website/content/museum/osm-computer-corporation-zeus.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
OSM Computer Corporation Zeus	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1981	Zilog Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread adverts oc_id source Zeus /media/museum/photos/osm_zeus_1.jpg /companies/osm-computer-corporation OSM Computer Corporation label value NAME Zeus label value MANUFACTURER OSM Computer Corporation label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1981 label value CPU Zilog Z80A label value SPEED Unknown label value RAM Uknown label value TEXT MODES 80 x 25 CP/M standard label value GRAPHIC MODES none label value COLORS monochrome through terminal display label value SOUND None label value SIZE / WEIGHT Heavy label value BUILT IN MEDIA Hard disk (from 34 to 600 Mb), Tape backup label value OS MUSE operating system (CP/M compatible) label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU adverts 1299 title subtitle text image US ADVERT (APRIL 1982) null 1334 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230202144410/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1334 2023-02-02

OSM Computer Corporation, based in Santa Clara California, produced several multi-user CP/M computers called Zeus.

The first Zeus system was released in 1981. It looks like a mini-computer with a fairly big case that can house mutimple user boards. Each user has a dedicated Z80A-base-single board that fits into the system mainframe.

The modular, stackable system can expand up to 64 users. To add a user, you need a dumb terminal and a user "microcomputer" module added into the mainframe.

The Zeus computer use modular hard disk storage giving a capacity from 34 Mb to 600 Mb. It also features tape backup and shared printers with spooling and queuing.

One singularity of the Zeus is that it is equiped with a battery/recharger system that provides up to 20 minutes of operating power in case of power failures, lightning ot voltage variations.

Zeus uses MUSE as its operating system, a CP/M compatible OS for multi-user computers.

One difference between OSM's approach and that of other manufacturers is that OSM does not require the individual CPU/memory cards to share the same S100 bus. The OSM design approximates that of a local network, in that the only real connection between the users is a data bus carrying information to and from the master CPU, which handles the disk chores.

OSM also differs from some of the other multi-user systems in that each user's CPU/memory combination also includes terminal and printer I/O. Thus, except for the disk drive, each user has a complete computer system responding to his commands, and the only contention among users is the disk drive itself. OSM resolves this problem by providing 32Kb of memory for the master processor, which acts as a buffer between user requests and the disk drive.

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.