OSM Computer Corporation, based in Santa Clara California, produced several multi-user CP/M computers called Zeus.
The Zeus 4 was released in 1982, and is a natural follow-up of previous systems: Zeus, Zeus II, Zeus 3 and Zeus 3x.
The OSM Zeus 4 is a Z80 based multi-user computer that supports a single hard drive (from 6 to 25 Mb) and up to 8 users (4 on first models) via dumb terminals plugged into RS232 ports. The ports supports several terminal emulations as well as serial printers and modems.
The Zeus 4 supports the 3270 data communication protocol, which permits the system to exchange information with IBM or IBM-compatible host mainframes.
There are three electronic boards inside the computer. One is the disks controller, the middle one is the master CPU and the last one is the slave CPU board. On the slave board there are 2, 4 or 8 entire Z80 based computers. There are all "Networked" to the master board through a ribbon cable on the side.
The Zeus computer uses MUSE (Multi User System Executive) as its operating system, a CP/M compatible OS for multi-user computers from OSM. It incorporates all the standard features of CP/M, while adding file management capabilities such as multi-user file sharing, password protection, print spooling, data security and auto-searching. Later, the ZMOS operating system, another multi-user CP/M compatible OS, was also available.
When OSM went out of business another company purchased their stock and manufactured a new version called the Zeus 4x that supported 16 users.
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NAME
Zeus 4
MANUFACTURER
OSM Computer Corporation
TYPE
Professional Computer
ORIGIN
U.S.A.
YEAR
december 1982
CPU
Zilog Z80A
SPEED
4 MHz
RAM
64 Kb + 64 Kb x number of users (up to 8) = 576 Kb max.
TEXT MODES
80 x 25 CP/M standard
GRAPHIC MODES
none
COLORS
monochrome through terminal display
SOUND
None
SIZE / WEIGHT
8x13x15 inches / 24,6 lbs
I/O PORTS
4 x serial ports (2 users, 2 master), 2 x parallel ports,
BUILT IN MEDIA
Hard disk (from 6 to 25 Mb) + 5.25'' floppy disk drive (standard 250 Kb or IBM 1 Mb)
