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Personal computing in the Netherlands
© EUROMICRO EUROMICRQJournal6 (1980)90-91
Personal Computing in the Netherlands J. P. A. van Prooijen Veldstraat 28, 6941 BE Didarn,the Netherlands
This paper describes the situation on the personal computer market in the Netherlands and will cover subjects like microcomputerclubs, computershops, selling figures of personal computers and a microcomputercourse on television.
1. INTRODUCTION tuesdaynight from October 1978 u n t i l March 1979. This course explained the basic p r i n c i p l e s of microcomputer techniques. There were about 12.000 students.
In the Netherlands the personal computer revolution started in August 1977 with an advertisement in the magazine Radio B u l l e t i n . Before that time one could not buy any personal computer in the Netherlands, although MITS, f o r example, were a l ready s e l l i n g there A l t a i r f o r two years.
Starting in October 1979 Microprocessors 2 w i l l cover the BASIC programming language. To get the p r a c t ic a l experience, necessary when learning a computer language, people can buy a personal computer via the company who organizes the t e l e v i sion course, which is an independent foundation, called Teleac. The personal computer, called DAl/Teleac microcomputersystem, is manufactured by the Belgium company Data Application Internat i o n a l (DAI), located in Brussels. The system is based on the I n t e l 8080 microprocessor and has a 17K byte ROM BASIC-interpreter. There is a 8K byte RAM (on board expandable to 40K byte), a f u l l size ASCII keyboard, power supply, cassette interface and RS232C i n t e r f a c e . The computer does not have a CRT display, but can d i r e c t l y be connected to a standard colour t e l e v i s i o n , f o r the display of characters and graphics in 8 d i f f e r e n t col ours.
However, the microprocessor i t s e l f was well known at that time. A small company, Romca, developed process c o n t r o l l e r s since 1973, using the I n t e l 4004 which was priced at f 2.500,-- ($ 1200) in those days. A f t e r August 1977 things were going very fast. In spring 1978 a l o t of new systems were i n t r o duced on the Dutch market: PET, TRS-80, Heath H8, NASCOM-I and SWTPC. In a d d i t i o n , there were some microcomputer kits swimming around (with hex-keyboard and LED disp l a y ) , l i k e KIM-1, SDK-85, etc. The f i r s t real computer in the Netherlands however, was the APPLE, introduced in August 1977. 2. USERS CLUBS
All DAI "real world cards", l i k e A/D converters, IEC bus in t e r f a c e card, EPROMProgrammer, e t c . , can be interfaced with the system. At his moment about 1000 systems have been sold via Teleac. The price o f the DAl/Teleac personal computer is f 1.675,-- ($ 800).
On this moment there are two microcomputer users clubs in the Netherlands. In the f i r s t place we have the "Hobby Computer Club" (HCC), with about 2200 members. This club organizes several a c t i v i t i e s , l i k e e x h i b i t i o n s , meetings, demonstrations, etc. Every two months they publish a newsletter. The members of the HCC are using a l l kinds o f systems, even home made ones.
4. COMPUTERSHOPS After the introduction o f the f i r s t personal computer, i t took quite a long time u n t i l someone in the Netherlands had the courage to s t a r t a computer shop.
The second users club in the "KIM-gebruikers club Nederland", with about 200 members, a l l are users of the popular KIM-I single board microcomputer.
MRLectronics was the f i r s t one ( l a t e 1977), lo cated in D e l f t , nearby Rotterdam. Just now, we have four shops s e l l i n g nothing but microcomputers. Of course there are several shops s e l l i n g microcomputers in additon to the "normal elect r o n i c " which they were s e l l i n g f o r yeard. The other three computer shops are Compu2000 in Amsterdam, Biasc in the Hague and Rotor in Den Dolder (nearby Utrecht).
