Jump to content

Canon Cat: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→External links: note broken video link
small change - 68000 / Atari ST
Line 52: Line 52:
[[Image:Canon Cat keyboard.jpg|thumb|Keyboard of the Canon Cat and the red "leap" keys, used for instant inline searching.]]
[[Image:Canon Cat keyboard.jpg|thumb|Keyboard of the Canon Cat and the red "leap" keys, used for instant inline searching.]]


The machine's hardware consisted of a 9-inch (229 mm) black-and-white [[computer display|monitor]], a single 3½-inch 256 [[kilobyte|KB]] [[floppy disk]] drive and an [[IBM Selectric typewriter|IBM Selectric]]–compatible [[computer keyboard|keyboard]]. It used a [[Motorola 68000]] [[central processing unit|CPU]] (like the Macintosh, [[Apple Lisa|Lisa]], and [[Amiga]]) running at 5 [[Megahertz|MHz]], had 256 KB of [[random-access memory|RAM]], and an internal 300/1200 bit/s [[modem]]. Setup and user preference data was stored in 8 KB of non-volatile (battery backed-up) RAM. The Cat's array of [[input/output|I/O]] interfaces encompassed one [[Centronics]] [[parallel port]], one [[RS-232|RS-232C]] [[serial port]] ([[DB-25]]), and two [[RJ11, RJ14, RJ25|RJ11]] telephone jacks for the modem loop. The total weight of the system was 17 pounds (7.7 kg).
The machine's hardware consisted of a 9-inch (229 mm) black-and-white [[computer display|monitor]], a single 3½-inch 256 [[kilobyte|KB]] [[floppy disk]] drive and an [[IBM Selectric typewriter|IBM Selectric]]–compatible [[computer keyboard|keyboard]]. It used a [[Motorola 68000]] [[central processing unit|CPU]] (like the Macintosh, [[Apple Lisa|Lisa]], [[Atari ST]] and [[Amiga]]) running at 5 [[Megahertz|MHz]], had 256 KB of [[random-access memory|RAM]], and an internal 300/1200 bit/s [[modem]]. Setup and user preference data was stored in 8 KB of non-volatile (battery backed-up) RAM. The Cat's array of [[input/output|I/O]] interfaces encompassed one [[Centronics]] [[parallel port]], one [[RS-232|RS-232C]] [[serial port]] ([[DB-25]]), and two [[RJ11, RJ14, RJ25|RJ11]] telephone jacks for the modem loop. The total weight of the system was 17 pounds (7.7 kg).


An extensive range of application software was built into 256 KB of [[read-only memory|ROM]]: standard [[office suite]] programs, communications, a 90,000 word spelling dictionary, and user programming [[toolchains]] for [[Forth (programming language)|Forth]] and [[assembly language]].
An extensive range of application software was built into 256 KB of [[read-only memory|ROM]]: standard [[office suite]] programs, communications, a 90,000 word spelling dictionary, and user programming [[toolchains]] for [[Forth (programming language)|Forth]] and [[assembly language]].

Revision as of 09:37, 22 October 2015

Canon Cat
Canon Cat.
DeveloperJef Raskin
ManufacturerCanon Inc.
Typetask-dedicated, desktop computer
Release date1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Introductory price1495 US$ (today $4009.44)
Discontinued1987; 37 years ago (1987)
Operating systemForth
CPUMotorola 68000 @ 5 MHz
Memory256 KB of RAM
Storage3½-inch 256 KB floppy disk drive
Display9-inch (229 mm) black-and-white monitor
ConnectivityInternal 300/1200 bit/s modem
Mass17 pounds (7.7 kg)

The Canon Cat was a task-dedicated, desktop computer released by Canon Inc. in 1987 at a price of US$1495. On the surface it was not unlike the dedicated word processors popular in the late 1970s to early 1980s, but it was far more powerful and incorporated many unique ideas for data manipulation.

Description

The Canon Cat was primarily the creation of Jef Raskin, originator of the Macintosh project at Apple. After leaving the company in 1982, he began designing a new computer closer to his original vision an inexpensive, utilitarian "people's computer"; BYTE in 1987 described the Cat as "a spiritual heir to the Macintosh".[1] It featured a text user interface, not making use of any mouse, icons, or graphics. All data was seen as a long "stream" of text broken into several pages. Instead of using a traditional command line interface or menu system, the Cat made use of its special keyboard, with commands being activated by holding down a "Use Front" key and pressing another key. The Cat also used special "Leap keys" which, when held down, allowed the user to incrementally search for strings of characters.

File:Canon Cat keyboard.jpg
Keyboard of the Canon Cat and the red "leap" keys, used for instant inline searching.

The machine's hardware consisted of a 9-inch (229 mm) black-and-white monitor, a single 3½-inch 256 KB floppy disk drive and an IBM Selectric–compatible keyboard. It used a Motorola 68000 CPU (like the Macintosh, Lisa, Atari ST and Amiga) running at 5 MHz, had 256 KB of RAM, and an internal 300/1200 bit/s modem. Setup and user preference data was stored in 8 KB of non-volatile (battery backed-up) RAM. The Cat's array of I/O interfaces encompassed one Centronics parallel port, one RS-232C serial port (DB-25), and two RJ11 telephone jacks for the modem loop. The total weight of the system was 17 pounds (7.7 kg).

An extensive range of application software was built into 256 KB of ROM: standard office suite programs, communications, a 90,000 word spelling dictionary, and user programming toolchains for Forth and assembly language.

Often considered a text-only machine, the Cat included graphics routines in ROM as well as connectors for a mouse or other pointing device that were never used.[2]

There was a software project no longer under development, initiated by Raskin, to develop a similar yet even more capable system for today's computing systems. The project (called Archy) was designed to eventually replace current software interfaces.

References

  1. ^ Shapiro, Ezra (October 1987). "A Spiritual Heir to the Macintosh". BYTE. p. 121. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  2. ^ apple-history.com / gui discussion :: jef raskin response
Notes
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Canon_Cat&oldid=686941512"