"A3020" redirects here. For the road, see A3020 road.
This article may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding subheadings. Please discuss this issue on the article's talk page.(August 2022)
Acorn Archimedes
Archimedes 400/1
Developer
Acorn Computers
Type
Personal computer
Release date
June 1987; 36 years ago (1987-06)
Introductory price
£800 (circa £2800 today)
Discontinued
Mid-1990s
Operating system
RISC OS or RISC iX
CPU
ARM
Memory
512 KB–16 MB
Display
1152x864 monochrome, 640x512 in 16 colors, 640x256 in 256 colors
Graphics
VIDC1
Sound
VIDC1 8 channels, 8-bit, stereo
Predecessor
BBC Micro
Successor
A7000, Risc PC
Acorn Archimedes is a family of personal computers designed by Acorn Computers of Cambridge, England. The systems are based on Acorn's own ARM architecture processors and the proprietary operating systems Arthur and RISC OS. The first models were introduced in 1987,[1] and systems in the Archimedes family were sold until the mid-1990s.[2]
The ARM RISC design, a 32-bit CPU (using 26-bit addressing), running at 8 MHz, was stated as achieving 4 MIPS,[3][note 1] which provided a significant upgrade from 8-bit home computers, such as Acorn's previous machines. Claims of being the fastest micro in the world and running at 18 MIPS were also made during tests.[4]
Two of the first models—the A305 and A310—were given the BBC branding,[5] with BBC Enterprises regarding the machines as "a continuing part of the original computer literacy project". Dissatisfaction with the branding arrangement was voiced by competitor Research Machines and an industry group led by a Microsoft representative, the British Micro Federation, who advocated the use of "business standard" operating systems such as MS-DOS. Responding to claims that the BBC branding was "unethical" and "damaging", a BBC Enterprises representative claimed that, with regard to the BBC's ongoing computer literacy initiatives, bringing in "something totally new would be irresponsible".[6]
The name "Acorn Archimedes" is commonly used to describe any of Acorn's contemporary designs based on the same architecture. This architecture can be broadly characterised as involving the ARM CPU and the first generation chipset consisting of MEMC (MEMory Controller), VIDC (VIDeo and sound Controller) and IOC (Input Output Controller).[7]
^Cite error: The named reference acornuser198708_risc_revealed was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference acornuser199601_range was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference australianpc198708_newsprint was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Hammond, Ray (1987-06-18). "'Fastest' micro in the world". New Scientist. p. 41.
^"Archimedes for under £1000". Acorn User. August 1987. p. 15. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
^"Row blazes over Arc name". Acorn User. September 1987. p. 7. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
^Wilson, Roger (2 November 1988). "Some facts about the Acorn RISC Machine". Newsgroup: comp.arch. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
AcornArchimedes is a family of personal computers designed by Acorn Computers of Cambridge, England. The systems are based on Acorn's own ARM architecture...
computer platforms, in chronological order: the Acorn Atom, BBC Micro, Z88, Atari ST, AcornArchimedes, Microsoft Windows, Linux, and more recently web...
microprocessor. When Acorn produced the Archimedes computer which used their ARM processor, further versions of BBC BASIC were produced. Acorn included a built...
and Master Compact); subsequent BBC models are considered part of Acorn'sArchimedes series. During the early 1980s, the BBC started what became known...
RISC OS was included in every ARM-based Acorn computer model, including the AcornArchimedes line, Acorn's R line (with RISC iX as a dual-boot option)...
which were especially popular in the UK, including the Acorn Electron and the AcornArchimedes. Acorn's BBC Micro computer dominated the UK educational computer...
RISC OS, the computer operating system developed by Acorn Computers for their ARM-based AcornArchimedes range, was originally released in 1987 as Arthur...
While the ARM processor in the AcornArchimedes is a 32-bit chip, it only had 26-bit addressing making an ARM/Archimedes emulator, such as Aemulor or others...
Archimedes Archimedes bridge Archimede combined cycle power plant SS ArchimedesArchimedes Group Archimedes (CAD) Archimedes Geo3D AcornArchimedes GNU Archimedes...
Wolfenstein 3D and converted it into a virtual reality arcade game. The 1994 AcornArchimedes port was done in UK by programmer Eddie Edwards and published by Powerslave...
operating system designed to run on a series of workstations based on the AcornArchimedes microcomputer. Heavily based on 4.3BSD, it was initially completed...
and developers. The first 32-bit ARM-based personal computer, the AcornArchimedes, was originally intended to run an ambitious operating system called...
these being sold by Acorn in some configurations for certain models. Acorn would go on to emphasise PC compatibility with the Archimedes' successor, the Risc...
Corporation VT220 terminal, Mac OS Roman, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, and AcornArchimedes. Many early computers (limited to a 7-bit, 128-position character set)...
The Acorn Electron (nicknamed the Elk inside Acorn and beyond) was a lower-cost alternative to the BBC Micro educational/home computer, also developed...
specially formatted disk. Two years later, it was also brought to the Archimedes and Risc PC range of RISC OS computers. The Mega Drive/Genesis port has...
conglomerate SoftBank Group. While ARM CPUs first appeared in the AcornArchimedes, a desktop computer, today's systems include mostly embedded systems...
NetHack is an open source single-player roguelike video game, first released in 1987 and maintained by the NetHack DevTeam. The game is a fork of the 1982...
popular as a networking system for the AcornArchimedes. Econet was eventually officially supported on all post-Atom Acorn machines, apart from the Electron...
Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars is a turn-based strategy video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published...
of the AcornArchimedes computer. Zarch started off as a demo called Lander which was bundled with almost all releases of the AcornArchimedes. In 1988...
Global Information
