee.

Dick Whipple continued working in electronics, particularly in Amateur Radio. He contributed to Nuts & Volts magazine and later published the two-book From Scratch series on Amazon 11 - 1) Build Your Own Computer and 11 -2) Build Your Own BASIC, the latter implementing Tiny BASIC on an FPGA. His author biography notes that he “was there at the beginning of the Microcomputer Revolution, programming an Intel 8080, first in machine code then in assembler” — a quiet acknowledgement of where it all started.

NB: “East Texas Computers” appears only in Australian publications with no other records found. It seems to have been an informal or trading name for Whipple and Arnold / Binary Systems???

---

references
"\micro_basic_2650_manual.pdf"
"\dick_smith_super80_brochure.pdf"
"\Creative_Computing_v05_n04_1979_Apr.pdf"
"\Interface Age 1979-03.pdf"
"\Kilobaud_Microcomputing_1979_June.pdf"
"\dr_dobbs_journal_vols 1-2-03.pdf"
\amazon.com.au\
\archive.org\
\microbee_repository\]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1005.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:45:17 +1100 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1005.html This Eyewitness News report from 1985 captures the local excitement surrounding the home computer revolution. The Microbee computer, originally designed and distributed by Australians, was experiencing a surge in popularity – and thriving in overseas markets like Sweden and Denmark.

I've not seen this before from the National Film and Sound Archive. Watch it at -

Exporting Microbee computers | NFSA]]> This Eyewitness News report from 1985 captures the local excitement surrounding the home computer revolution. The Microbee computer, originally designed and distributed by Australians, was experiencing a surge in popularity – and thriving in overseas markets like Sweden and Denmark.

I've not seen this before from the National Film and Sound Archive. Watch it at -

Exporting Microbee computers | NFSA]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1002.html Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:44:20 +1100 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1002.html
Inside a Vintage Computer Collection | Microbee & System 80]]>
Inside a Vintage Computer Collection | Microbee & System 80]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1000.html Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:08:27 +1100 shane.crozier]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-1000.html
I've been trying to add an additional hdd to the uBee512 - I have made an assumption that the emulated controller can emulate 3 hdd's based on the help information

My normal start string is (Macos) - which works fine.

ubee512 --model=p128k --rom1=HD18.ROM --hdd1=hdd_128k_sys_2.2t.hd0 --video-type=gl --monitor=a 

however 

I copy the hdd file to another instance of it (Called hdd_test.hd0 )


ubee512 --model=p128k --rom1=HD18.ROM --hdd0=hdd_128k_sys_2.2t.hd0 --hdd2=hdd_test.hd0 --video-type=gl --monitor=a 

Just seems to stall on the "Microbee Hard Disk System" Rom loader.

I'd like to have a virtual disk of around 20Mb in 4x5Mb partitions to store and test the CP/M software library I've amassed.

I would have expected to be able to use --hdd0 but that seems to also fail - what am I missing?]]>
I've been trying to add an additional hdd to the uBee512 - I have made an assumption that the emulated controller can emulate 3 hdd's based on the help information

My normal start string is (Macos) - which works fine.

ubee512 --model=p128k --rom1=HD18.ROM --hdd1=hdd_128k_sys_2.2t.hd0 --video-type=gl --monitor=a 

however 

I copy the hdd file to another instance of it (Called hdd_test.hd0 )


ubee512 --model=p128k --rom1=HD18.ROM --hdd0=hdd_128k_sys_2.2t.hd0 --hdd2=hdd_test.hd0 --video-type=gl --monitor=a 

Just seems to stall on the "Microbee Hard Disk System" Rom loader.

I'd like to have a virtual disk of around 20Mb in 4x5Mb partitions to store and test the CP/M software library I've amassed.

I would have expected to be able to use --hdd0 but that seems to also fail - what am I missing?]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-990.html Sun, 08 Feb 2026 12:56:04 +1100 Matty72]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-990.html https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-956.html Sat, 04 Oct 2025 08:54:51 +1000 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-956.html
In the past 12 months we have been busy and there has been many additions to the repository as well as a few of files updated and replaced with better quality scans, complete docs that had missing pages or software to later versions or to working versions.

