Xref: utzoo comp.misc:3467 comp.sys.misc:1687 comp.os.cpm:1744 Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!vsi1!altnet!uunet!edsews!peter From: peter@edsews.EDS.COM (Peter Zadrozny) Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.sys.misc,comp.os.cpm Subject: Re: Z-80 Unix? Keywords: z-80 unix Message-ID: <2162@edsews.EDS.COM> Date: 19 Sep 88 14:05:32 GMT References: <278@pte.UUCP> Organization: EDS/TSD - Troy, MI Lines: 29 In article <278@pte.UUCP>, car@pte.UUCP (Chris Rende) writes: > Does anyone know anything about Unix running on a Z-80? Years ago I worked with a series of Cromemco computers, they where Z-80 S-100 based machines and ran Cromix as their operating system. Cromix was a pretty good implementation of Unix even with the limitations imposed by the CPU. The requirements were one 64K bank for the OS and one 64K bank for every user (process). The multi-tasking multi-processing was achieved by bank switching. It was interesting to be able to run WordStar and dBase II in a "Unix" environment (since it had a CP/M emulator which resided on the top 3K of the corresponding bank). More interesting was experiencing the power a 4MHz Z-80 handling with little visible effect one secretary hacking the keyboard with WordStar, one clerk running a dBase II application, and myself compiling little C monsters. They also had a very good Basic compiler as well as a Basic based OS (a la RSTS-11). I do believe that Cromemco is still in business (I saw somebody in the SF Usenix sporting a badge with their name). They are based in Mountain View. BTW, most of the computerized TV weather reports use Cromemco Z-80 machines. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Peter Zadrozny | UUCP: ...!uunet!edsews!peter Electronic Data Systems | peter@edsews.EDS.COM 1400 N. Woodward Av. | Voice: +1 313 645-4725 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013 | Fax: +1 313 645-4824