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
230 lines
9.9 KiB
Markdown
230 lines
9.9 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Kaypro II
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Transportable
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origins:
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- U.S.A.
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years:
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- '1982'
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cpus:
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- Z80
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params:
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name: Kaypro II
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image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_2-83_1.jpg
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company: /companies/kaypro
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company_name: Kaypro
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: Kaypro II
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Kaypro
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- label: TYPE
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value: Transportable
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: U.S.A.
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- label: YEAR
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value: august 1982
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: None (M-BASIC and S-BASIC on diskette)
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: Full-stroke 70 key typewriter style keyboard with 18 programmable keys
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- label: CPU
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value: Z80
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- label: SPEED
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value: 2.5 Mhz
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- label: RAM
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value: 64 KB
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- label: VRAM
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value: 2 KB
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- label: ROM
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value: 2 KB
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: '80 chars x 25 lines (character matrix : 5 x 8)'
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: None
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- label: COLORS
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value: built-in 9'' non-glare green phosphor screen
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- label: SOUND
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value: Beep only
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 45 x 36 x 21 cm / 13 Kg
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: RS232c serial port,
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: two 5.25'' SS/DD full-height floppies (190k)
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- label: OS
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value: CP/M 2.2
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: Built-in power supply unit
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- label: PERIPHERALS
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value: 400 KB or 800 KB 5.25'' floppy drives, 10 MB hard disc, battery pack/charger
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- label: PRICE
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value: $1795 (USA, 1982) - £1259 (U.K., 1983)
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tabs:
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- photos
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- adverts
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- emulators
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- links
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- docs
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forum_thread: 544
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photos:
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- title: KAYPRO LABEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: The kaypro label is painted on the back of the case.
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image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_ii_label_1.jpg
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- title: KAYPRO BAG
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_ii_bluebag_1.jpg
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- title: MACPRO 2X?
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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This is what happens when a Kaypro 2X get married with a Macintosh! This is a Kaypro 2X portable computer case, with the electronic parts of a Macintosh Plus installed in it. It includes an 80 mb hard drive, as well. The keyboard has storage room for the mouse...
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Thanks to **J. Forbes** and his [site](http://www.mindspring.com/~jforbes2/)
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image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_ii_macinside_1.jpg
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- title: ANDREW KAY
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Andrew Kay, Non-Linear Systems/Kaypro Corporation's founder, was quite a dynamic character. The son of Eastern European immigrants, he was a graduate of MIT, and a very progressive thinker for his time. He employed four generations of his family at the plant while I worked there, and was a Patriarchal figure to a lot of us employees. I believe that Non-Linear Systems is still in business in San Diego, and his son, David Kay, the former head of sales and marketing for Kaypro, runs a business that makes computerized teaching aides in town. I look back on my experience at Kaypro, the people who worked there, and the people who did business with us, with great affection.
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**Garr Farrell**
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image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_ii_andrewkay_1.jpg
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- title: ARTHUR C. CLARKE
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subtitle: ''
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text: Arthur C. Clarke working on his Kaypro II computer. He was the author of "2001, Space Odyssey" and its sequel.
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image: /media/museum/photos/sv818_arthur-c-clarke.jpg
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adverts:
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- title: NLS ADVERT
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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An advert from Non-Linear Systems, dated July, 1982 for the KAYCOMP II that was not still called KAYPRO.
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Advert said:
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**A WORD ABOUT NLS**\
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Non-Linear Systems, inc. is the originator of the digital voltmeter and an innovative leader in the field of electronic test equipment.\
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Organized in 1952, NLS has been a major supplier of digital voltmeters and ratiometers to large corporations in the aerospace industry. Since 1972, NLS has been consumer directed, providing small, portable multimeters, oscilloscopes, counters, frequency meters, temperature meters. And now, NLS has entered the world of computers with one though - to provide the best value in a small, business, scientific and family computer.
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Standard software delivered with the KAYCOMP II:
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\- **CP/M 2.2** - operating system\
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\- **S/BASIC** - Structured Basic compiler\
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\- **PROFIT PLAN** - Electronic worksheet\
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\- **SELECT** - Complete word processing system\
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\- **TEACH** - A self-teaching guide to SELECT
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_kaycompad_1.jpg
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- title: DISPLAY SIZE ARGUMENT CLOSE-UP
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subtitle: ''
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text: The Osborne 1 was the major competitor of the KAYCOMP in the portable computers field.
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_kaycompad_2.jpg
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- title: 'US AD. 1983 #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: Dual floppy drive version.
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_kaycompad_3.jpg
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- title: 'US AD. 1983 #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Hard disk version
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"No matter how you look at it, KAYPRO is the best value you will see anawhere..."
