TRS-80

computer A series of personal computers sold by TandyRadio Shack. The '80' refers to the use of Zilog Z-80

processor (NOT Intel 80x8x).

There were 7.5 computers in the TRS-80 line: Models I, II,

III, 4, 100, 102, 200. The Model 4P was a portable version of

the Model 4 with no tape drive -- only 2 1/2-height single

sided disk drives.

Later models that Radio Shack produced were not TRS-80

machines -- they were based on the Intel 80x8x architecture.

These included Tandy 1000, Tandy 2000, Tandy 3000, and others.

The 1000 had a proprietary Color card. The 2000 was a

powerful machine for its time, but was based on the Intel80186, so when IBM didn't build a computer based on this

chip, it failed. It was used to design a boat for the

America's Cup.

The TRS-80 GUI, DeskMate, was proprietary, but no more than

Windoze at the time.

Many joke about "TRaSh-80" machines but several models were

in fact classics of their time.

(1996-02-18)