AppliedTech-Pre-bee had 0 additional files
Documentation had .......48 additional files plus 1 updated
Software had ................86 additional files plus 1 updated
Public had ....................11 additional files plus 0 updated
Vintage had ................41 additional files plus 3 updated

So that's a total of 175 additional files added to the repository and 5 files updated in the last 12 months. These numbers are substantially lower than last years (about a 1/4) as new material is getting much harder to find. This now makes a file total of the Repository to be just about 13,000 files all up, wow!

A big thanks to everyone that has contributed, bee it small or large, to help with both the forum and repository grow for the help to all our members and for the future. Lets see if this can be repeated in the next 12 months, though it is getting harder to find new material.

While the forum is mostly Microbee orientated, we do support all Australian Made and Produced Vintage computers plus 2 other imports that were well supported here in Australia, being the Exidy Sorcerer and Dick Smiths System 80. We are continually looking for new material to archive for the future, so if anyone can help with anything Microbee or any other Australian Vintage computer, bee it small or large, that would be greatly appreciated. We can image disks, scan docs, convert images to pdfs, dump tapes, read ROMS, etc for you if you cannot, just ask.

Happy 6th Birthday and thanks to everyone for their continued support.

Alan]]>
In the past 12 months we have been busy and there has been many additions to the repository as well as a few of files updated and replaced with better quality scans, complete docs that had missing pages or software to later versions or to working versions.

AppliedTech-Pre-bee had 0 additional files
Documentation had .......48 additional files plus 1 updated
Software had ................86 additional files plus 1 updated
Public had ....................11 additional files plus 0 updated
Vintage had ................41 additional files plus 3 updated

So that's a total of 175 additional files added to the repository and 5 files updated in the last 12 months. These numbers are substantially lower than last years (about a 1/4) as new material is getting much harder to find. This now makes a file total of the Repository to be just about 13,000 files all up, wow!

A big thanks to everyone that has contributed, bee it small or large, to help with both the forum and repository grow for the help to all our members and for the future. Lets see if this can be repeated in the next 12 months, though it is getting harder to find new material.

While the forum is mostly Microbee orientated, we do support all Australian Made and Produced Vintage computers plus 2 other imports that were well supported here in Australia, being the Exidy Sorcerer and Dick Smiths System 80. We are continually looking for new material to archive for the future, so if anyone can help with anything Microbee or any other Australian Vintage computer, bee it small or large, that would be greatly appreciated. We can image disks, scan docs, convert images to pdfs, dump tapes, read ROMS, etc for you if you cannot, just ask.

Happy 6th Birthday and thanks to everyone for their continued support.

Alan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-940.html Sat, 06 Sep 2025 09:23:27 +1000 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-940.html

  microbee_milestones.png (Size: 265.15 KB / Downloads: 65) ]]>

  microbee_milestones.png (Size: 265.15 KB / Downloads: 65) ]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-921.html Thu, 05 Jun 2025 08:59:27 +1000 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-921.html
Canberra Vintage Computer Exhibition / Vintage Computer Federation Down Under 2025!
Supported by the Australian Computer Museum Society and in association with the Vintage Computer Federation.

Our 4th Event!

This year we'll be hosted by Daramalan College in McCowage Hall, in Dickson.

All the great stuff you have seen in previous years and hopefully more. Interactive exhibition pieces, Australian computer history, games, consoles, and presentations on topics ranging from early computing revolution to modern retro.
Also, Amiga turns 40 this year! Atari ST fans unite! 😉. We'll be celebrating this iconic machine's 40th year so come and see all of it's iterations!
Entry is free, but if you'd like to help us cover some of the costs a donation at the door, or via the ACMS website, would be greatly appreciated. All proceeds go to the ACMS who help us fund and run safe events.

We hope to see you there! Please spread the word!

Keep an eye on our page for updates as we get closer to the event. If you'd like to participate/exhibit or volunteer to assist, get in touch.


https://www.facebook.com/share/15zabzbEgJ/]]>
Canberra Vintage Computer Exhibition / Vintage Computer Federation Down Under 2025!
Supported by the Australian Computer Museum Society and in association with the Vintage Computer Federation.

Our 4th Event!

This year we'll be hosted by Daramalan College in McCowage Hall, in Dickson.

All the great stuff you have seen in previous years and hopefully more. Interactive exhibition pieces, Australian computer history, games, consoles, and presentations on topics ranging from early computing revolution to modern retro.
Also, Amiga turns 40 this year! Atari ST fans unite! 😉. We'll be celebrating this iconic machine's 40th year so come and see all of it's iterations!
Entry is free, but if you'd like to help us cover some of the costs a donation at the door, or via the ACMS website, would be greatly appreciated. All proceeds go to the ACMS who help us fund and run safe events.

