Zilog Z8000 - Z8000 CPU Based Systems

Z8000 CPU Based Systems

In the early 1980s, the Zilog Z8000 CPU was popular for desktop sized Unix machines. They allowed small businesses to run a true multi-user system and share resources (disk, printers) before networking was common. They usually had only RS232 serial ports (4–16) and parallel printer ports instead of built in graphics, as was typical for servers of the time.

Z8000-based computer systems included Zilog's own System 8000 series, as well as other manufacturers:

• Jan 1980: C8000 from Onyx Systems, early Unix multi-user system, demoed (8 serial ports, $25k)
• Other Z8000-based computer systems: Olivetti M20, M30, M40, M50, M60
• The Z8000 can be found in some rare but well-known computers, such as the Unix-based Commodore 900. Some third parties also manufactured the Z8000 including AMD, SGS-Ates, Toshiba and Sharp.

The Zilog S8000 computer came out with a version of Unix called ZEUS (Zilog Enhanced Unix System). This version of Unix was not based on Xenix but via Interactive. There may have been a Xenix version from some other company as back in 1979 Xenix was 8088/8086 based. ZEUS was a port of Unix Ver 7 and included what were referred to as 'the Berkeley Enhancements'. ZEUS included a version of cobol called RMCobol (Ryan McFarland Cobol). The availability of RMCobol allowed many commercial applications to be quickly ported to the S8000 computer although this did not help its long term success.

There was a Z8000 version of the Xenix Operating System

The Z8000 also saw use in embedded systems, such as the lottery ticket sales machines used in some convenience stores.

The Z8000 CPU series was introduced in early 1979, between the launch of the Intel 8086 (April 1978) and the Motorola 68000 (September 1979). That explains the timeframe and why the Z8000 CPU-based systems lost their dominance to Motorola 68000 based machines, then to the Intel 80286.