Thomson computers

File:Thomson TO-07-IMG 0414-white.jpgIn the 1980s the French Thomson company produced a range of 8-bit computers based on the 6809E CPU.{{cite web| url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/company.asp?st=1&m=132 |title=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum - Thomson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225200540/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/company.asp?st=1&m=132 |archive-date=25 February 2021}}

They were released in several variations (mostly concerning the keyboard or color of the casing) covering the MO and TO series[https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/index.html.en Thomson 8-bit computer emulation with MESS] from late 1982 to 1989.

While MO and TO models are incompatible in software, most of the peripherals and hardware were compatible.

These machines were common in France due to the 1980s governmental educational program Computing for All (Informatique pour Tous).{{Cite web |last=Ina.fr |first=Institut National de l’Audiovisuel- |title=Plan informatique : conférence de presse Fabius |url=http://www.ina.fr/video/CAC88029024 |website=Ina.fr}}{{Cite web |date=October 2, 1991 |title=Près du radiateur...l'ordinateur ! |url=https://www.lesechos.fr/1991/10/pres-du-radiateurlordinateur-954201 |website=Les Echos}}{{Cite web |title=Le Nanoréseau |url=https://sites.google.com/site/ksinfos/accueil/articles/le-nanor%C3%A9seau |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=sites.google.com |language=en-US}} Around 100,000 MO5 and TO7/70 computers were ordered and installed in schools.{{Cite web|url=https://www.obsolete-tears.com/thomson-dossier-11.html|title=Thomson|website=www.obsolete-tears.com}}

Export attempts to Germany, Italy, Algeria, USSR, India, Argentina and Spain were unsuccessful.

It is reported that there were 450,000 Thomson computers in France in 1986.{{Cite journal |date=August 29, 1986 |title=THOMSON JOUE LES LAPINS |url=https://ia800602.us.archive.org/14/items/hebdogiciel-french-150/hebdogiciel_numero_150.pdf |journal=Hebdogiciel Magazine |issue=150}} By 1988 Thomson had only sold 60,000 of the predicted 150,000 computers, abandoning computer development the following year.

About 84 games were released for the TO7,{{Cite web |title=Thomson TO7 video games (Hardware entity) |url=https://www.uvlist.net/groups/info/thomsonto7 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Listing of all Thomson TO7 games - Page 1 |url=https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/sys/70-thomson-to7/3/all |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=The Video Games Museum |language=en}} 194 for the MO5,{{Cite web |title=Thomson MO5 video games (Hardware entity) |url=https://www.uvlist.net/groups/info/thomsonmo5 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Listing of all Thomson MO5 games - Page 1 |url=https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/sys/42-thomson-mo5/3/all |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=The Video Games Museum |language=en}} 3 for the TO7/70,{{Cite web |title=Thomson TO7/70 video games (Hardware entity) |url=https://www.uvlist.net/groups/info/thomsonto770 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}} 10 for the TO9,{{Cite web |title=Thomson TO9 video games (Hardware entity) |url=https://www.uvlist.net/groups/info/thomsonto9 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}} 21 for the MO6,{{Cite web |title=Thomson MO6 video games (Hardware entity) |url=https://www.uvlist.net/groups/info/thomsonmo6 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Listing of all Thomson MO6 games - Page 1 |url=https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/sys/69-thomson-mo6/3/all |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=The Video Games Museum |language=en}} and 128 for the TO8.{{Cite web |title=Thomson TO8 video games (Hardware entity) |url=https://www.uvlist.net/groups/info/thomsonto8 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Listing of all Thomson TO8 games - Page 1 |url=https://www.video-games-museum.com/en/sys/71-thomson-to8/3/all |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=The Video Games Museum |language=en}} Most titles were released between 1984 and 1987 and by French companies such as Infogrames, Loriciel, FIL or Coktel Vision.{{Cite web |title=Thomson - Releases per year |url=https://www.uvlist.net/platforms/detail/163-Thomson |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Thomson - Most common companies |url=https://www.uvlist.net/platforms/stats/163-Thomson |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}

