website/content/museum/billings-bc-12.md

title, categories, types, origins, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	cpus	params
Billings BC-12	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs photos adverts docs comments oc_id source BC-12 /media/museum/photos/billings_system_s1.jpg /companies/billings Billings label value NAME BC-12 label value MANUFACTURER Billings label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD 96 key with numeric keypad, 15 function keys and arrow keys label value CPU Z80A label value SPEED Unknown label value CO-PROCESSOR Unknown label value RAM 64 KB with parity label value VRAM Unknown label value ROM Unknown label value TEXT MODES 80 columns x 25 lines. Geen phosphor CRT memory mapped graphics characters, U/l case label value GRAPHIC MODES None label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND Unknown label value I/O PORTS 2 x Serial, 1 x Parallel label value BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x 5.25'' 160 KB Single Sided Double Density FDD (can drive up to 4) label value OS OASIS - Several languages and professional software were available label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU label value PERIPHERALS Unknown label value PRICE Unknown photos adverts docs title subtitle text image SYSTEM /media/museum/photos/billings_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/billings_keyboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MAIN BOARD /media/museum/photos/billings_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image 6000 MODEL Advert says:\ WE HAVE A NEW APPROACH TO DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING THAT WORKS Already implemented are electronic mail, word processing, complete cost accounting with inventory control and more. The secret is a new technology called Functionally Structured Distribution (FSD). At last, a system to organize and manage distributed processing applications that is really up and running. FSD technology is especially applicable to installa­tions that require:\ • Unlimited expandability supporting extremely large data bases and terminals in many cities.\ • User-friendly software easily programmed in high level languages (COBOL, FORTRAN, and BASIC)\ • System reliability (due to distributed hardware) while maintaining multiple levels of data security.\ • Compatibility with existing mainframes and networks (including the Bell System). We are presently installing Billings 6000 Computer Systems which take full advantage of distributed processing utilizing FSD technology. The 6000 Computer supports multiple hard disk drives with capacities of up to 64 Mbytes (formatted), streaming tapes for backup, auto-dial modems (2400 baud synchronous) for communications, and flexible disk drives for smaller installations. /media/museum/pubs/billings_6000_pub_s1.jpg title url cover text SYSTEM QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE null /media/museum/docs/couvs/quick-reference-guide_system_couv.jpg **SYSTEM QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE**\ written by Phase One Systems  compiled/archived by Pablo Montini\  type of document : PDF\  size : 618 KB **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** title url cover text BASIC QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE null /media/museum/docs/couvs/quick-reference-guide_basic_couv.jpg **BASIC QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE**\ written by Phase One Systems  compiled/archived by Pablo Montini\  type of document : PDF\  size : 316 KB **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** author date text Ulrik Lie Saturday 21st July 2012 Does anyone knows what it would be worth today? (Billings bc-12fd) author date text Pablo Montini (Mar del Plata, Argentina) Monday 30th April 2012 Some pictures of OASIS and BASIC Quick Reference Guide\ https://plus.google.com/photos/108501059897305008534/albums/5737346479414645761 author date text Pablo Montini (Mar del Plata, Argentina) Monday 30th April 2012 I worked with four BC12-FD (until 1985), each had 2 units of 8-inch disk (1MB each disk) in a separate gabinate. Here some very interesting features:\ a) the operating system OASIS, was a subset of IBM''s CMS running on Virtual Machines (VM) of the IBM 370. The commands have the same syntax and the same options.\ b) the file names were the same as in CMS, "filename (8). extension (8): drive (1)"\ c) you could connect two or more networked computers using the RS232 serial output in a ring topology. Making it possible to send files from one computer to another.\ d) The BASIC was very structured, with statements like: SELECT-CASE-CEND, IF-THEN-ELSE-IfEnd, WHILE-WEND\ e) In addition to driving key indexed files with string\ He was an excellent computer for its time (Commodore 64 and Radio Shack). author date text George Hamstra (USA) Wednesday 18th April 2012 RE: The Billings Computers were quite astounding for their time. They offered 64K of memory, and dual 360K disk drives (SS/DD) dual 720K diskette drives (DS/DD NOT HD diskettes) in later models. They all ran the OASIS operating system (later renamed THEOS). I still have mine and it runs. I have COBOL, FORTRAN, BASIC, Assembler, plus numerous business applications. Mine is the later model with the "steel case" that replaced the fiberglass case in the photo. The company that produced them was founded by Roger Billings who did significant hydrogen research, as well as early networking of computers. In the sub-directory (/dda) of my web page is some interesting AT$T computer archives. 1046 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20221204094342/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1046 2022-12-04

Virtually no information about this Z80 based computer - we even don't know its name - and the Billings Co. which name came from Mr. Billings, its founder.

Along with this machine, Billings also produced another system named 6000 which specialized in organizing and managing distributed processing applications (see advert section).

The operating system OASIS was a subset of IBM's CMS running on Virtual Machines (VM) of the IBM 370. The commands have the same syntax and the same options. The file names were the same as in CMS, "filename (8). extension (8): drive (1)"

You could connect two or more networked computers using the RS232 serial output in a ring topology. Making it possible to send files from one computer to another. The BASIC was very structured, with statements like: SELECT-CASE-CEND, IF-THEN-ELSE-IfEnd, WHILE-WEND, in addition to driving key indexed files with string.

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Contributors: Pablo Montini

Mike Gane sent us this additional information:
I used to have two of these in my office, I seem to recall that we bought them in or around 1980, initially as word processors, but the engineers soon took over one of the systems. The model was a BC12-FD, we paid around about £5000 for each machine.
These systems came with Macro, Basic(compiled and interpreted versions, Assembler, word processing software and Fortran. There were single disk and dual floppy disk versions, ours both had dual disks. These systems were very nice to work with, the Word Processor capability was excellent and so simple to use, it used the function keys extensively to toggle on/off bold/italics/underlining etc.

We bought them to complement a PDP8 and an Intersil Intercept Junior (256 bytes of RAM, 4 * 7 Segment LED Display) coupled to an ASR33 Teletype with punch paper reader/writer, which we were using to develop ground test software.
We were to have integrated these systems into a ground station for downloading data from a flight recorder, but unfortunately technology advances caused us to buy WICAT WS150 systems and then these were replaced by Tektronix 8560’s (PDP 11/23 inside) which survived for many years before being replaced by a laptop.

Unfortunately the Billings BC12-FD’s were put in the skip along with the WICAT, shortly before I was able to rescue them when our factory shut in 1992. The Tektronix system went to another factory and was in service until about a year ago, when unfortunately spares became to expensive and rare to warrant it’s repair.

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.