We hope to see you there! Please spread the word!

Keep an eye on our page for updates as we get closer to the event. If you'd like to participate/exhibit or volunteer to assist, get in touch.


https://www.facebook.com/share/15zabzbEgJ/]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-909.html Thu, 01 May 2025 16:15:50 +1000 MbeeTech]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-909.html
For some time now that Microbee Technology YouTube channel has had a video entitled 
" Microbee - The Evolutionary Computers "
It was a video produced specifically for the Hannover Trade Fair in 1986.
Owen tells me that it was produced with the assistance of government funding and was quite 
expensive at the time.
The video on the channel came from a VHS tape that was missing the first 4-5 minutes sadly, 
so there was quite a bit of content unseen.

Thankfully, Owen found the master tape during a clean up he was having about a month ago, and
has very kindly sent it in, along with a digitized copy.

I've since cleaned up the digitized copy and made it available on the Youtube channel.

Here's the link :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_KnOJ9JUcc

Enjoy!]]>
For some time now that Microbee Technology YouTube channel has had a video entitled 
" Microbee - The Evolutionary Computers "
It was a video produced specifically for the Hannover Trade Fair in 1986.
Owen tells me that it was produced with the assistance of government funding and was quite 
expensive at the time.
The video on the channel came from a VHS tape that was missing the first 4-5 minutes sadly, 
so there was quite a bit of content unseen.

Thankfully, Owen found the master tape during a clean up he was having about a month ago, and
has very kindly sent it in, along with a digitized copy.

I've since cleaned up the digitized copy and made it available on the Youtube channel.

Here's the link :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_KnOJ9JUcc

Enjoy!]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-879.html Tue, 28 Jan 2025 22:17:22 +1100 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-879.html
Can you tell me about the Microbee 128k computer made in Australia

and this is what they came up with -

The Microbee 128K was a popular home and educational computer developed in Australia during the 1980s. It was an evolution of the original Microbee computer, which was first released in 1982 by Applied Technology, a company based in Sydney, Australia. The Microbee series was designed to be affordable and accessible, making it a common sight in Australian schools and homes during that era.

Key Features of the Microbee 128K:

1. Processor: The Microbee 128K was powered by a Zilog Z80 CPU, running at 2 MHz or 3.29 MHz, depending on the model. The Z80 was a popular 8-bit processor used in many computers of the time.
   
2. Memory: As the name suggests, the Microbee 128K came with 128 KB of RAM, which was a significant upgrade from earlier models that typically had 16 KB or 32 KB of memory. This made it more capable of running advanced software and applications.
   
3. Storage: The computer typically used cassette tapes for storage, though later models and expansions allowed for floppy disk drives. This was common for home computers in the early to mid-1980s.
   
4. Display: The Microbee 128K featured a built-in monochrome monitor with a resolution of 256 x 192 pixels. The display was green on black, which was typical for computers of that era.
   
5. Operating System: It ran on Microbee's proprietary operating system, which was based on CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers), a popular OS for 8-bit computers at the time. This made it compatible with a wide range of software.
   
6. Keyboard: The keyboard was built into the unit, and it was known for being relatively sturdy and comfortable to use compared to some other home computers of the era.
   
7. Expandability: The Microbee 128K was designed to be expandable, with ports for additional peripherals and upgrades. This made it a versatile machine for both home and educational use.
   
   

Popularity and Use:
The Microbee was particularly popular in Australia due to its affordability and suitability for educational purposes. It was widely used in schools for teaching programming and computer literacy. The computer supported a variety of programming languages, including BASIC, Pascal, and assembly language, making it a versatile tool for learning.

Legacy:
The Microbee series, including the 128K model, holds a special place in the history of Australian computing. It was one of the first locally produced computers to gain widespread adoption and played a significant role in introducing many Australians to computing. Today, the Microbee is remembered fondly by retro computing enthusiasts, and there are still communities dedicated to preserving and using these machines.
If you're interested in retro computing or the history of technology, the Microbee 128K is a fascinating example of how computing evolved in different parts of the world during the 1980s.]]>
Can you tell me about the Microbee 128k computer made in Australia

and this is what they came up with -

The Microbee 128K was a popular home and educational computer developed in Australia during the 1980s. It was an evolution of the original Microbee computer, which was first released in 1982 by Applied Technology, a company based in Sydney, Australia. The Microbee series was designed to be affordable and accessible, making it a common sight in Australian schools and homes during that era.

