Editing Amstrad PCW (section)

==={{anchor|8256|8512}}PCW 8256 and 8512===
{{Infobox computer
| Name = PCW 8256 and 8512
| Photo = [[File:Schneider-Joyce-PCW-8256--Museum-Enter-6094720 (cropped).jpg|260px|Schneider Joyce PCW 8256 (a rebadged Amstrad PCW 8256) on display]]
| caption = PCW 8256
| Type = [[Personal computer]]
| Released = {{Start date and age|1985|09}}
| Discontinued = 
| units sold = 
| Processor = [[Zilog Z80|Z80]]
| Memory = 256&nbsp;[[kibibyte|KB]]&nbsp;(PCW 8256),  512&nbsp;KB&nbsp;(PCW 8512)
| OS = [[CP/M Plus]], [[Locoscript]]
| CPUspeed = 4 [[megahertz|MHz]]
| memory card = 3" floppy disk drives
| display = 12" green monochrome monitor; 90 x 32 characters; 720 x 256; 720 x 200
| aka = Joyce, Joyce Plus
}}

The PCW 8256 was launched in September 1985,<ref name="LaingDigitalRetroPCW" /> and had 256&nbsp;[[kibibyte|KB]] of [[RAM]] and one floppy disk drive.<ref name="OldComputersPCW8xxx">{{cite web|url=http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=189&st=1|title=Old computers: Amstrad PCW 8256 and 8512|last=Ball|first=A.|author2=Stirling, A.|access-date=2009-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528190001/http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=189&st=1|archive-date=2009-05-28|url-status=dead}}</ref> Launched a few months later, the PCW 8512 had 512&nbsp;KB of RAM and two floppy disk drives.<ref name="OldComputersPCW8xxx" /> Both systems consisted of three units: a printer; a [[Alphanumeric keyboard|keyboard]]; and a [[monochrome]] [[CRT monitor]] whose casing included the processor, memory, [[motherboard]], one or two [[floppy disk]] drives, the [[Power supply#Computer power supply|power supply]] for all the units and the connectors for the printer and keyboard.<ref name="LaingDigitalRetroPCW">{{cite book
|last=Laing|first=G.|title=Digital Retro|pages=170–173|chapter=Amstrad PCW | publisher=The Ilex Press Ltd|year=2004|isbn=1-904705-39-1
|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=967VdXdc5w4C&q=amstrad+pcw&pg=PT133 |access-date=2009-05-01
}}</ref> The monitor displayed green characters on a black background. It measured {{convert|12|in|cm}} diagonally, and showed 32 lines of 90 characters each.<ref name="PopularScienceNov1986">{{cite journal|last=Hawkins|first=W.J.|date=November 1986|title=Double-duty word machine|journal=Popular Science|pages=86–88|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YGOSX-zIZ00C&q=amstrad+pcw&pg=PA88|access-date=2009-05-01}}</ref><ref name="Austin1989MoreThanWP" /> The designers preferred this to the usual [[personal computer]] display of 25 80-character lines, as the larger size would be more convenient for displaying a whole letter.<ref name="LaingDigitalRetroPCW" /> The monitor could also display graphics well enough for the bundled graphics program and for some games.<ref name="Rohrer2007Nostalgia" /><ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Amstrad PCW |url=https://www.uvlist.net/platforms/detail/206-Amstrad+PCW |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=Universal Videogame List |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:FloppyDisk3InchAmstrad.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|3-inch drive common on Amstrad machines]]
The floppy disk drives on these models were in the unusual [[Floppy disk variants#3-inch "Compact Floppy Disk" / "CF-2" format|3-inch "compact floppy"]] format,<ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /> which was selected as it had a simpler electrical interface than 3½-inch drives.<ref name=thereg-20150909>{{cite news |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/09/joyce_turns_30/ |title='A word processor so simple my PA could use it': Joyce turns 30 |author=Simon Rockman |newspaper=The Register |date=9 September 2015 |access-date=8 November 2015}}</ref> In the range's early days supplies of 3-inch floppies occasionally ran out,<ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /> but by 1988 the PCW's popularity encouraged suppliers to compete for this market.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Langford|first=D.|date=March 1988|title=The book of all knowledge|journal=8000 Plus|volume=18|url=http://www.ansible.co.uk/ai/pcwplus/pcwp1988.html|access-date=2009-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725100907/http://ansible.co.uk/ai/pcwplus/pcwp1988.html|archive-date=2008-07-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> There are several techniques for transferring data from a PCW to an IBM-compatible PC, some of which also can transfer in the opposite direction, and service companies that will do the job for a fee.<ref name="Gee1996AliveTLC">{{cite journal|last=Gee |first=S.|date=12 February 1996|title=Keep your faithful Amstrad alive with a little TLC |journal=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/keep-your-faithful-amstrad-alive-with-a-little-tlc-1318629.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102074742/http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/keep-your-faithful-amstrad-alive-with-a-little-tlc-1318629.html |archive-date=2012-11-02 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=2009-05-02}}</ref><ref name="Schofield2008ConvertingLocoScript">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2008/dec/11/locoscript|title=Reading or converting old LocoScript files|last=Schofield|first=J.|date=11 December 2008 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=2009-05-02| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090326073445/http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/askjack/2008/dec/11/locoscript| archive-date= 26 March 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amstradcg.nl/econvers.html|title=HCC! Amstrad User Group: Exchange of data to and from a PC|access-date=2009-05-02|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223070336/http://www.amstradcg.nl/econvers.html|archive-date=2013-02-23|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2005/oct/13/rescuingdatafromamstradpcw|title=Rescuing data from Amstrad PCW disks|last=Schofield|first=J.|date=13 October 2005 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=2009-05-01}}</ref>
While all the 3-inch disks were double-sided, the PCW 8256's 3-inch drive and the PCW 8512's upper one were single-sided, while the 8512's lower one was double-sided and double-density.<ref name="Austin1989MoreThanWP" /> Hence there were two types of disk: single-density, which could store 180&nbsp;[[kibibyte|KB]] of data per side, equivalent to about 70&nbsp;pages of text each;<ref name="PopularScienceNov1986" /> and double density, which could store twice as much per side.<ref name="OldComputersPCW8xxx" /> The double-density drive could read single-density disks, but it was inadvisable to write to them using this drive.<ref name="OldComputersPCW8xxx"/> Users of single-sided drives had to flip the disks over to use the full capacity.<ref>{{cite book
|last=Joshi|first=R.|title=Introduction To Computers|publisher=Gyan Books|year=2006|pages=73|chapter=Data Storage |isbn=81-8205-379-X|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LgdsbAfWv54C&q=amstrad+pcw&pg=PA73|access-date=2009-05-01
}}</ref>