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_kaycompad_4.jpg
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- title: U.S. AD. JUNE 1983
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_kaycompad_5.jpg
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- title: GERMAN ADVERT (1983)
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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1983 Hannover show advert.
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Advert said that 30,000 Kaypro II systems were already sold in the U.S.A.
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_germanad_1.jpg
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- title: U.K. ADVERT (1983)
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_kaycompad_6.jpg
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- title: UK ADVERT, OCT. 1983
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_ii_ukpub_s1.jpg
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emulators:
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- title: Kaypro II emulator
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url: http://www.yoy.org/kaypro/html/kayproii1.html
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platform: Other platform
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text: Simpla Java emulator.
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- title: MESS
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url: http://www.mess.org
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platform: Multiplatform
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text: The MESS emulator (multiplatform) can emulate the Kaypro IIx
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links:
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- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
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url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
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text: ''
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docs:
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- title: KAYPRO II USER'S GUIDE
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url: null
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/kaypro_2_users_guide.jpg
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text: |-
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**KAYPRO II USER'S GUIDE**\
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written by Kaypro
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compiled/archived by Unknown\
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type of document : Online reader
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**... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :**
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- title: KAYPRO TECHNICAL MANUAL
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url: null
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/kaypro_technical_manual.jpg
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text: |-
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**KAYPRO TECHNICAL MANUAL**\
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written by Kaypro
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compiled/archived by Unknown\
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type of document : Online reader
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**... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :**
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related:
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- /museum/kaypro-1
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- /museum/kaypro-10
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- /museum/kaypro-2x
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- /museum/kaypro-4
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- /museum/kaypro-iv
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- /museum/kaypro-robie
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oc_id: 550
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230603122659/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=550
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date: '2023-06-03'
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---
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Despite its name, the Kaypro II was the first Kaypro model. The name was KAYPRO II, because the [Apple II](/museum/apple-ii/) was the most popular system (besides the [IBM PC](/museum/ibm-pc-model-5150/)) around back then, and Kaypro decided to follow in the image.
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It was conceived by Non Linear Systems inc., a company with over 30 years' experience of producing small portable aerospace electronic equipment, which would later become Kaypro.
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The Kaypro systems were known to be square-built ! All the hardware is packed into a solid aluminum case. These computers can resist to a lot of trouble as they proved when ten of them (Kaypro IV & 10) were used by doctors for the Paris-Dakar 84's edition. Non of them failed despite extreme conditions.
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One asset of the Kaypro, over the [Osborne 1](/museum/osborne-corp-osborne-1/) which was available at about the same time, is the 9" built-in monitor, easily twice the size of the Osborne's. Though the Kaypro 2 has no graphic features, it can display 80 x 24 characters. There are two single-sided / double-density full-heigth 5.25'' disk-drives (190k each). One can be used to boot CP/M and the other to run the software.
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The Kaypro II is a real "luggable" system. Even if it weights more than 10kg, it can be easily moved with the handle found at the back.
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At the rear of the system, one can find a serial port, a parallel port, a keyboard connector, a brightness control knob and reset button.
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Perfect Writer, Perfect Calc, Perfect Filer, Perfect Speller, S-Basic, CP/M and Profitplan were bundled with the system. Later WordStar was also available.
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As usual with Kaypro, the model names logic is quite dramatic to resolve. Several Kaypro "2" were marketed :\
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\- In 1984 a new **Kaypro 2** (refered as Kaypro 2'84) is introduced. It has two SS/DD half-height floppy drives, a Z-80A running at 4.0 MHz, 2 serial ports and rudimentary graphics (through graphic characters).\
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\- The same year, the **Kaypro 2X** is released. Very similar to a Kaypro 2'84 but with DS/DD half-height drives.\
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\- Still in 1984, in order to be compatible with IBM software, a special version was marketed with an Intel 8088 CPU instead of the Z80A. It was called the **Kaypro II Plus 88**!\
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\- In 1985 another Kaypro 2 refered as **"New 2"** is sold. It is basically an old 2X motherboard, with one or two DS/DD floppy drives, but no 300 baud modem previously found on the 2X. It comes with just CP/M and Wordstar for software.\
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\- And to spice up a bit things, Kaypro decides to rename its [Kaypro 4'84](/museum/kaypro-4/) as **Kaypro 2X** (sometimes also known as 2X MTC), thus dropping the previous 2X model!
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See ! I told you...
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Trivia :\
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In 1985, **Arthur C. Clarke** published a sequel to 2001 : 2010 Odyssey Two. He worked with Peter Hyams in the movie version of 2010. Their work was done using a Kaypro computer and a modem, for Arthur was in Sri Lanka and Peter Hyams in Los Angeles. Their communications turned into the book The Odyssey File - The Making of 2010.\
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\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
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Thanks to [Bolo's Computer Museum](http://www.bolo.ch) for the picture.
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