Dragon History - Revision history

Robcfg: /* The conception, the formative months and the birth */ Added link to the MC6821 datasheet

2019-02-13T18:04:29Z

‎The conception, the formative months and the birth: Added link to the MC6821 datasheet

Robcfg: /* Eurohard goes quiet as the beast dies a slow death */ Changed "Quick Disk" to "Triton Quick Disk"

2019-02-12T21:49:39Z

‎Eurohard goes quiet as the beast dies a slow death: Changed "Quick Disk" to "Triton Quick Disk"

Admin: /* Tandy take a look but the Armada rescues the sinking ship */

2009-03-16T13:51:58Z

‎Tandy take a look but the Armada rescues the sinking ship

Admin: /* Tandy take a look but the Armada rescues the sinking ship */

2009-03-16T13:51:36Z

‎Tandy take a look but the Armada rescues the sinking ship

Admin: /* Tandy take a look but the Armada rescues the sinking ship */

2009-03-16T13:50:40Z

‎Tandy take a look but the Armada rescues the sinking ship

Admin at 10:27, 16 March 2009

2009-03-16T10:27:37Z

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Admin: Protected "Dragon History" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

2009-03-14T23:15:13Z

Protected "Dragon History" ([edit=sysop] (indefinite) [move=sysop] (indefinite))

Admin at 21:00, 14 March 2009

2009-03-14T21:00:37Z

Admin: Created page with '''This document was originally written by David Linsley and was available on his web site. All credit for this work must go to David, this is an exceptionally accurate history of...'

2009-03-14T20:59:20Z

Created page with '''This document was originally written by David Linsley and was available on his web site. All credit for this work must go to David, this is an exceptionally accurate history of...'

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 [[Mettoy]]'s staff were in close contact with Motorola at their UK semi-conductor base in Strathclyde (Scotland), and with their help (and offer of bigger discounts for purchasing more Motorola products) they constructed the Dragon from the same chipset as Tandy were using. The machine of questionable copyright even used the same keyboard layout, cartridge connector, joystick ports (Tandy 5-pin could be used, but not 6-pin due the Dragon's use of 5-pin DIN sockets), and memory map. You could also say that the tape connector was the same but as this was a standard, its hardly worth mentioning. [[Dragon Data Ltd]; like Tandy/Radio Shack; enlisted Microsoft to provide the computer's Basic interpreter, but unlike Tandy they chose Extended Basic so all of the machines features could be unleashed with no upgrades necessary - witness the early Tandy models with no hires graphics. Admittedly this was partly due to these machines possessing pitiful amounts of memory (4K or 16K), but [[Mettoy]] worked around this by making their machine 32K: it was to be 16K, but Sinclair announced that another Spectrum model would be launched soon after the 16K version had arrived, and that it would have an extra 32K of RAM on board. [[Mettoy]] didn't want to be left behind in the technological stakes.
-To solve possible legal action from Tandy, the Dragon engineers came up with a work-around solution. A parallel printer socket would be included instead of the serial device on their counterparts machine; this was a better solution for the end-user wishing to connect a printer because no setting up is needed - plug in and go - no messy dip switches to set baud rate and parity etc. So that the electronics would be simpler, the printer data lines would use the same Motorola [[MC6821]] PIA port as the keyboard - this allowed the keyboard to be remapped also, so that it looked the same as a Tandy, but operated differently (e.g. Dragon Q is Tandy 1). Most importantly though the Basic ROM had the keyword 'tokens' reworked and re-assembled so that both the Basic and Extended Basic parts were mixed, and as Tandy's were separate the routines addresses would be at different locations. Part of this re-assembly included a partially re-written BIOS (the original belonged to Tandy) - witness the the letters DNS appearing for no-reason, as these are the authors initials; [[Duncan Smeed]] who before joining Dragon lectured in computing at Strathcylde University (where he has since returned).
+To solve possible legal action from Tandy, the Dragon engineers came up with a work-around solution. A parallel printer socket would be included instead of the serial device on their counterparts machine; this was a better solution for the end-user wishing to connect a printer because no setting up is needed - plug in and go - no messy dip switches to set baud rate and parity etc. So that the electronics would be simpler, the printer data lines would use the same Motorola [[Media:MC6821.pdf|MC6821]] PIA port as the keyboard - this allowed the keyboard to be remapped also, so that it looked the same as a Tandy, but operated differently (e.g. Dragon Q is Tandy 1). Most importantly though the Basic ROM had the keyword 'tokens' reworked and re-assembled so that both the Basic and Extended Basic parts were mixed, and as Tandy's were separate the routines addresses would be at different locations. Part of this re-assembly included a partially re-written BIOS (the original belonged to Tandy) - witness the the letters DNS appearing for no-reason, as these are the authors initials; [[Duncan Smeed]] who before joining Dragon lectured in computing at Strathcylde University (where he has since returned).
 == The adoption part 1 and the early growth - the [[Tony Clarke]] year ==