3. MICROCOMPUTERCOURSES In addition to the three or four home education companies organizing microcomputer courses, something very unique is happening in the Netherlands: a t e l e v i s i o n microcomputer course. This course is s p l i t in two parts, "Microprocessors i and 2". Microprocessors I was broadcasted every 90
J.P.A. van Prooijen These four shops are mostly s e l l i n g hardware, a l though MRLectronics and Compu2000 started with t h e i r own software development a few months ago. Especially on t h i s point one can say that the Netherlands is f a r behind other countries. 5. MAGAZINES Almost a l l Dutch e l e c t r o n i c magazines contain a few pages dedicated to microcomputer techniques and applications. However, i t took u n t i l February 1979 f o r the f i r s t real microcomput e r magazine to be published. This magazine, called Databus, is meant f o r both the i n d u s t r i a l and the personal computer market and covers microcomputer hardware and software, a p p l i c a t i o n s , new developments, news, memories, peripherals, etc. At this moment Databus s t i l l is the only microcomputer magazine in the Netherlands. 6. SALES FIGURES The Dutch personal computer market d i f f e r s strongly from f o r example the US market. The PET computer is used most in the Netherlands (about 1200 systems have been sold). Second is DAI/Teleac, I000 systems, followed by APPLE with about 900 systems. Then we have a few personal computers with equal s e l l i n g figures (about 100), which are the Heath H8, NASCOM-1, South West, Compucolor, AIM-65 and Challenger P1/P2. A remarkable fact is that a few systems, which are very popular in other countries, e s p e c i a l l y in the USA, are not or almost not sold in the Netherlands. To mention: North Star, Imsai, Xitan, Vector, etc. 7. FUTURE EXPECTATIONS There is no doubt that the personal computer market is in f o r a radical change in the immediate future. I t has already been started with Atari introducing two systems that w i l l do everything, and more, than the APPLE, f o r h a l f the price. Then there is Texas Instruments with t h e i r $1150 system and Radio Shack who w i l l bring out several new systems in the next f u tu r e , followed by Hewlett Packard getting i n t o the act. Hans Van Prooijen was born in 1954 in 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. He studied electronics at the Technical College in Zwolle, where he first got involved with microcomputers in 1974. In 1975 he started writing and teaching courses on this topic. Since 1977 he has been Managing ©~itor of the Dutch microcomputer magazine 'Data~us'.
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Personal Computing in the Netherlands J. P. A. van Prooijen Veldstraat 28, 6941 BE Didarn,the Netherlands
This paper describes the situation on the personal computer market in the Netherlands and will cover subjects like microcomputerclubs, computershops, selling figures of personal computers and a microcomputercourse on television.
1. INTRODUCTION tuesdaynight from October 1978 u n t i l March 1979. This course explained the basic p r i n c i p l e s of microcomputer techniques. There were about 12.000 students.
In the Netherlands the personal computer revolution started in August 1977 with an advertisement in the magazine Radio B u l l e t i n . Before that time one could not buy any personal computer in the Netherlands, although MITS, f o r example, were a l ready s e l l i n g there A l t a i r f o r two years.
Starting in October 1979 Microprocessors 2 w i l l cover the BASIC programming language. To get the p r a c t ic a l experience, necessary when learning a computer language, people can buy a personal computer via the company who organizes the t e l e v i sion course, which is an independent foundation, called Teleac. The personal computer, called DAl/Teleac microcomputersystem, is manufactured by the Belgium company Data Application Internat i o n a l (DAI), located in Brussels. The system is based on the I n t e l 8080 microprocessor and has a 17K byte ROM BASIC-interpreter. There is a 8K byte RAM (on board expandable to 40K byte), a f u l l size ASCII keyboard, power supply, cassette interface and RS232C i n t e r f a c e . The computer does not have a CRT display, but can d i r e c t l y be connected to a standard colour t e l e v i s i o n , f o r the display of characters and graphics in 8 d i f f e r e n t col ours.