First generation

Thomson TO7: produced from 1982 to 1984. Supplied with 24K RAM (16K used by the video) and upgradable to 48K. 8 color display.{{Cite web |title=Thomson TO7 |url=https://www.obsolete-tears.com/thomson-to7-machine-138.html |website=www.obsolete-tears.com}}
Thomson MO5: released in 1984[https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/mo5.html.en Thomson MO5 MESS driver] in order to honor the Computing for All (Informatique pour Tous) plan.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pZb5CAAAQBAJ&q=%22Thomson+computers%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA179|title=Video Games Around the World|first=Mark J. P.|last=Wolf|date=May 27, 2015|publisher=MIT Press|isbn=9780262527163|via=Google Books}} Supplied with 48K RAM (32K available to user in BASIC 1.0) and first released with a rubber keyboard. Later it featured a mechanical keyboard. It was edited in a limited edition with a white casing, named "MO5 Michel Platini".
Thomson TO7/70: 1984 version with more RAM (64K, upgradable into 128K) and 16 color display.[https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/to770.html.en Thomson TO7/70 MESS driver]
Thomson MO5E: 1985 export version, with a different casing featuring a mechanical keyboard, a parallel port, two joystick ports, an internal PAL modulator and an integrated power supply.{{Cite web |title=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=838 |website=www.old-computers.com}}

File:Thomson MO5 face.JPG|Thomson MO5

File:Thomson MO5 édition Platini! (9368426935).jpg|Thomson MO5 "Michel Platini" edition

File:Thomson T 07 by Moehre1992.jpg|Thomson TO7

File:Thomson TO7-70.jpg|Thomson TO7-70

Second generation

Thomson TO9 : released in late 1985. Separate keyboard and central unit, 128K RAM and a 3½-inch floppy disk drive.{{Cite web|url=https://www.obsolete-tears.com/thomson-to9-machine-142.html|title=Thomson TO9|website=www.obsolete-tears.com}}
Thomson MO5NR: released in 1985–1986. This is a MO6 in a MO5E casing, with an integrated network interface controller, the nanoréseau (nano network), which was used in French schools.{{cite web |title=Thomson MO5NR MESS driver |url=https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/mo5nr.html.en |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605234332/https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/mo5nr.html.en |archive-date=2021-06-05}}
Thomson TO16 (prototype) called Theodore (TO d'or): 5 prototypes developed in 1985–1988. Based on a MC-68000 at 8 MHz and a rather good graphic card.{{Cite web |title=Spécification du chip graphique Intel i82716 utilisée dans le prototype TO16 |url=http://www.logicielsmoto.com/viewdocument.php?docid=227 |website=logicielsmoto.com}}{{Cite web |title=Thomson 16 bits - forum.system-cfg.com |url=https://forum.system-cfg.com/viewtopic.php?t=2713 |website=forum.system-cfg.com}}{{Cite web |title=Thomson TO16 |url=https://forum.system-cfg.com/download/file.php?id=306 |website=forum.system-cfg.com}}
Thomson MO6 : released in 1986. 128K RAM and built in tape recorder.[https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/mo6.html.en Thomson MO6 MESS driver] Sold in Italy as the Olivetti Prodest PC128.{{Cite web |title=Thomson MO6 |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=167 |website=www.old-computers.com}}
Thomson TO8 : released in late 1986. 256K RAM, 80K ROM with Microsoft BASIC 512, extra video modes.[https://www-apr.lip6.fr/~mine/mess/to8.html.en Thomson TO8 MESS driver]
Thomson TO9+ : released in late 1986, Separate keyboard and central unit, 512K RAM with a built in modem and a 3½-inch floppy disk drive.{{Cite web|url=https://randoc.wordpress.com/2020/12/27/thomson-to9/|title=Thomson TO9+|date=December 27, 2020}}
Thomson TO8D : released in late 1987, it was a TO8 with a 3½-inch floppy disk drive.{{Cite web |title=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=238 |website=www.old-computers.com}}

File:Thomson TO9 keyboard.jpg|Thomson TO9

File:MO6.jpg|Thomson MO6

File:TO9.jpg|Thomson TO9+

File:Thomson TO8D.jpg|Thomson TO8D

Unix systems

The Micromega was fundamental on the adoption of Unix by the French government, due to the localization of the Unix operating system. According to Dominique Maisonneuve, a Unix developer at CERG (Paris): "It was thanks to the Micromega that the government became interested in installing Unix. What was needed, was some hardware with a French coloring."{{Cite journal |date=July 1985 |title=International – "Multi-user micro systems running on Unix are ideally suited for decision support applications." |url=http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/19850701.pdf |journal=Datamation |pages=88–4}}

