The MCM/70 was a pioneering microcomputer first released in 1973, making it one of the first microcomputers in the world, the first to be shipped in completed form, the first portable computer, and arguably the first truly usable microcomputer system. Nevertheless this machine remains virtually unknown.
The MCM/70 was the product of Micro Computer Machines, one of three related companies set up in Toronto in 1971 by Mers Kutt. Kutt had already started another firm, Consolidated Computer Inc., to produce a data-entry system, but had recently been squeezed out and was looking for new projects. Kutt had worked at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario during the late 1960s where he saw the frustration of computer users who were forced to submit programs in punch card form to a shared mainframe. During 1971 and 1972 he received a number of Intel 8008 CPUs from Intel, intending to produce a usable desktop machine for university professors and students running the APL programming language, then the "new thing" in computer science.
By September 1973 his first design, the MCM/70, was complete, and was officially launched in 1974. The machine consisted of a wedge-shaped metal box about half a metre on the side, with a keyboard at the front, a cassette tape recorder(s) in the middle, and a tiny one-line plasma display at the top. The MCM/70 looks quite a bit like a Commodore PET with the monitor removed and replaced with the smaller display, and it would not be surprising if it served as the inspiration for the PET's later design.
APL was built in, and the machine included a battery that automatically saved the "workspace" when it was turned off. The MCM/70 weighed 20 pounds (9 kg) and shipped in a number of versions with various amounts of RAM and zero, one or two cassette drives. The basic unit, model 720 with an 80 kHz 8008, 2 kB RAM and no cassette drive sold for $4,950 Canadian (at the time the dollar was about par to the US dollar). The "fully loaded" 782 with 8k and two drives was $9,800, and was the only model that really sold.
基本参数编辑本段回目录
 |  |
| NAME | MCM 70 / 700 |
| MANUFACTURER | MCM Computers |
| TYPE | Professional Computer |
| ORIGIN | Canada |
| YEAR | 1974 |
| END OF PRODUCTION | Unknown |
| BUILT IN LANGUAGE | APL language |
| KEYBOARD | Full stroke keyboard, 46 keys |
| CPU | Intel 8008 |
| SPEED | 0.8 MHz (800 Khz) |
| RAM | 2, 4 or 8 KB depending models |
| ROM | 32 KB |
| TEXT MODES | Unknown, built-in alphanumeric plasma display (1 line) |
| GRAPHIC MODES | Unknown |
| COLORS | No |
| SOUND | Unknown |
| SIZE / WEIGHT | 9 Kg |
| I/O PORTS | expansion bus |
| BUILT IN MEDIA | 0, 1 or 2 x 100 KB cassette tape drives depending models |
| POWER SUPPLY | Unknown |
| PERIPHERALS | printer, floppy disk driven, plotter, card reader, RS232 interface |
| PRICE | MCM 720: Cnd $4950 (Canada, 1974) MCM 782: Cnd $9,800 (Canada, 1974) |
英特尔再遭诉讼风波 加一厂商欲索赔5亿美元 编辑本段回目录
2004年5月，一家加拿大电脑零部件生产商－－奥尔电脑公司（All Computers）提交了一份诉讼文件，起诉Intel公司侵犯它的专利并要求赔偿5亿美元。这家位于多伦多市的电脑公司声称，Intel的奔腾处理器侵犯了它与高速处理器操作技术有关的专利。这项技术在美国的专利号码是5,506,981，这项技术的名称为“提高个人电脑性能的设备及方法”，并于1996年得到批准。
All Computers公司成立于1971年，公司创始人是Mers Kutt，他曾推出过早期的个人电脑MCM-70。
该公司的律师EdwardOConner要求Intel，停止销售包含或使用了受专利保护的电路技术的芯片。Intel公司代表对此没有立即回应。这项专利用于设计高速处理器与电脑其他设备进行通讯所必需的电子电路技术，并可用于其他芯片和产品上，所以该公司也可能对提起更多的诉讼。OConner说，AllComputers公司曾向Intel提供过技术许可，但没有得到回应。 HENY 编译
相关链接编辑本段回目录
参考文献编辑本段回目录
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=346
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCM/70
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MCM/70
