yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
b274874139
1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
271 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
271 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: JUPITER CANTAB Jupiter Ace
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Home Computer
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origins:
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- United Kingdom
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years:
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- '1983'
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cpus:
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- Zilog Z80A
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params:
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name: Jupiter Ace
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_system_1.jpg
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company: /companies/jupiter-cantab
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company_name: JUPITER CANTAB
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: Jupiter Ace
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Jupiter Cantab
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- label: TYPE
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value: Home Computer
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: United Kingdom
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- label: YEAR
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value: '1983'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: Forth
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: QWERTY, chicklet keyboard, 40 keys, auto-repeat
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- label: CPU
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value: Zilog Z80A
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- label: SPEED
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value: 3.25 MHz
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- label: RAM
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value: 3 kb (up to 51 kb)
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- label: ROM
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value: 8 kb
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 32 columns x 24 lines
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: 64 x 48
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- label: COLORS
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value: Monochrome
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- label: SOUND
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value: Internal beeper
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 21.8(W) x 19.2(D) x 3.2(H) cm. / 246 g
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: UHF TV out (channel 36), User Port, Tape interface (1500 baud), Z80 Bus
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: External PSU
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- label: PERIPHERALS
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value: RAM expansion
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- label: PRICE
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value: £89.95 (UK, september 1982)
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tabs:
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- photos
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- adverts
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- hardware
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- software
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- emulators
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- links
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- docs
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forum_thread: 159
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photos:
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- title: JUPITER ACE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_system_2.jpg
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- title: TOP
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_top.jpg
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- title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_keyboard_1.jpg
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- title: UNCOVERED
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Note the large power regulator IC metallic cooler.\
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Keyboard membrane is simply put down on the board.
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_uncover_1.jpg
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- title: JUPITER'S HEART
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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The Jupiter design is very similar to the Sinclair ZX 80's one, except from the specialized component. Indeed you have to be sure to sell a great number of systems, if you want to be able to pay the development and production costs of such a component.
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**(1)** 5-volt power regulator\
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**(2)** Power jack. Power is supplied by an external AC adaptor\
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**(3)** Z80-A microprocessor. Here a Nec version\
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**(4)** Memory expansion connector. It is compatible with the Sinclair ZX 81 memory modules (up to 16 Kb). with a special adapter\
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**(5)** 2 x 4 KB ROM chips holding the FORTH programming language\
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**(6)** Buzzer\
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**(7)** 2 x 2114 static RAM chips holding 1 KB of RAM\
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**(8)** 4 x 2114 RAM chips hold 2 additional KB of RAM\
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**(9)** Peripherals connector, mainly used for printers\
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**(10)** Modulator for T.V. aerial video signal\
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**(11)** Tape recorder Load/Save jacks. Data transfer reliability is better than the Sinclair one.\
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**(12)** Keyboard contacts. When a key is pressed, a contact is made between 2 lines of the circuit
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_insideexpl_1.jpg
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- title: RUBBER KEYBOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: The rubber keyboard and "eraser" keys need some practice for fast typing.
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_keyboard_2.jpg
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- title: BACK
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Note the peripherals (left) and memory expansion connectors.\
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Grooves on the back cover are meant to avoid the thin plastic case bending out of shape.
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_back_1.jpg
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- title: LAST MINUTE
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subtitle: ''
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text: Last minute factory modification
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image: /media/museum/photos/jupiter_ace_lastminute_1.jpg
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adverts:
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- title: 'JUPITER BROCHURE #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/jupiter_ace_brochure_s1.jpg
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- title: 'JUPITER BROCHURE #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/jupiter_ace_brochure_s2.jpg
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- title: 'UK ADVERT #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/cantab_jupiter-ace_pub1.jpg
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- title: 'UK ADVERT #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: Thanks to [Howard Jones](http://wotsit.thingy.com/haj/) for this picture.
