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
233 lines
9.8 KiB
Markdown
233 lines
9.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Morrow Designs Micro Decision
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Professional Computer
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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-A
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params:
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name: Micro Decision
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_system_1b.jpg
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company: /companies/morrow-designs
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company_name: Morrow Designs
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: Micro Decision
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Morrow Designs
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- label: TYPE
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value: Professional Computer
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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: '1982'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: None
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: Full-stroke keyboard
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- label: CPU
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value: Z80-A
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- label: SPEED
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value: 4 Mhz.
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- label: CO-PROCESSOR
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value: None
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- label: RAM
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value: 64 KB
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- label: ROM
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value: Unknown
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 80 chars. x 25 lines
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: None
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- label: COLORS
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value: Monochrome
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- label: SOUND
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value: Beeper
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: Unknown
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: 2 x serial ports
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: 1 or 2 x 200 KB 5.25 floppy disc drives
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- label: OS
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value: CP/M
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: Integrated power supply unit
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- label: PRICE
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value: |-
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Complete system: $1790\
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Computer alone with one drive: $1195\
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Video terminal only: $595
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tabs:
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- photos
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- adverts
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- docs
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forum_thread: 600
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photos:
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- title: DUAL F.D. VERSION
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subtitle: ''
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text: All of these pictures are dedicated to **Michael Dolan** the owner of this system.
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_system_2.jpg
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- title: TOP VIEW
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_topview_1.jpg
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- title: KEYBOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: The good quality keyboard is actually a part of the ADM-20 video terminal.
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_keyboard_1.jpg
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- title: REAR CONNECTORS
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Auxiliary RS-232 connector\
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**(2)** Expansion drives connector\
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**(3)** Serial connection to the computer\
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**(4)** Printer/Modem serial connector\
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**(5)** Keyboard connector\
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**(6)** Serial connection to the video terminal
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_back_1.jpg
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- title: INSIDE
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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No plastic parts inside the Micro Decision case.\
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Notice the (japanese) switching power supply on the right which doesn't need fan.
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_inside_1.jpg
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- title: MOTHERBOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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A very compact board compared with other systems of the time.
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**(1)** Terminal (left) and printer/modem (right) serial ports\
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**(2)** Nec D765 floppy disc controller chip\
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**(3)** Expansion drives connector\
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**(4)** Power connectors\
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**(5)** 64 KB RAM memory area (8 x 4164 chips)\
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**(6-7)** Built-in floppy disc connectors\
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**(8)** Z80A processors, here a Nec D780 version\
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**(9)** 2716 (2 KB) Monitor ROM chip\
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**(10)** Serial port controller 8251 chips\
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**(11)** Serial port baud rate dip-switches adjustment.
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_mainboard_1.jpg
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- title: FLOPPY DISC DRIVE
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subtitle: ''
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text: The Micro Decision floppy drives was assembled by Morrow Designs although all the components (motors, I.C.) came from Japan.
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_fddrive_1.jpg
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- title: INSIDE THE TERMINAL
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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The video display and keyboard are actually a Lear Siegler ADM-20 serial video terminal.
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Notice the electronic card, a complete computer with microprocessor, ROM, RAM, two serial ports and keyboard DIN plug.
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image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_terminal_1.jpg
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adverts:
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- title: US ADVERT
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subtitle: ''
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text: Thanks to Dave Dunfield and his [website](http://parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.htm) for this advert
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image: /media/museum/pubs/morrow_decision_pub_2.gif
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- title: GERMAN ADVERT
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subtitle: ''
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text: The Micro Decision have been presented at the 1983 Hannover show.
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image: /media/museum/pubs/morrow_microdec_pub_1.jpg
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docs:
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- title: MICRO DECISION USER'S GUIDE
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_user-guide.jpg
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text: |-
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[**MICRO DECISION USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Dr Lawrence J. Magid / Morrow Designs
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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- title: MICRO DECISION SERVICE GUIDE
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_service-guide.gif
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text: |-
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[**MICRO DECISION SERVICE GUIDE**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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- title: MICRO DECISION BOARD - REVISION 2.0 - TECHNICAL INFORMATION SUPPLEMENT
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_rev-board-2_technical-supplement.gif
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text: |-
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[**MICRO DECISION BOARD - REVISION 2.0 - TECHNICAL INFORMATION SUPPLEMENT**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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- title: MICRO DECISION SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_schematic-drawings.gif
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text: |-
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[**MICRO DECISION SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : ZIP\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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- title: MICRO DECISION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS BOOK
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_questions-and-answers-book.gif
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text: |-
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[**MICRO DECISION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS BOOK**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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- title: MDT20 TERMINAL REFERENCE MANUAL
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_mdt20-terminal-reference-manual.gif
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text: |-
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[**MDT20 TERMINAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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- title: SHUGART SA200 MINIFLOPPY DISKETTE STORAGE DEVICE - OEM MANUAL
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url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_sa200-mini-floppy_disk-storage-device.gif
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text: |-
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[**SHUGART SA200 MINIFLOPPY DISKETTE STORAGE DEVICE - OEM MANUAL**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Shugart
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compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\
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type of document : PDF\
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source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/)
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oc_id: 613
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230605031821/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=613
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date: '2023-06-05'
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---
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George Morrow, the Morrow Designs President, was one of the first engineers to design and market a memory board for the [Altair](/museum/mits-altair-8800/) computer. His company was first called "Morrow's Microstuff" and the cards were sold by mail order. Some time later, Morrow Designs began to design hard disks and computers.
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With this computer, G. Morrow tried to build a single-board Z-80 CP/M machine that looks like an [IBM PC](/museum/ibm-pc-model-5150/) but is one-third as expensive as it, and half the price of a comparable Apple system ([Apple III](/museum/apple-iii/)).
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The basic version included a serial video terminal and a 200 KB 5.25 floppy disk drive. However, the mainframe could be sold alone with one or two floppy disk drives. The Micro Decision also came with 5 MB, 10 MB or 40 MB Winchester hard drive installed. The MicroDecision line didn't have proper monitors or keyboards. The console shown here is actually a VT52-compatible terminal.
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Here are the diffent models marketed and their US price in 1983 :
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**Model MD1** : one SSSD disk drive (200 KB) = $1590\
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**Model MD2** : two SSSD disk drives (400 KB total) + Personal PEARL DBMS = $1950\
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**Model MD3** : two DSDD disk drives (768 KB total) + Personal PEARL DBMS + QUEST Bookkeeper = $2490
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The Morrow MD-1 used the Pilot programming language for a Menu-Driven shell to make the computer more user friendly. Some of the later ones manufacturered also used CP/M 3.0.
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Like many CP/M computer manufacturers, Morrow Designs offered a complete software package with its system, including:\
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\- **CP/M 2.2** operating system\
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\- **WordStar** word processing from Micropro\
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\- Microsoft **BASIC-80** programming language\
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\- NorthStar compatible **BAZIC** language from Micro Mike's Inc.\
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\- A spelling checker\
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\- An electronic spreadsheet.
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---
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**Contributors:** Gary Clouse, David Griffith
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<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>
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