TRS-80

For the Chicago-based electronica group, see TRS-80 (group). TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's RadioShack stores in the late 1970s and 1980s. Hobbyists, home users, and small-businesses were the intended consumers, and the endearment of the TRS-80 computer by its users resulted in a successful venture for Tandy Corporation. Its leading position in the 1977 Trinity years was mostly due to Tandy retailing it through more than 3000 of its Radio Shack storefronts. Its other strong features were its full-stroke QWERTY keyboard, its small size, its well-written Floating BASIC, an included monitor, and a price of $599.
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<computer> A series of personal computers sold by Tandy Radio Shack. The '80' refers to the use of Zilog Z-80 processor (NOT Intel 80x8x).
There were 7.5 computers in the TRS-80 line: Models I, II, III, 4, 100, 102, 200. The Model 4P was a portable version of the Model 4 with no tape drive -- only 2 1/2-height single sided disk drives.
Later models that Radio Shack produced were not TRS-80 machines -- they were based on the Intel 80x8x architecture. These included Tandy 1000, Tandy 2000, Tandy 3000, and others. The 1000 had a proprietary Color card. The 2000 was a powerful machine for its time, but was based on the Intel 80186, so when IBM didn't build a computer based on this chip, it failed. It was used to design a boat for the America's Cup.
The TRS-80 GUI, DeskMate, was proprietary, but no more than Windoze at the time.
Many joke about "TRaSh-80" machines but several models were in fact classics of their time.
(1996-02-18)