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Amstrad PCW
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{{Short description|1985β1998 series of personal computers}} {{Infobox computing device | name = Amstrad PCW | logo = Amstrad logo 1980s.svg | image = File:Amstrad PCW 8512.jpg | caption = PCW 8512 in a museum | developer = [[Amstrad]] | manufacturer = Amstrad | type = [[Personal computer]] | release date = {{Start date and age|1985|09}} | lifespan = 1985β1998 | discontinued = {{End date and age|1998}} | units sold = 8 million | media = [[Floppy disk]]s (3-inch and 3Β½-inch) | cpu = [[Zilog]] [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] | memory = 256 KB β 1 MB }} The '''Amstrad PCW''' series is a range of [[personal computer]]s produced by [[United Kingdom|British]] company [[Amstrad]] from 1985 to 1998, and also sold under licence in Europe as the "Joyce" by the German electronics company [[Schneider Computer Division|Schneider]] in the early years of the series' life. The PCW, short for ''Personal Computer Word-processor'', was targeted at the [[word processing]] and [[Small office/home office|home office]] markets. When it was launched the cost of a PCW system was under 25% of the cost of almost all IBM-compatible PC systems in the UK, and as a result the machine was very popular both in the UK and in Europe, persuading many [[technophobe]]s to venture into using computers. The series sold 8 million units.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Tony |title=You're NOT fired: The story of Amstrad's amazing CPC 464 |url=https://www.theregister.com/2014/02/12/archaeologic_amstrad_cpc_464/?page=2 |website=The Register |access-date=8 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amstrad.com/products/archive/index.html|title=Amstrad Products Archive|publisher=Amstrad Limited|access-date=2009-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509185726/http://www.amstrad.com/products/archive/index.html|archive-date=2008-05-09|url-status=dead}}</ref> The last two models, introduced in the mid-1990s, were commercial failures, being squeezed out of the market by the falling prices, greater capabilities, and wider range of software for [[IBM PC compatible]]s. The series consists of '''PCW 8256''' and '''PCW 8512''' (introduced in 1985),<ref name="LaingDigitalRetroPCW" /><ref name="OldComputersPCW8xxx" /> '''PCW 9512''' (introduced in 1987),<ref name="OldComputersPCW9xxxx" /> '''PCW 9256''' (introduced in 1991),<ref name="OldComputersPCW9xxxx" /> '''PCW 10<ref name="LuxsoftFAQ" />''' and '''PcW16''' (introduced in 1995).<ref name="OldcomputersPWC16" /> In all models, the [[visual display unit|monitor]]'s casing contains the [[CPU]], [[RAM]], [[floppy disk]] drives and [[Power supply#Computer power supply|power supply]] for all of the systems' components. All models except the last included a printer in the price. Early models use 3-inch floppy disks, while those sold from 1991 onwards use 3Β½-inch floppies. A variety of inexpensive products and services were launched to copy 3-inch floppies to the 3Β½-inch format so that data could be transferred to other machines. All models use a Z80 CPU, running at 4 MHz in earlier models and higher speeds in later models. RAM was 256 KB or 512 KB, depending on the model. All models except the last shipped with the [[Locoscript]] [[word processing]] program, the [[CP/M Plus]] [[operating system]], [[Mallard BASIC]] and the [[Logo programming language]] at no extra cost. The last model, PcW16, used a custom [[GUI]] [[operating system]]. A wide range of other CP/M office software and several [[video game|game]]s became available, some commercially produced and some free. Although Amstrad supplied all but the last model as [[text based]] systems, [[graphical user interface]] peripherals and the supporting software also became available. The last model had its own unique [[GUI]] operating system and set of office applications, which were included in the price. None of the software for previous PCW models could run on this system.
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