---
title: HOLBORN 9100
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- Netherlands
years:
- '1981'
cpus:
- Z80-A
params:
  name: '9100'
  image: /media/museum/photos/holborn_9100_system_1.jpg
  company: /companies/holborn
  company_name: HOLBORN
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: '9100'
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Holborn
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Netherlands
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1981'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80-A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 4 Mhz.
  - label: RAM
    value: 72 KB expandable to 220 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: unknown
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: unknown
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: unknown
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: unknown
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: 2 x 8'' 1.2 MB floppy disc drives. Optional 30 MB hard disk
  - label: OS
    value: Holborn OS or CP/M
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in power supply unit
  - label: PRICE
    value: About $10,000 for a full-sized version
  tabs:
  - adverts
  - links
  forum_thread: 732
  adverts:
  - title: HOMO-COMPUTERUS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      This image is from a brochure of a Dutch exhibition called "The office of the future"

      Courtesy of the **Computer museum of the University of Amsterdam**
    image: /media/museum/pubs/holborn_9100_leaflet_1.jpg
  links:
  - title: Allard's Computer Museum Groningen
    url: http://www.computermuseumgroningen.nl/holborn/holborn.html
    text: More detailed info here with good pictures
  oc_id: 749
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230529195224/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=749
    date: '2023-05-29'
---

The Holborn System 9100/9200 computer was a Dutch product ("born in Holland") consisting of a science-fiction style desk-top display/keyboard unit, a processor box with two or four 8" floppy drives and a printer. The processor was a Z80 with 64 KB of address space.

There were two versions : the larger one used a proprietary multi-user operating system, one feature of which was the use of a lightpen for much the same purposes as today's mouse. The smaller machine used CP/M without lightpen interaction. The computer was mainly sold to small companies for administration and bookkeeping purposes.

The machine's hardware was designed by H.A. Polak, the console by Vos Industrial Designers. The disks and the system electronics were in a separate refrigator-sized housing (a desktop box for the smaller system); the console shown in the picture mainly contains a converted MicroBee terminal.

The Holborn company was founded in 1979, it's head office was in Holten (Hol born). The company has been active until 1983, when it bankrupted. Like most manufacturers of computer systems of original design around the world, it hasn't survived the competition of IBM and the IBM-PC-clone builders. About 200 machines were sold, 50 of them of the larger variety.

Thanks to the [Computer museum of the University of Amsterdam](http://www.science.uva.nl/faculteit/museum/) for text and pictures.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>