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 MCM COMPUTERS
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Model 782 APL
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This 9
Kg computer uses a full APL language interpreter interchangeable with the
versions running on the MCM System 800. The operating system allows virtual
memory swapping on the two 100 KB built-in cassettes drives.
The MCM 782 incorporates a battery backup system that automatically saves
the user's workspace.
It has an integrated plasma alphanumeric display, full 46 key input and a bus
structure to allow interface to the other peripherals developed by MCM:
FDD, printer, plotter, card reader and a RS232 interface (called SCI 1200).
When it was launched, the MCM 782 was sold for $4950.
The following information was provided by Cam Farnell who worked at
MCM from 1973 until 1981, starting as a junior assembly language programmer
and ending as the manager of research & development :
All
the MCM machines were designed and built in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The
company was originally called "Micro Computer Machines, Inc." (the
term "micro computer" was all the rage in the early 70's) but
sometime in the late 70's changed the name to simply "MCM
Computers".
Their first machine was launched in 1974 as the "MCM/70". Since
personal computers were pretty much unheard of at the time and since the
company didn't have much money the launch didn't get a lot of notice. It
was re-launched in 1975 or 1976 as the "MCM/700" but this was
purely a marketing game; the absolute sole difference between the 70 and
the 700 was the additional zero on the model designation to the right of
the plasma display.
In theory you could order models with zero, one or two cassette tape drives
and with 2K, 4K or 8K of memory. In practice the 782 (8K, two drives) was the
most common. There was no external operating system; when you pressed the
ON button you went directly into the in-ROM APL which had all the
facilities necessary to create programs and access all the peripherals.
At the time of release virtually the only external peripheral available
(the plasma display and cassette tape drives were built in) was a Diablo
daisy wheel printer. The additional peripherals you mention were added over
time.
There were additional models released in due course:
- Model 800 (faster cpu, RAM up to 16K, nicer looking case, CRT
option)
- Model 900 (faster again, RAM up to 24K, CRT built-in)
- Model 1000, aka "MCM Power" (repackaged 900, with
optional HDS-10 external hard disk unit)
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