Acorn Network Computer

The NetStation was available in two versions, one with a modem for home use via a television, and a version with an Ethernet card for use in businesses and schools with VGA monitors and an on-site BSD Unix fileserver based on RiscBSD, an early ARM port of NetBSD. Both versions were upgradable, as the modem and Ethernet cards were replaceable "podules" (Acorn-format Eurocards). The home version was trialled in 1997/98 in conjunction with BT.{{cite news | url=http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/it-strategy/1997/06/11/acorn-and-bt-trial-consumer-nc-2065965/ | title=Acorn and BT trial consumer NC | work=ZDNet | date=June 11, 1997 | accessdate=December 15, 2011 | quote=The trial will combine Acorn's NC technology with BT's communications network and will be centred around BT's laboratories in Martlesham, Suffolk. [...] "our aim with this trial is to prove the technology and services over a six month period, ending in March 1998 [...]"}}

The {{nowrap|Home NC}} and {{nowrap|Corporate NC}} both used the {{nowrap|ARM 7500FE}} and supported PAL, NTSC and SVGA displays. They had identical specifications.

{{cite web

| url = http://www.acorn.com/acorn/products/nc/homenc.html

| title = Acorn Home NC

| accessdate = 2011-05-18

| date = 1997-06-26

| publisher = Acorn Computers

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980202060938/http://www.acorn.com/acorn/products/nc/homenc.html

| archivedate = 1998-02-02}}

{{cite web

| url = http://www.acorn.com/acorn/products/nc/corpnc.html

| title = Acorn Corporate NC

| accessdate = 2011-05-18

| date = 1997-06-12

| publisher = Acorn Computers

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980202060953/http://www.acorn.com/acorn/products/nc/corpnc.html

| archivedate = 1998-02-02}}

The {{nowrap|Office NC}} used a StrongARM SA-110 200 MHz processor.

{{cite web

| url = http://www.arm.com/CoInfo/PressRel/5_Choose_SA/index.html

| title = Digital's StrongARM Microprocessors Take CPU Lead in Network Client Market

| accessdate = 2011-05-25

| date = 1996-11-13

| publisher = ARM Ltd

| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/19980512214437/http://www.arm.com/CoInfo/PressRel/5_Choose_SA/index.html

| archivedate = 1998-05-12}}

The ARM7500-based DeskLite was launched in 1998.{{cite news | url=http://www.telecompaper.com/news/acorn-boca-launch-desklite-thinclient--147760 | title=Acorn, Boca launch DeskLite thin-client | work=telecompaper | date=8 September 1998 | accessdate=10 March 2014}}

Acorn continued to produce ARM-based designs, demonstrating its first StrongARM prototype in May 1996,

{{cite web

| url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ACORN+DEMONSTRATES+FIRST+EVER+StrongARM+NETWORK+COMPUTER-a018302804

| title = Acorn demonstrates first ever StrongARM Network Computer

| accessdate = 2011-06-07

| date = 1996-05-20

| publisher = PR Newswire

| quote = The StrongARM NC prototype [...]}}

and the {{nowrap|Office NC}} 6 months later.

{{cite web

| url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Acorn+Computer+Group+Unveils+Range+of+New+NC+Devices-a018825034

| title = Acorn Computer Group unveils Rrange of new NC devices

| accessdate = 2011-06-07

| date = 1996-11-05

| publisher = PR Newswire

| quote = today demonstrated a variety of network computing devices including the Acorn NC, the Office NC, the Set-top Box NC (STB NC), the ExecPhone NC, and the NC TV.}}

This evolved into the CoNCord, launched in late 1997.{{cite web | url = http://news.cnet.com/Acorn-launches-fast-home-NC/2100-1033_3-203957.html | title = Acorn launches fast home NC | accessdate = 2011-06-10 | last = Davis | first = Jim | date = 1997-10-06 | publisher = CNET.com | quote = [...] one of the fastest set-top boxes today, one with a 233-MHz processor [...] new Concord network computer [...]}}{{cite news | url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/strongarm-speed-captured-on-the-television-screen/104590.article | title=StrongARM speed captured on the television screen | work=Times Higher Education | date=17 November 1997 | accessdate=10 March 2014}}

Further designs included the Set-top Box NC ({{nowrap|STB NC}}), the {{nowrap|ExecPhone NC}}, and the {{nowrap|NC TV}}.{{cite news | title = Network computers announced at oracle open world | url = http://www.telecompaper.com/news/network-computers-announced-at-oracle-open-world | work = Telecompaper | accessdate = 2011-06-10 | quote = Acorn Computer Group announced the NC TV, Set-Top-Box NC, ExecPhone, and Office devices [...]}}

The second generation Network Computer operating system was no longer based on RISC OS. NC Desktop, from Oracle subsidiary Network Computer Inc., instead combined NetBSD and the X Window System, featuring desktop windows whose contents were typically described using HTML, reminiscent of (but not entirely equivalent to) the use of Display PostScript in NeXTStep. The product ran on ARM, StrongARM and x86 architectures and could be run on traditional personal computers.{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1997-07_OCR/page/n85/mode/2up | title=Good-Bye, GUI HELLO NUI | magazine=Byte | last1=Halfhill | first1=Tom R. | date=July 1997 | access-date=17 August 2023 | pages=60–64, 66, 68, 70, 72 }} NC Desktop was the recommended software solution for products based on the StrongARM-based Digital Network Appliance Reference Design (DNARD).{{ cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_decsrcDNARsGuide199711_260562/page/1-2/mode/2up | title=DIGITAL Network Appliance Reference Design User's Guide | publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation | date=November 1997 | access-date=18 August 2023 | pages=1-2–1-3 }} Later NCs were produced based on the Intel Pentium architecture such as products from Accton Technology Corporation{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/networkworld1439unse/page/22/mode/1up | title=New NCs bolster Java and multimedia apps performance | magazine=Network World | last1=Cox | first1=John | date=29 September 1997 | access-date=18 August 2023 | pages=22 }} and UMAX Data Systems.{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/networkworld1439unse/page/22/mode/1up | title=Another NC contender enters the ring | magazine=Network World | last1=Ohlson | first1=Kathleen | date=29 September 1997 | access-date=18 August 2023 | pages=22 }}

The NetStation was planned to ship with a smart card to enable internet banking.{{cite news | url=http://www.computeractive.co.uk/pcw/news/1918931/banking | title=Banking on it | work=Personal Computer World | date=March 19, 1997 | accessdate=April 10, 2012 | author=Clark, Etelka}}

• Mac NC

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.khantazi.org/Archives/MachineLst.html#NC The Full Acorn Machine List: NC]

{{Acorn computers}}

Network Computer

Category:Network computer (brand)