Micromega 32: released in 1982, it was a Motorola 68000-based machine running Version 7 Unix,{{Cite web |title=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum - Thomson Micromega32 |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=89 |website=www.old-computers.com}}{{Cite web |title=Thomson Micromega 32 |url=http://www.silicium.org/oldskool/france/thomson/micromega32.htm |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=www.silicium.org}}{{Cite web |title=Thomson Micromega 32 |url=https://www.system-cfg.com/detail.php?ident=1042 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=www.system-cfg.com}}{{Cite journal |last=Holmes |first=Lewis |date=May 1982 |title=Hanover: power and electronics fare |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5186210 |journal=Electronics & Power |volume=28 |issue=5 |pages=368|doi=10.1049/ep.1982.0189 |url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |last=Etheridge |first=James |date=March 1984 |title=FOREIGN VENTURES: FOREIGN VENTURES - TWO FOR THE ROAD |url=http://bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/198403.pdf |journal=Datamation |issue=84 |pages=115}} based on the Fortune 32:16, developed by Fortune Systems Corporation.{{Cite web |title=32:16 Fortune |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=767 |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=www.old-computers.com}}{{Cite web |title=Fortune advert: Fortune 32:16 - Minicomputer Performance at Microcomputer Price |url=https://static.nosher.net/archives/computers |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=nosher.net}}{{Cite web |date=2016-06-05 |title=Fortune Systems |url=https://randoc.wordpress.com/2016/06/05/fortune-systems/ |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Rare & Old Computers |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Enterprise |first=I. D. G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5pw6ePUC8YYC&dq=thomson+%22MICROMEGA+32%22+-wiki&pg=PA24 |title=Computerworld |date=1984-02-20 |publisher=IDG Enterprise |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Fortune 32:16 - System Details. The Freeman PC Museum... Largest Collection of Vintage Computers On The Web. |url=http://www.thepcmuseum.net/details.php?RECORD_KEY(museum)=id&id(museum)=65 |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=www.thepcmuseum.net}}{{Cite web |date=2020-01-03 |title=Fortune 32:16 - The Personal Computer Museum, Brantford, Ontario, CANADA - Recycle, donate, and browse your old computers, electronics, video games, and software |url=https://pcmuseum.ca/details.asp?id=583 |access-date=2022-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103004402/https://pcmuseum.ca/details.asp?id=583 |archive-date=2020-01-03 }}{{Cite journal |date=October–December 1986 |title=Biochemical laboratory management with a microcomputer |url=https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/jamc/1986/616092.pdf |journal=Journal of Automatic Chemistry |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=211–214|doi=10.1155/S146392468600041X |pmid=18925140 |doi-access=free |last1=Kowalezyk |first1=R. |last2=Morgant |first2=G. |last3=Baumann |first3=F. C. |last4=Giboudeau |first4=J. |pmc=2547677 }} It had a 68000 CPU clocked at 5.5 MHz and 256KB of RAM, expandable to 1MB. The display was monochrome and text based. An optional card enabled pixel graphics with a resolution of 800x480. Another expansion card added a Zilog Z80 CPU enabling the machine to run CP/M. External floppy drives or hard disks (with sizes up to 20MB) could be connected. The RS232 port could be used for network connection. The machine was presented to the public at the 1982 Salon des industries et du commerce de bureau (SICOB) in the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iaFUAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=The Seybold Report on Office Systems |year=1982 |publisher=Seybold Publications |language=en}} Aimed at business{{Cite news |date=8 December 1982 |title=Ordinateurs |pages=20 |work=Le Devoir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZUocAAAAIBAJ&dq=Micromega+32&pg=PA1&article_id=4509,5752370}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HshmAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Notes et études documentaires |year=1988 |publisher=La Documentation Française |language=fr}} and government departments,{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pOxUAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Les Cahiers de l'urbanisme |year=1988 |publisher=Inspection générale de l'aménagement du territoire de la Région wallonne |isbn=978-2-87009-337-5 |language=fr}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eXcrAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Revue générale des routes et des aérodromes: RGRA. |year=1986 |language=fr}} it was used in French hospitals,{{Cite journal |last1=Billault |first1=B. |last2=Degoulet |first2=P. |last3=Devriès |first3=C. |last4=Aimé |first4=F. |last5=Attali |first5=J. R. |last6=Tchobroutsky |first6=G. |last7=Cathelineau |first7=G. |last8=Passa |first8=P. |date=April 1987 |title=[A computerized file for the surveillance of diabetic patients: the MELLITEE system] |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3595968/ |journal=Diabète & Métabolisme |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=129–134 |issn=0338-1684 |pmid=3595968}}{{Cite journal |date=1 June 1986 |title=Determinants of the spontaneous ectopic activity in repetitive monomorphic idiopathic ventricular tachycardia |journal=Journal of the American College of Cardiology |language=en |volume=7 |issue=6 |pages=1219–1227 |doi=10.1016/S0735-1097(86)80139-5 |issn=0735-1097|last1=Zimmermann |first1=Marc |last2=Maisonblanche |first2=Pierre |last3=Cauchemez |first3=Bruno |last4=Leclercq |first4=Jean-François |last5=Coumel |first5=Philippe |pmid=2423570 |s2cid=34476345 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite book |last1=Roger |first1=F. H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MmjmCAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA70 |title=Medical Informatics Europe 85: Proceedings, Helsinki, Finland August 25–29, 1985 |last2=Grönroos |first2=P. |last3=Tervo-Pellikka |first3=R. |last4=O'Moore |first4=R. |date=6 December 2012 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-3-642-93295-3 |language=en}} embassies{{Cite web |title=OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum – Thomson Micromega32 |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=89 |website=www.old-computers.com}} and scientific research.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WpYhAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Medieval Prosopography |year=1988 |publisher=Medieval Institute Publications, Western Michigan University |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Kimberley |first=Robert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=79xQAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Text Retrieval: A Directory of Software |year=1990 |publisher=Gower |isbn=978-0-566-03642-2 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=McCrank |first=Lawrence J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OwUmAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Databases in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 4: Proceedings of the International Conference on Databases in the Humanities and Social Sciences Held at Auburn University at Montgomery, July, 1987 |year=1989 |publisher=Learned Information |isbn=978-0-938734-37-6 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Corti |first=Laura |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jrYzAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=SN/G Report on Data Processing Projects in Art: Projects |year=1988 |publisher=Scuola normale superiore |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Jouannet |first1=Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kzhiPG8yGzUC&dq=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA44 |title=Modèle informatisé du traitement des tons: domaine bantou |last2=Bonetto |first2=Ch |year=1987 |publisher=Peeters Publishers |isbn=978-2-85297-204-9 |language=fr}}{{Cite book |last=Bornes |first=Christian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V825AAAAIAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Les nouvelles technologies dans l'information scientifique et technique: cours INRIA |year=1984 |publisher=INRIA |isbn=978-2-7261-0405-7 |language=fr}} It was also sold in the Middle East{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dntVAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Middle East Computing |year=1985 |publisher=Reed Business Publishing Developments, a division of Business Press International,300 |language=en}} and Algeria.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FO4ByoutLqIC&q=%22Micromega+32%22+-wikipedia |title=Marchés tropicaux et méditerranéens |year=1989 |publisher=Rene Moreaux et Cie. |language=fr}}
Micromega 32000: A 1986 Alcatel branded machine with a tower layout, supporting Unix SV. The CPU is a 68020 at 16.5 MHz (68881 optional) with 1 to 4 MB of RAM. It features a 70MB hard drive, supports QIC-24 cartridges and offers Arcnet network connection.{{Cite web |title=Micro Systèmes n°75 mai 1987 - Page 32 - 33 - Micro Systèmes n°75 mai 1987 - Micro Systèmes - informatique grand public - informatique et réseaux - Sciences et Techniques - 1001mags - Magazines en PDF à 1 € et GRATUITS ! |url=http://fr.1001mags.com/parution/micro-systemes/numero-75-mai-1987/page-32-33-texte-integral |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=fr.1001mags.com}}{{Cite web |title=INFORMATIQUE (01) no:935 15/12/1986 {{!}} Musée de la presse |url=http://museedelapresse.com/informatique-01-no-935/ |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=museedelapresse.com}}
Micromega PC: a 1986 workstation supporting Unix and MS-DOS, and developed based on the PC 7000 XP.
Micromega SX and Micromega SX/T - These machines have a similar box but with a different floppy drive location. The CPU is a 68000 at 11 MHz and RAM is expandable to 2 MB. It supports 45 and 70 MB hard drives and QIC-11 cartridges on the SX/T.

PC compatible

Micromega 16: released in 1983, it was an IBM PC compatible machine, similar to the Eagle PC developed in 1982 by Columbia Data Products.{{Cite web |title=Thomson Micromega 16 |url=http://www.silicium.org/oldskool/ibm/micromega16.htm |access-date=2022-12-01 |website=www.silicium.org}}
Thomson TO16 : released in September 1987. Intel 8088 based IBM compatible PC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.system-cfg.com/detailcollection.php?ident=97|title=Thomson - TO16 PC|website=www.system-cfg.com}}