30 Aug
2003
30 Aug
'03
1:18 a.m.
Over the years I've worked on a number of systems that were sold as "word
processors". They were all "computers" in the sense that they had the
standard complement of CPU, memory, mass storage and the programming was loaded at boot
time, as opposed to being in ROM. Some of them, e.g. DEC's WS-78, were
general-purpose computers (oops! pardon me ... Personal Data Processors) that were shipped
only with the word processing software. However, especially in the case of the
WS-78/DECmate family, a DOS (OS-8/78/278) was available, as were a variety of compilers
and interpreters, e.g. Fortran, BASIC, Dibol.
I think I still have OS-8 on 8" floppies.
Dale (the DECdude)