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 [[Compusense]] took delivery of a 128K Dragon prototype in June, although this was to little fan-fare because it was simply bank-switched by the SAM chip already present in all Dragon models. [[Compusense]] took advantage of Eurohard's development when they released their Plus board later in the year. Also that month, [[Compusense]] appointed Race Electronics (one time sub-contractor to Dragon Data - making Dragons for them when many machines had to be made) as the National Service Centre for all Dragon/Eurohard products. Race too had their own news with the release of an RS232 interface, Sideways ROM cartridge, EPROM programmer, four cartridge expansion (similar to Tandy Mulitpak), and floppy tape drive all for the Dragon.
-Competition for Race, with the floppy tape drive, arrived in July with the news that Radofin had launched the Triton [[Quick Disk]] (to be marketed in Europe by Eurohard). Files would load form the 2.8" double-sided disks in a minimum of 2 seconds and a maximum of 8. The price of the unit was a very reasonable £119.95, for which u got the drive, interface, cables and instructions.
+Competition for Race, with the floppy tape drive, arrived in July with the news that Radofin had launched the [[Triton Quick Disk]] (to be marketed in Europe by Eurohard). Files would load form the 2.8" double-sided disks in a minimum of 2 seconds and a maximum of 8. The price of the unit was a very reasonable £119.95, for which u got the drive, interface, cables and instructions.
 On a working August holiday to London, Eurohard's chief of development; [[Jordi Martinez]]; brought the news that 2 new machines were due to be launched and that another was in development. The first was a Spanish machine - the [[Dragon 200]] - which was basically a revamped [[Dragon 64]] with a Spanish keyboard, and the second was called the 200-E and would also contain a piggyback board with built-in 80 column card. In development was the 128K Dragon, though Eurohard had not decided whether it should use a 6809 to remain compatible with older models, or a 68000 to make the machine more advanced and in line with new machines from Atari and Commodore (the ST and Amiga respectively).
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 Support wise there are still a few people selling software and hardware, though no new items have appeared for a while. Except for the NDUG [[Up-2-Date]] disc magazine (which alternates monthly with NDUGs [[Dragon Update]] newsletter) which costs £2 bi-monthly and is always full of interesting items. Having started in September 1991 its now in its fourth year and still going strong.
 The last Dragon show has probably taken place now too - held at the end of September 1994 in Liverpool, it was expected that if there wasn't enough support then it would be the last. This is even with it being at a cheap venue - held at a school on the same day as their autumn fayre. Previous shows were held in Ossett-Yorkshire (April 1993 was the last), London (last December 1987), and a few at other locations such as Cardiff Airport.
 == Summary ==

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 The deal between Eurohard and the receivers Touche Ross was actually a tripartite arrangement with GEC continuing with the UK marketing and a new company, [[Touchmaster]], providing after-sales support and distribution of Eurohard products to all territories other than Spain and Italy. Touchmaster was located in Dragon Data's old premises in Margam in Port Talbort, and made up of ex-Dragon Data employees, and headed by ex-managing director [[Brian Moore]] and former marketing director [[Richard Wadman]]. The main backer of this new firm once again was Pru-tech and the first project was to manufacture a touch-tablet (designed by Information Entry of Reading), that was first seen previewed at the CETEX show in May and from the September PCW show, interfaces for the Dragon, Commodore, MSX and BBC machines would be available. Dragon Data's existing stock of software and peripherals would also be sold by Touchamster - at discount prices, though it was still not certain whether they or Eurohard would take over Dragon Data's existing liabilities.
-Come September and the new deal was beginning to take full swing. Senor Alvarez of Eurohard (with four Touchmaster and ex-Dragon Data employees) began organising and overseeing the 6 week transfer of machinery and products from Dragon's UK plant to the new Spanish factory, with the hope that full production in Spain ; for world-wide distribution; could begin by the end of October. Although the company would start by producing Dragon Data spec 32s and 64s, they were "finishing perfecting" of the Professional design and hoped to have new machines including an MSX out in six months: Eurohard conceding that in their plans Project Alpha ([[GEC Dragon Professional]]) is not so important, we are more concerned with MSX and peripherals". As part of the Dragon Data package, Eurohard retained Dragon Data's share in the GEC Dragon MSX machines, though it was eventually leaked that GEC had not signed a licensing arrangement with Microsoft, but that Eurohard had. The confusion arising from that GEC had signed an agreement to distribute and manufacture Eurohard's products in the UK through GEC Radio and Television.
+Come September and the new deal was beginning to take full swing. Senor Alvarez of Eurohard (with four Touchmaster and ex-Dragon Data employees) began organising and overseeing the 6 week transfer of machinery and products from Dragon's UK plant to the new Spanish factory, with the hope that full production in Spain ; for world-wide distribution; could begin by the end of October. Although the company would start by producing Dragon Data spec 32s and 64s, they were "finishing perfecting" of the Professional design and hoped to have new machines including an MSX out in six months: Eurohard conceding that in their plans "Project Alpha ([[GEC Dragon Professional]]) is not so important, we are more concerned with MSX and peripherals". As part of the Dragon Data package, Eurohard retained Dragon Data's share in the GEC Dragon MSX machines, though it was eventually leaked that GEC had not signed a licensing arrangement with Microsoft, but that Eurohard had. The confusion arising from that GEC had signed an agreement to distribute and manufacture Eurohard's products in the UK through GEC Radio and Television.
 October saw GEC tie up a deal with the receivers to buy the remaining Dragon Data stock after Eurohard had taken what it had wanted, and they were also in negotiations with Boots, Comet and Dixons to sell it through the high-street. Only Comet agreed to take the stock - Dixons and Boots preferring to clear their lines and leave them cleared - and they offered it at exceptional prices; Dragon 64s were available for £130. And Eurohard announced their major marketing plans: In association with the Spanish government they would begin a computer education based television programme, in a similar role to what Acorn took in the UK with the BBC computer show - the programme in Spain would use Dragons and Dragons would also be sold to schools with a government subsidy resulting in very low cost machines. The programme trying to attract buyers to choose the Dragon because it was what was on TV and their children used them in schools - so it would help their education if they had one at home too.

