Classic computing fanatic David Given has introduced his “CP/Mish” working system — “an open supply sort-of-CP/M distribution for the [Intel] 8080 and [Zilog] Z80 architectures” — to a brand new and maybe shocking system: an previous word-processor.
“It is a Brother Tremendous PowerNote,” Given explains of the system, a phrase processor launched within the mid-Nineties. “It’s a deeply bizarre system and I have been in search of one for a very long time. It is considered one of Brother’s line of bizarre phrase processors, besides in a laptop computer kind issue. So this isn’t a PC. Regardless of that truth, it’s really a full sized laptop computer.”
Since virtually completely supplanted by multi-functional laptops, transportable phrase processors had been as soon as a well-liked various to electrical typewriters and, usually, supplied a less complicated consumer interface at a decrease value when in comparison with general-purpose laptops of the period. The know-how inside them, although, was usually the identical as that of microcomputers of the Nineteen Eighties — and within the case of the Brother Tremendous PowerNote, meaning an eight-bit Zilog Z80 processor.
That is precisely the goal chip for which Given created CP/Mish, primarily based on Digital’s CP/M working system. Whereas created with microcomputer in thoughts, there is no actual cause why it could not additionally run on a Z80-based phrase processor — which is what Given has now confirmed, by porting the software program to the gadget, after slightly reverse-engineering.
“You probably have a Tremendous PowerNote, please give this a attempt,” Given says. “You construct the factor and then you definitely dd or RAW write the picture onto the [floppy] disk, after which it simply works. This might be a wonderful system for doing issues like enjoying the Infocom [interactive fiction] video games on, if you happen to just like the noise of the disk entry between strikes.”
The supply code for CP/Mish is accessible on Given’s GitHub repository underneath a mix of open supply licenses; it is usually suitable with a spread of different Z80-based methods together with the Amstrad NC200, a choice of Brother digital typewriters, and the basic Kaypro II microcomputer.
