Need help finding info on obscure computer from 1987

[mr_a500]

For years I've been trying to identify a computer I used in a computer class in Canada in 1987.

I vaguely remember that it was not a "computer in a keyboard" but a small desktop computer - much smaller than an A1000 - with separate keyboard (no numeric keypad). It was either white or light beige and had a matching small monitor. I remember the name of the computer was something like "Icon Computer" - which makes it impossible to search for. The OS was command line (strange for a computer called "Icon Computer), but I don't think it was MS-DOS. It had a structured BASIC which could be compiled. It was networked to the other "Icon Computers" in the class. Users had personal folders and there was primitive security with logon and folder/file protection ...which I cleverly bypassed with a program I found on the network, called "UI" :-D.

This is the only computer in my personal history that I have been unable to identify and it's driving me crazy.

[mr_a500]

Now that I think of it, maybe they were just terminals to a central computer. I don't recall any floppies. And in 1987, a room full of computers with harddrives and network cards would have been much more expensive than a room full of terminals to a central computer.

Hmmm... maybe that's why it was so hard to identify.

I'd still like to know if anybody has any info.

[amiga_3k]

Nice puzzle you have here :-)

Indeed, getting Goolge to give you THE answer from just 'icon computer 1987' seems to be near impossible. So you've got to help it a bit.

The easiest method probably is getting in contact with the school you attended and get them to put you into contact with one of the teachers or system administrators from that period. If they can't track them down (or are unwilling to do so) the search gets more fuzzy.

Over here in the Netherlands in the early days schools were filled with computers of Dutch origin (like Tulip or Philips) or IBM systems. So, my hint to you is think deep about the computer history of Canada and any names that come up could be used in your search.

If that's still not producing THE answer, the search becomes more fuzzy. It's then time to recall more of the system. Back then it could be handy to have some extra information like the colors on screen and stuff like that.

Happy searching ;-)

[amiga_3k]

It's not this one is it? Unisys ICON ;-)

[mr_a500]

Back then it could be handy to have some extra information like the colors on screen and stuff like that.

Yes, I was going to mention that, but there is even a bit of difficulty here. I have a vivid memory of amber text on black background for almost everything, making me think that it was an amber monochrome monitor (common at the time). But I also have an equally vivid memory of a game I wrote for the system (which lots of the other students played during their lunch breaks) which had purple text and possibly other colours (meaning not monochrome).

[mr_a500]

It's not this one is it? Unisys ICON

Holy {bleep}! That's got to be it! Thanks! :banana:

[mr_a500]

It is  a pretty obscure computer - custom designed to the specifications of one Canadian province. It looks like they destroyed every single one. They didn't even keep one for the archive. What a shame. I liked the Icon.

My 20-year memory is pretty good then. I only really got a couple things wrong. I knew the monitor had a swivel and was sitting on top of a small "box" but I didn't remember that this was all attached to a sloping bit containing the keyboard, "PET-style" (my degraded memory must have turned that into part of the desk or something ;-)). I forgot about the nice trackball too. I've always preferred trackballs to mice. I'm using a very similar trackball on my Amiga right now.

[Merc]

Yep, I used these things in Ontario in grade 6-8 (between 1990 and 92), and even came across them in highscool too!  They were funny little machines, we had some of the model shown in the Wikipedia article, and some newer ones with detached keyboards.

ISTR they had a GUI interface but it was possible to get to a command line somehow.  Once I found the command line it didn't take too long to figure out how to get access to other people's accounts (there didn't seem to be any security)  :-D

At the time I had just an A500 but it was painfully clear how much better a machine the Amiga was...  most people at that point only had DOS based PC's so the GUI was a new concept to them until Windows started catching on.

Funny that they'd destroy all the machines.  I didn't realize they were as unique as they seem to have been -- I guess there was no real use for them once they'd been replaced by PC's.  

Maybe someone could write an ICON emulator??  :-o

EDIT - Reading through the Wikipedia article, I see the OS used was QNX!  I didn't realize it was around that far back, maybe the ICONs were more advanced than I thought!

[amiga_3k]

No thanks. Seems Google still gets the answers rather easy.