@@ Line 149: / Line 149: @@
 The deal between Eurohard and the receivers Touche Ross was actually a tripartite arrangement with GEC continuing with the UK marketing and a new company, [[Touchmaster]], providing after-sales support and distribution of Eurohard products to all territories other than Spain and Italy. Touchmaster was located in Dragon Data's old premises in Margam in Port Talbort, and made up of ex-Dragon Data employees, and headed by ex-managing director [[Brian Moore]] and former marketing director [[Richard Wadman]]. The main backer of this new firm once again was Pru-tech and the first project was to manufacture a touch-tablet (designed by Information Entry of Reading), that was first seen previewed at the CETEX show in May and from the September PCW show, interfaces for the Dragon, Commodore, MSX and BBC machines would be available. Dragon Data's existing stock of software and peripherals would also be sold by Touchamster - at discount prices, though it was still not certain whether they or Eurohard would take over Dragon Data's existing liabilities.
-Come September and the new deal was beginning to take full swing. Senor Alvarez of Eurohard (with four Touchmaster and ex-Dragon Data employees) began organising and overseeing the 6 week transfer of machinery and products from Dragon's UK plant to the new Spanish factory, with the hope that full production in Spain ; for world-wide distribution; could begin by the end of October. Although the company would start by producing Dragon Data spec 32s and 64s, they were "finishing perfecting" of the Professional design and hoped to have new machines including an MSX out in six months: Eurohard conceding that in their plans "Alpha ([[Dragon Professional]]) is not so important, we are more concerned with MSX and peripherals". As part of the Dragon Data package, Eurohard retained Dragon Data's share in the GEC Dragon MSX machines, though it was eventually leaked that GEC had not signed a licensing arrangement with Microsoft, but that Eurohard had. The confusion arising from that GEC had signed an agreement to distribute and manufacture Eurohard's products in the UK through GEC Radio and Television.
+Come September and the new deal was beginning to take full swing. Senor Alvarez of Eurohard (with four Touchmaster and ex-Dragon Data employees) began organising and overseeing the 6 week transfer of machinery and products from Dragon's UK plant to the new Spanish factory, with the hope that full production in Spain ; for world-wide distribution; could begin by the end of October. Although the company would start by producing Dragon Data spec 32s and 64s, they were "finishing perfecting" of the Professional design and hoped to have new machines including an MSX out in six months: Eurohard conceding that in their plans Project Alpha ([[GEC Dragon Professional]]) is not so important, we are more concerned with MSX and peripherals". As part of the Dragon Data package, Eurohard retained Dragon Data's share in the GEC Dragon MSX machines, though it was eventually leaked that GEC had not signed a licensing arrangement with Microsoft, but that Eurohard had. The confusion arising from that GEC had signed an agreement to distribute and manufacture Eurohard's products in the UK through GEC Radio and Television.
 October saw GEC tie up a deal with the receivers to buy the remaining Dragon Data stock after Eurohard had taken what it had wanted, and they were also in negotiations with Boots, Comet and Dixons to sell it through the high-street. Only Comet agreed to take the stock - Dixons and Boots preferring to clear their lines and leave them cleared - and they offered it at exceptional prices; Dragon 64s were available for £130. And Eurohard announced their major marketing plans: In association with the Spanish government they would begin a computer education based television programme, in a similar role to what Acorn took in the UK with the BBC computer show - the programme in Spain would use Dragons and Dragons would also be sold to schools with a government subsidy resulting in very low cost machines. The programme trying to attract buyers to choose the Dragon because it was what was on TV and their children used them in schools - so it would help their education if they had one at home too.

