Southwest Technical Products Corporation, San Antonio, Texas, began manufacturing microcomputer systems that year with kit systems based on the Motorola 6800. With a RAM capacity of 32K, these systems provided hobbyist with the ability to have computer systems of their own, with considerable power at a reasonable price. Running an 8k cassette-loaded BASIC, thee early systems brought computers into the home for the first time.
BEGINNINGS:
1975 was the beginning of SWTPc's involvement with selling microcomputers, but the company had begun some eleven years earlier with the kit electronics produced in the garage of entrepreneur Daniel Meyer. Electronics hobbyists will remember the product line of amplifiers, graphics equalizers, color organs, digital meters, strobe lights, ultrasonic burglar alarms, timers, counting units, the Beachcomber metal detector and the Theremin, an innovative electronic musical instrument. It was a natural extension of this varied product line that Southwest took its first steps into microcomputers.
Microprocessors-based machines were introduced at about the same time by SWTPc, MITS (with the Altair 8800) and IMS Associates (with the IMSAI 8080.) For the 6800 computer, Southwest invented the SS-50 bus, with 7 slots for processor, memory and controllers, and including a separate 30-pin I/O bus with 8 slots on the motherboard. The system ran at a clock speed of 1.0 MHz. Auxiliary storage was accomplished on this early system through audio cassette player/recorder.
DISK OPERATING SYSTEM:
The first disk operating system for the 6800 computer was introduced to the world in 1977. Running on floppys, FLEX was developed by Technical Systems Consultants, now of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Designed to be powerful and user-friendly, FLEX became the defacto standard operating system for the 6800.
6809 COMPUTERS:
In 1978, Southwest introduced the /09 computer based on the new Motorola 6809 microprocessor. This improved processor gave the system user a greatly enlarged instruction set, as compared with the 6800, and provided the programmer with four pointer registers and a program counter... each of 16 bits. Of the Motorola models, Southwest chose to use the 68B09, for 2MHz operation. For users wishing to upgrade their 6800 systems, Southwest provided update documentation to accommodate the new processor.
MULTI-USER SYSTEMS:
With the power of the 6809 processor now available, the decision was made to implement a multi-user operating system for the SWTPc computer. After close examination of the available OS designs, SWTPc chose UniFLEX*... a multiuser OS closely modeled on the Bell Labs UNIX** system. Also implemented by TSC, UniFLEX incorporated some of the user-friendly attributes if FLEX.
S/09 AND S+ SYSTEMS:
The multi-user system, dubbed the S/09, was offered for the first time in 1979. This system provided features previously expected only from minicomputers and a mainframes... Multi-terminal (up to 12) operation, Dynamic Memory Allocation and Direct Memory Access. Furthermore, the S/09 system was configurable to include "Winchester" hard disk drive technology. With the addition of a hard disk, the S/09 achieved full status as a new, hybrid computer classification... the MINI-MICRO.
The state-of-the-art in SWTPc micro-minis is the S+ system. Designed for the office, school lab and industrial data processing, the S+ provides for operation of up to 32 terminals through the use of efficient data handling, larger memory capability and peripheral processor interface. Running in a supervisor and user state, the S+ CPU monitors system functions to prevent user-generated system crashes. The S+ can also run the MUPS Operating system with up to 16 Terminals.
Both the S+ and the S/09 support 14" and 5-1/4" Winchester disk drives, logical tape backup, and up to 5 Mbytes of floppy disk storage. A variety of letter-quality and dot-matrix printers are available for use with either system.
X12+ AND BEYOND:
Southwest Technical Products continues to develop and manufacture microcomputer systems to meet the increasing data processing needs of the marketplace.
The new X12+ is a desk-top, 256K computer integrated with a SWTPc-manufactured intelligent terminal. Running UniFLEX, the system features Mini-Winchester auxiliary storage, data communication, optional hardware floating point computation and supports 2 additional work stations.
Other hardware under development at the SWTPc 5-building facility in San Antonio includes plug-in 68000 processor, floating-point processor, virtual system processor, 1 Mbyte memory board and network interfaces.
SUMMARY:
In the fast paced and volatile world of microcomputer manufacturing, it takes innovative engineering and aggressive pricing to stay in competition. Since the very birth of the micro, Southwest Technical Products has provided this kind of leadership in design and production of computer systems. Southwest Technical Products is the Prospering Pioneer of microcomputers.
Inside
front cover, 68 Micro Journal
X-12+ Multi-user computer system (text from page 40)
Concept:
The X-12+ is a designed as a stand-alone 256K computer capable of
supporting one to three users simultaneously. The system incorporates as
standard features many capabilities that macro users are coming to
expect from there systems — hard disk capacity; multi-user,
multi-tasking, multi-processing capability; expandability to 1024K RAM;
variety of available programming languages and a proven operating
system.
The Hardware:
The X-12+ CPU resides inside the SWTPc X10 terminal, with a 12 inch
(diagonal) CRT and a detached 91-key keyboard. Standard auxiliary
storage sits alongside the CRT in an attractive "Mailbox Memory" unit
that contains a high speed 20M-byte mini Winchester and a 1.25M byte
mini floppy drive.
System architecture is built around the Motorola 6809 processor, and
includes extended addressing, optional TMS 320 32-bit processor for
floating point work (transparent to the user), 256K of dynamic RAM,
buffered disk I/O to reduce redundant disk reads, two RS-232 ports for
additional terminals, and one parallel port for communications with a
loop network. The X-12+ communicates with its own CRT in parallel for
ultra fast output display. One RS-232 printer port and one "Centronics
Parallel" port are included as standard. An additional RS-232 serial
port is included to allow the X12+ to act as a terminal on a remote
system.
CRT Features:
The X12+ display is controlled by a separate 6809 processor, and an
on-board vocabulary of 255 words may be spoken by the voice processor
installed as standard equipment. User-programmable character sets,
multiple screen formats, 15 programmable keys, tone generator, reverse
fielding, under and over-lining, blinking characters, field protection,
status line, graphics and ergonomic design are additional features of
the unit.
Software:
The standard X-12+ will run the powerful *UniFLEX Operating System from
Technical Systems Consultants. UniFLEX is optimized for the 6809, and
provides the same file structure and "shell" facility that is available
with **UNIX. UniFLEX dynamically allocates up to 64K of memory for each
running task in 4K increments, and supports BASIC, FORTRAN, Pascal, C,
COBAL, a relocating assembler and Pilot. Input/Output redirection
piping, random and sequential files and virtual array capability provide
for the complete range of file access needs.
As an additional option, the X-12+ will be configured to run the
single-user FLEX+ operating system, with dual-floppy operation.
Special Features:
The X-12+ has capability to run in Local and Remote modes. The unit can
function as an intelligent terminal on another system while two other
terminals attached to it are using the local system resources. Future
development will include synchronous loop network capability for up to
255 X-12+ units, each with up to 2 additional workstations.
Pricing:
The X-12+ multi-user configuration of CPU, 256K RAM, CRT, detached
keyboard, Voice and Sound synthesizer, three parallel ports, four serial
ports, 1.25M floppy, 20M mini Winchester and UniFLEX Operating System …
$6,595.
Single-user configuration with dual 1.25M Floppies, FLEX+ Operating
system, full CRT features and BASIC... $4,495
*UniFLEX is a trademark of Technical Systems Consultants.
** Unix is a trademark of Bell Labs.