I never ever came across a machine like that. I was always under the impression that pointing devices like mice and trackballs only took off from GUI(ish) based computers.

Its funny that it seems the same in all countries: local based computer manufacturers supplying the systems in the early days.

[Dr_Righteous]

WOAH! I have NEVER actually seen a computer using a 80186 processor! Most went directly from 8088/8086 to 80286. Sweet!

And it used QNX... Another point!

[Floid]

Regarding amber text:

If it was using an EGA monitor, those were "digital TTL" (you might remember this better from the Radio Shack Tandy line, and I think the C128 equally supported it), so amber was going to be one choice out of a 16-color pallette even on a color display.  There's always been the theory that amber or green is easier on the eyes, and either (R+G, or just G) would be a bit less bleary than pure white (R+G+B) on a low-res monitor.

When it comes to casings, the Wikipedia article states that some models were made with a detached keyboard... and the pointing device was there because the designers had hoped for a GUI.  (That said, lots of '80s-esque workstations included pointing devices just for drawing/CAD or simulation.  C64s had joysticks even if you didn't need them for BASIC 2.0. )

...and on 80186s, there was at least one Tandy model (the 2000, though I believe that came in a few subflavors), and another clone called the "Eagle" which happened to use them.

Apparently the NEC V20/V30 series offered the same performance enhancement as the 80186, possibly lacking some of the extra integration; I do know that pretty much every "808x" I owned turned out to actually have a NEC at heart, ranging from my Tandy 1000SX on through to a plethora of 808x-era laptops...

[yogisumo]

mr_a500 wrote:

Back then it could be handy to have some extra information like the colors on screen and stuff like that.

Funny you should mention it.  I ended up snagging a server that I got when I was working in Northern Ontario.  A school threw it away.  I kept it for a while then tried to give it away.  Nobody wanted it and I didn't have room for it so it ended up in the garbage...

I think that the operating system was written by the QNX people.

[mr_a500]

ISTR they had a GUI interface but it was possible to get to a command line somehow. Once I found the command line it didn't take too long to figure out how to get access to other people's accounts (there didn't seem to be any security)

Yours was definitely a later model then. The one I used in 1987 (they disappeared the next year) had only one GUI program - the "UI" program I mentioned. The program was entirely amber on black, but had a toolbar at the top with buttons like "Cut" (with scissors) and "Paste". It was similar to a text editor, but with extra features. From the command line, you couldn't bypass security (at least nobody in the school could) but "UI" obviously didn't follow the security rules. I found UI by spending every lunch checking every folder and subfolder I had access to. After finding UI in an unprotected system subfolder, I used it to snoop everywhere - including the teacher's personal folders. :-D

If it was using an EGA monitor, those were "digital TTL" (you might remember this better from the Radio Shack Tandy line, and I think the C128 equally supported it), so amber was going to be one choice out of a 16-color pallette even on a color display. There's always been the theory that amber or green is easier on the eyes, and either (R+G, or just G) would be a bit less bleary than pure white (R+G+B) on a low-res monitor.

Yep, that's what I thought. So it was 8 or 16-colour, but the OS and most programs were in amber to be easier on the eyes.

When it comes to casings, the Wikipedia article states that some models were made with a detached keyboard... and the pointing device was there because the designers had hoped for a GUI. (That said, lots of '80s-esque workstations included pointing devices just for drawing/CAD or simulation. C64s had joysticks even if you didn't need them for BASIC 2.0. )

Mine was definitely the first model. Everybody wondered what the trackball was there for because there was no GUI. Only the "UI" program used it, but I was the only one in the school who found that program. (..and I didn't tell anybody about it :-D)

Now I remember I tried to program my game to use the trackball but nobody knew how to access it. The teacher, and local "computer nerd" (an absolute geek - picture Steven Hawking...without the wheelchair) had no idea how to program for it.

After reading about the lack of software, I now know that everybody played my game at lunch because it was the only  game on the ICON. I thought it was because they thought it was a great game. Damn. (another memory ruined :-( ;-))

[c64_d0c]

the bionic beaver  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
________
FREEPORN

[mr_a500]

the bionic beaver :lol: :lol: :lol:

I never heard anyone call it that. :-o (...that's what we called a local girl named Sheri ;-))