Key Features of the Microbee 128K:

1. Processor: The Microbee 128K was powered by a Zilog Z80 CPU, running at 2 MHz or 3.29 MHz, depending on the model. The Z80 was a popular 8-bit processor used in many computers of the time.
   
2. Memory: As the name suggests, the Microbee 128K came with 128 KB of RAM, which was a significant upgrade from earlier models that typically had 16 KB or 32 KB of memory. This made it more capable of running advanced software and applications.
   
3. Storage: The computer typically used cassette tapes for storage, though later models and expansions allowed for floppy disk drives. This was common for home computers in the early to mid-1980s.
   
4. Display: The Microbee 128K featured a built-in monochrome monitor with a resolution of 256 x 192 pixels. The display was green on black, which was typical for computers of that era.
   
5. Operating System: It ran on Microbee's proprietary operating system, which was based on CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers), a popular OS for 8-bit computers at the time. This made it compatible with a wide range of software.
   
6. Keyboard: The keyboard was built into the unit, and it was known for being relatively sturdy and comfortable to use compared to some other home computers of the era.
   
7. Expandability: The Microbee 128K was designed to be expandable, with ports for additional peripherals and upgrades. This made it a versatile machine for both home and educational use.
   
   

Popularity and Use:
The Microbee was particularly popular in Australia due to its affordability and suitability for educational purposes. It was widely used in schools for teaching programming and computer literacy. The computer supported a variety of programming languages, including BASIC, Pascal, and assembly language, making it a versatile tool for learning.

Legacy:
The Microbee series, including the 128K model, holds a special place in the history of Australian computing. It was one of the first locally produced computers to gain widespread adoption and played a significant role in introducing many Australians to computing. Today, the Microbee is remembered fondly by retro computing enthusiasts, and there are still communities dedicated to preserving and using these machines.
If you're interested in retro computing or the history of technology, the Microbee 128K is a fascinating example of how computing evolved in different parts of the world during the 1980s.]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-877.html Sat, 25 Jan 2025 08:26:02 +1100 ChickenMan]]> https://microbeetechnology.com.au/forum/thread-877.html Karl von Moller needs your help. In the last couple of months, he have been hit with some pretty high costs when it comes to stock/archival footage offered by the NFSA, ACMI, and other private organisations that sell this kind of footage. His trouble is that to tell the story of Australian computer history, it is necessary to show it to the audience. 

We need your help to tell these stories for the purpose of buying the rights to use stock and or archival footage held by individuals, companies and organisations who deal in licenseable footage approximately $500 per episode. 

Currently, at the time of writing, 2 episodes have already been released plus a trailer. There is a total of 17 episodes planned with one episode to be released per month which will detail everything from CSIR MARK1 to Quantum Computing, Microbee included.

We hope this work will be incredibly useful to educate a new generation and be a fantastic resource for researchers and educators everywhere.

As a result, we started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for stock footage. I would really appreciate if you could help spread the word and promote the cause for the purpose of recording & preserving our computer history.

The link is here: https://gofund.me/59ee8c95]]> Karl von Moller needs your help. In the last couple of months, he have been hit with some pretty high costs when it comes to stock/archival footage offered by the NFSA, ACMI, and other private organisations that sell this kind of footage. His trouble is that to tell the story of Australian computer history, it is necessary to show it to the audience. 

We need your help to tell these stories for the purpose of buying the rights to use stock and or archival footage held by individuals, companies and organisations who deal in licenseable footage approximately $500 per episode. 

Currently, at the time of writing, 2 episodes have already been released plus a trailer. There is a total of 17 episodes planned with one episode to be released per month which will detail everything from CSIR MARK1 to Quantum Computing, Microbee included.

We hope this work will be incredibly useful to educate a new generation and be a fantastic resource for researchers and educators everywhere.

As a result, we started a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for stock footage. I would really appreciate if you could help spread the word and promote the cause for the purpose of recording & preserving our computer history.

The link is here: https://gofund.me/59ee8c95]]>