The [[dot matrix]] printer had a sheet feed for short documents and a tractor attachment for long reports on [[continuous stationery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jonathanen.com/pages/Computers/Amstrad/PCW8512/31.html|title=Amstrad PCW 8512|access-date=2009-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211124749/http://jonathanen.com/pages/Computers/Amstrad/PCW8512/31.html|archive-date=2009-02-11|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="UserGuideFirst20Min" /><ref name="PCW8xUserGuidePrinterMaintenance">{{cite book|last=Gilmour|first=J.|title=PCW8256/8512: User Guide - CP/M Logo & Word Processor Manual|publisher=Amstrad Consumer Electronics plc|year=1985|pages=142–147|chapter=The printer: loading and maintenance|url=http://amstrad.cpc.free.fr/amstrad/manuals/pcw8256/pcw8256.pdf|access-date=2009-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720221017/http://amstrad.cpc.free.fr/amstrad/manuals/pcw8256/pcw8256.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-20|url-status=dead}}</ref>  This unit could print 90&nbsp;characters per second at draft quality and 20&nbsp;characters per second at higher quality,<ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /> and could also produce graphics.<ref name="Austin1989MoreThanWP">{{cite journal|last=Austin|first=G.|year=1989|title=They are more than word processors|journal=MicroMart|url=http://www.gaby.de/ftp/pub/cpm/znode51/pcwworld/t120/user_0/pcwcol.asc|access-date=2009-05-02}}</ref> However it had only 9 printing pins and even its higher quality did not match that of 24-pin printers.<ref name="Austin1989MoreThanWP" /> The dot matrix printer was not very robust as its chassis was made entirely of plastic.<ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /> Users who needed to support higher print volumes or to produce graphics could buy a [[Daisy wheel printer|daisy-wheel printer]] or [[Plotter|graph plotter]] from Amstrad.<ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /> The daisy-wheel printer could not produce graphics.<ref name="Austin1989MoreThanWP" />

The keyboard had 82 keys, some of which were designed for word processing, especially with the bundled [[Locoscript]] software<ref name="PopularScienceNov1986" /> – for example to [[cut, copy, and paste]].<ref name="LaingDigitalRetroPCW" /><ref name="Whitehead1986ElecOfficSys" /> Non-English characters such as [[Modern Greek|Greek]] could be typed by holding down the {{keypress|ALT}} or {{keypress|EXTRA}} key, along with the {{keypress|SHIFT}} key if capitals were required. Other special key combinations activated [[caps lock]], [[num lock]] and [[Booting|reboot]].<ref name="UserGuideSettingUp" />

[[File:Amstrad PCW - Schneider Joyce.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Schneider Joyce]]
A wide range of upgrades became available. The PCW 8256's RAM could be expanded to 512&nbsp;KB for a hardware cost of about £50. An additional internal floppy disk drive for the 8256 would cost about £100, and installation was fairly easy. Alternatively one could add external drives, for example if a 3½-inch drive was needed. [[Graphical user interface]] devices such as [[light pen]]s, [[mouse (computer)|mice]] and [[graphic tablet]]s could be attached to the expansion socket at the back of the monitor. Adding a [[serial interface]] connector, which cost about £50, made it possible to attach a [[modem]] or non-Amstrad printer.<ref name="Austin1989MoreThanWP" />

The designs were licensed to the German consumer electronics company Schneider, which slightly modified their appearance and consequently sold them as "Joyce" and "Joyce Plus".<ref name="Osborne2007RememberingPCW">{{cite journal|last=Osborne |first=I. |year=2007 |title=Remembering The Amstrad PCW |journal=Micro Mart |url=http://www.micromart.co.uk/features/article/default.aspx?id=22652 |access-date=2009-05-08 }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The partnership between Amstrad and Schneider had been formed to market the [[Amstrad CPC]] range of computers, and broke up when Amstrad launched the PCW9512.