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Re: Who is still around?

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Rick:

Although I don¹t have a large software collection for the Z-100, I did write
the first versions of the boot ROM for it, and have a patent in the design
of the video in the Z-100.  Most of my software was MS-DOS (Z-DOS) software,
although it also ran CP/M (85 and x86).  It has both an 8088 and an 8085 in
it.  Barry Watzman wasn¹t so sure that the x86 architecture would survive,
so as the marketing guy at the time, he insisted on both processors.  He has
since died.

The boot ROM also emulated the H-19 terminal, although I have been lead to
believe by others that CP/M did not take good advantage of this--I believe ZDOS did.  From an
emulation standpoint, the Z-100 is mostly PC-like, albeit with different
video‹more like VGA, although it was released in an EGA era.

Babu Rajaram was the lead engineer on the project.  Mark Nichol (sp?) was
his technician at the time.  I believe he put schematics on the web at one
point in time.  Last I knew, he was at AMD in Texas.  Dave Perkins did the
MS-DOS/Z-DOS porting.  I went out to Redmond to make sure that the DOS
versions of what are now the MS office products ran on it.  There was a
MS-DOS version of word, , and a spread-sheet as well.  Can¹t remember the
name of the DOS version of Excel‹Multiplan?.

The Z-100 was a nice machine, from a by-gone era‹before most of the design
was in one chip.

Does your Z-100 have the integral monitor, or is it low profile (separate
monitor usually sits on top)?

Gregg Chandler
Enthusiastic Software



On Thursday, December 4, 2014 2:15:41 AM UTC-5, Rick Button wrote:
> Hi! I've become interested in the Z-100 since I found one in a recycling bin about a half a year ago. I have done a fair bit of research on it, and contacted a few people that have worked with them in the past.
> 
> I'm trying to get a feel for who else still has these systems. I contacted Steve Vagts and he still has parts/systems/software.
> 
> The problem with this system is that it is so old that much of the information is not available easily on the internet. There are few personal websites from people who own/are interested in the systems, but there are not large resources of information. I think this is due to its age.
> 
> I am interested in archiving and cataloging as much software for this system as physically possible digitally in order to preserve this system, with the hope one day that I will have the time to implement an emulator for it. There are no large resources of digitally archived software for this system publicly available. Does anyone have a large personal archive of software for this system that they are willing to share?
> 
> Even if you don't have any software to share, say hi! I would love to hear pings from other people who are still interested in the Z-100!
> 
> Thanks for reading,
> Rick Button

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