This mini forum is intended to provide a simple means of discussion about the Altos Computer Systems ACS-586 / 686 computer. If you want to share your own experience or memories, or add relevant information about this system: post a message!

I installed small systems accounting (tetraplan) on Altos systems around 1985/86/87. Most interesting, drilling through walls to thread RS232 cables and soldering the connectors for Wyse vt220 compatible terminals...

This was the best machine to run a multiuser bulletin board. From 1988 until around 1992 I used one to run UNCENSORED! BBS using the Citadel software (see the link above $ it''s still running today on Linux). The fact that the Xenix operating system handled all of the serial and modem stuff for you made it an excellent choice for any multiuser system.

I wrote multi-user programs for vertical markets on altos computers running MP/M using a slightly modified version of dBase II (modified to lock files and records.) The last was the 686. One of the contributions to Altos''s loss was a motherboard failure caused by lack of adequetly seating chips into their sockets. We had to travel to every site and physically reseat every chip on the motherboard!!!

i worked at altos as tech support on all platforms for all programming languages. my first silicon valley job. was liason between developers and code vendors. what a trip finding this website.

Searching for Xenix 3.2f for this machine (I got one). I would agree the help provided, please. Thanks. You can locate me in the classiccmp e-mail list

I had one of these back in the mid 80's or so. It was state of the art then. We ran it with MPM as an operating system. That was an early multi user version of CPM. We had three of them networked together and could share files and programs. We used it for accounting applications in a garment manufacturing business. It was a big step up from our Intertec Superbrain which preceded it.