However, the microprocessor i t s e l f was well known at that time. A small company, Romca, developed process c o n t r o l l e r s since 1973, using the I n t e l 4004 which was priced at f 2.500,-- ($ 1200) in those days. A f t e r August 1977 things were going very fast. In spring 1978 a l o t of new systems were i n t r o duced on the Dutch market: PET, TRS-80, Heath H8, NASCOM-I and SWTPC. In a d d i t i o n , there were some microcomputer kits swimming around (with hex-keyboard and LED disp l a y ) , l i k e KIM-1, SDK-85, etc. The f i r s t real computer in the Netherlands however, was the APPLE, introduced in August 1977. 2. USERS CLUBS
All DAI "real world cards", l i k e A/D converters, IEC bus in t e r f a c e card, EPROMProgrammer, e t c . , can be interfaced with the system. At his moment about 1000 systems have been sold via Teleac. The price o f the DAl/Teleac personal computer is f 1.675,-- ($ 800).
On this moment there are two microcomputer users clubs in the Netherlands. In the f i r s t place we have the "Hobby Computer Club" (HCC), with about 2200 members. This club organizes several a c t i v i t i e s , l i k e e x h i b i t i o n s , meetings, demonstrations, etc. Every two months they publish a newsletter. The members of the HCC are using a l l kinds o f systems, even home made ones.
4. COMPUTERSHOPS After the introduction o f the f i r s t personal computer, i t took quite a long time u n t i l someone in the Netherlands had the courage to s t a r t a computer shop.
The second users club in the "KIM-gebruikers club Nederland", with about 200 members, a l l are users of the popular KIM-I single board microcomputer.
MRLectronics was the f i r s t one ( l a t e 1977), lo cated in D e l f t , nearby Rotterdam. Just now, we have four shops s e l l i n g nothing but microcomputers. Of course there are several shops s e l l i n g microcomputers in additon to the "normal elect r o n i c " which they were s e l l i n g f o r yeard. The other three computer shops are Compu2000 in Amsterdam, Biasc in the Hague and Rotor in Den Dolder (nearby Utrecht).
3. MICROCOMPUTERCOURSES In addition to the three or four home education companies organizing microcomputer courses, something very unique is happening in the Netherlands: a t e l e v i s i o n microcomputer course. This course is s p l i t in two parts, "Microprocessors i and 2". Microprocessors I was broadcasted every 90
J.P.A. van Prooijen These four shops are mostly s e l l i n g hardware, a l though MRLectronics and Compu2000 started with t h e i r own software development a few months ago. Especially on t h i s point one can say that the Netherlands is f a r behind other countries. 5. MAGAZINES Almost a l l Dutch e l e c t r o n i c magazines contain a few pages dedicated to microcomputer techniques and applications. However, i t took u n t i l February 1979 f o r the f i r s t real microcomput e r magazine to be published. This magazine, called Databus, is meant f o r both the i n d u s t r i a l and the personal computer market and covers microcomputer hardware and software, a p p l i c a t i o n s , new developments, news, memories, peripherals, etc. At this moment Databus s t i l l is the only microcomputer magazine in the Netherlands. 6. SALES FIGURES The Dutch personal computer market d i f f e r s strongly from f o r example the US market. The PET computer is used most in the Netherlands (about 1200 systems have been sold). Second is DAI/Teleac, I000 systems, followed by APPLE with about 900 systems. Then we have a few personal computers with equal s e l l i n g figures (about 100), which are the Heath H8, NASCOM-1, South West, Compucolor, AIM-65 and Challenger P1/P2. A remarkable fact is that a few systems, which are very popular in other countries, e s p e c i a l l y in the USA, are not or almost not sold in the Netherlands. To mention: North Star, Imsai, Xitan, Vector, etc. 7. FUTURE EXPECTATIONS There is no doubt that the personal computer market is in f o r a radical change in the immediate future. I t has already been started with Atari introducing two systems that w i l l do everything, and more, than the APPLE, f o r h a l f the price. Then there is Texas Instruments with t h e i r $1150 system and Radio Shack who w i l l bring out several new systems in the next f u tu r e , followed by Hewlett Packard getting i n t o the act. Hans Van Prooijen was born in 1954 in 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. He studied electronics at the Technical College in Zwolle, where he first got involved with microcomputers in 1974. In 1975 he started writing and teaching courses on this topic. Since 1977 he has been Managing ©~itor of the Dutch microcomputer magazine 'Data~us'.
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