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image: /media/museum/pubs/cantab_jupiter-ace_pub_2.jpg
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- title: FRENCH AD (JULY 1983)
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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"access to the Forth power"
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"with the Jupiter Ace, enjoy profesionnal experience of Forth"
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image: /media/museum/pubs/jupiter-ace_pub_access-puissance.jpg
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hardware:
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- title: 16K RAM EXPANSION
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subtitle: from EME (Essex Micro Electronics)
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/hardware/cantab_jupiter-ace_eme-16k.jpg
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- title: MEMOTECH KEYBOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: Memotech, well known for making Sinclair extensions, also made Jupiter Ace accessories including this add-on mechanical keyboard.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/cantab_jupiter-ace_memotech-keyboard.jpg
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- title: EXPANSION BOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: This board was used to plug more than one expansion to the Jupiter Ace.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/cantab_jupiter-ace_expansion-board.jpg
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screenshots:
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- title: SOME TAPES
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_software.jpg
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- title: TAPES, BOOK AND 16 KB RAM EXPANSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/jupiter_ace_soft.jpg
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- title: ATIC RAID
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_aticraid_ss.gif
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- title: BOMBER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_bomber_ss.gif
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- title: FROGGER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_frogger_ss.gif
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- title: LUNAR LANDER
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_lunar-lander_ss.gif
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- title: MILLIPEDE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_millipede_ss.gif
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- title: PACMAN
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_pacman_ss.gif
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- title: WORDACE
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subtitle: Wordprocessor
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/software/cantab_jupiter-ace_wordace_ss.gif
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emulators:
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- title: ACE32
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/ace32.html
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platform: MS DOS
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text: Jupiter ACE Emulator for MSDOS by Paul Robson
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- title: EightyOne
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url: http://www.chuntey.com/eightyone/
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platform: Windows
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text: The best Jupiter Ace Emulater for Windows platform , including AY8910 sound chip, colour board.The emulator of choice by the Jupiter Ace Archive team.
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- title: Blaze
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/blaze.html
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platform: Other platform
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text: Jupiter Ace Emulator for Sam Coupe computers
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- title: XACE, VACE and VACE3D Jupiter Ace emulators
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url: http://hem.passagen.se/tiletech/ace.html
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platform: Multiplatform
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text: Nice emulators by Edward Patel, for Windows and Unix. There is even a 3D version !!
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links:
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- title: Documentation
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html
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text: A searchable pdf of the manual, all 182 pages is now on the resource site at www.jupiter-ace.co.uk
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- title: Jupiter Ace FAQ
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url: http://users.aol.com/autismuk/ace/faq.htm
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text: FAQ written by Paul Robson.
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- title: Jupiter Ace Resource site
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/
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text: Jupiter Ace restoration and preservation project
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- title: The Jupiter Ace hardware page
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url: http://home.micros.users.btopenworld.com/JupiterAce/JupiterAce.html
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text: Helps you build your own Jupiter Ace !
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- title: The Jupiter Ace Software Library
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url: http://users.aol.com/autismuk/ace/software.htm
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text: Some software to download; useful !
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docs:
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- title: JUPITER ACE - USERS MANUAL
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/jupiter-ace_users-manual.jpg
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text: |-
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[**JUPITER ACE - USERS MANUAL**](http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html)written by Steve Vickers
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compiled/archived by Steve Parry-Thomas\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Jupiter Ace Resource Site](http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/)
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- title: THE FORTH BRIDGE - TRANSLATING BASIC PROGRAMS INTO FORTH
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/jupiter-ace_forth-bridge.jpg
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text: |-
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[**THE FORTH BRIDGE - TRANSLATING BASIC PROGRAMS INTO FORTH**](http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html)written by Jupiter Cantab
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compiled/archived by Steve Parry-Thomas / Jupiter Arce Archive Project\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Jupiter Ace Resource Site](http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/)
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- title: RAM PACK INSTRUCTION LEAFLET
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url: http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/jupiter-ace_ram-pack-instructions.jpg
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text: |-
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[**RAM PACK INSTRUCTION LEAFLET**](http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/usermanual.html)written by Jupiter Cantab
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compiled/archived by Steve Parry-Thomas / Jupiter Arce Archive Project\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Jupiter Ace Resource Site](http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/)
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oc_id: 147
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230529183420/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=147
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date: '2023-05-29'
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---
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The Jupiter ACE looks very similar to the Sinclair [ZX 81](/museum/sinclair-zx-81/). Actually, the designers of this computer, **Richard Altwasser** and **Steven Vickers**, played a major role in creating the Sinclair Spectrum.
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The ACE is very similar to the ZX 81, but has some extra features: it has a user port, and it can generate sound (the ZX 81 can't). It can also use RAM expansion modules for the ZX 81 smaller than 64KB via a small adapter.
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Its most significant feature is its language: instead of using BASIC like other computers, it uses the **FORTH** language (as did the [Hector HRX](/museum/micronique-hector-hrx/)).
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FORTH's advantages are that it's comprehensible, small, interactive, fast and extensible. It centers around writing procedures which operate on objects on a FIFO stack, and is not as intuitive as BASIC. FORTH was three to ten times faster than BASIC but was not as easy to learn.
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This computer did not achieve significant success, probably due to its relatively obscure language - as far as the general public was concerned.
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Steve Vickers wrote the ZX Spectrum manual - he has been an academic researcher working most recently (2003) at Imperial College London, and the Open University.
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