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 With the news of Dragon Data's demise spreading, Dixons; the high-street electrical chain; responded by cutting the price of all Dragon Data products. A Dragon 32 with five pieces of software would cost £79.99, a [[Dragon 64]] was £169.99 and disk drives went for under £100. If anything positive was to come from the demise of the computer manufacturer, a lot more disk users was certainly one, with the systems selling out in most stores within days of Dixons announcement. With this in mind it came as a surprise that Boots did not alter their prices.
-Accountants Touche Ross with receiver Robert Ellis had received several offers for Dragon Data, and it was known that both Tandy and GEC had expressed a very strong interest in acquiring the company. GEC had in fact paid for the [[GEC Dragon]] stand at the Earls Court Computer fair held just weeks before the news came through, and it was thought that they would concentrate on the [[Dragon Professional]] and an MSX type machine if they took-over.
+Accountants Touche Ross with receiver Robert Ellis had received several offers for Dragon Data, and it was known that both Tandy and GEC had expressed a very strong interest in acquiring the company. GEC had in fact paid for the [[GEC Dragon]] stand at the Earls Court Computer fair held just weeks before the news came through, and it was thought that they would concentrate on the [[GEC Dragon Professional]] and an MSX type machine if they took-over.
 MSX is a concept that micros with broadly the same hardware will all run the same software, and although it was a success in its native Japan and Holland (the manufactures of the range of machines were Sony, Sanyo, Hitachi, Toshiba and Philips etc) it was not so else where, with only a small user-base after several years in the UK - even with such a large advertising campaign and large range of machines, but they were quite expensive at an average of £250. Earlier in the year [[GEC Dragon]] MD [[Brian Moore]] spoke at a major conference about the dangers of MSX to UK manufacturers, saying "that predictions indicated the Japanese will take 30-35 per cent of the home computer market - and that's for a product that hasn't even arrived in this country yet." The rumours that Dragon Data were thinking of producing an MSX computer were confirmed by John Sayers, Tandy UK managing director, who revealed that GEC had acquired the rights from Microsoft to be the sole producer of MSX machines in Britain. If GEC came to market with an MSX micro, it was thought that they would include an option to make it compatible with Dragon software also.
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 Their future plans included selling enhanced [[Dragon 32]] and 64 models (called the 100 and 200), a new Dragon with 128K RAM, networking and a hard disk and also new Dragon peripherals; a 4-colour plotter, 2 printers, a slim-line 5.25" floppy drive and a 2.8" sequential floppy drive (operates like a tape) with a maximum loading time of 8 seconds for a 32K program. These announcements coincided with the news that Eurohard had now appointed long-time Dragon software house and developer [[Compusense]] as the UK distributer for the Dragon (though the MSX would still be pushed by GEC) - because of their competence and independent retailer status. Eurohard wanting to distribute the Dragon through specialist dealers and not large retails stores where there's little after-sales support. [[Dragon 64]]s would cost £195, single drives were £240 and the double drives £450. [[Compusense]] decided against importing the 32, wishing to push the 64 with drive as an entry-level business machine while lobbying Eurohard to develop new generations of Dragons and peripherals.
 With Eurohard's Dragon products being sold in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Israel and the Scandinavian countries, they intended to start producing add-on boards for the IBM PC and the MSX once their new board manufacturing plant began operation. And real big time looked their way when they announced that they had already signed a license with two US manufacturers for Eurohard to produce their boards in Spain for the European market.
 == Eurohard goes quiet as the beast dies a slow death ==

← Older revision	Revision as of 23:15, 14 March 2009
(No difference)

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:00, 14 March 2009
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−	== The adoption ~~part2~~ - GEC take charge as Clarke is ousted ==	+	== The adoption part 2 - GEC take charge as Clarke is ousted ==

	Dragon Data's earlier decisions began back-firing for them in the late summer of 83. The thought that sales would continue through spring and summer at the level as at Christmas had proved to be a major misjudgment and it came as no surprise to industry analysts when Managing Director Tony Clarke was asked to resign by the shareholders - of course it was reported to the public that he had "previously indicated to the board that he wished to resign for personal resigns".		Dragon Data's earlier decisions began back-firing for them in the late summer of 83. The thought that sales would continue through spring and summer at the level as at Christmas had proved to be a major misjudgment and it came as no surprise to industry analysts when Managing Director Tony Clarke was asked to resign by the shareholders - of course it was reported to the public that he had "previously indicated to the board that he wished to resign for personal resigns".