Editing IBM System/23 Datamaster

{{Short description|1981 IBM microcomputer}}
{{Infobox information appliance
| name = System/23 Datamaster
| title = 
| aka = 
| logo = 
| image = IBM 5322 - computer.JPG
| caption = 
| developer = 
| manufacturer = [[IBM]]
| family = 
| type = [[All-in-one PC|All-in-one]] (5322), [[Computer tower]] (5324)
| generation = 
| releasedate = {{Start date and age|1981|07}}
| lifespan = 
| price = {{USD|9000|1981}}
| discontinued = {{End date|1985}}
| unitssold = 
| unitsshipped = 
| media = 
| os = [[System/34 BASIC]]
| power = 
| cpu = [[Intel 8085]] @ 6.14 MHz ( effective 3.07 MHz)
| memory = 32&nbsp;KB,64&nbsp;KB,96&nbsp;KB,128&nbsp;KB DRAM<br>112/128&nbsp;KB ROM<ref name="bitspassats">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-13 |title=Bits Passats - System/23 Datamaster |url=https://bitspassats.com/index.php/IBM_System/23_Datamaster |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=bitspassats.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
| storage = 
| memory card = 0-2 internal 8-inch [[floppy disk]] drives, optional external floppy drives
| display = Green phosphor [[Cathode-ray tube|CRT]] display (80&nbsp;× 24 text)
| graphics = [[Intel 8275]]
| sound = Internal beeper
| input = [[Model F keyboard]]
| controllers = 
| connectivity = Printer port, disk drive port (optional), twinax (optional)
| service = 
| dimensions = 
| weight = {{convert|95|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
| compatibility = 
| predecessor = [[IBM 5120]]
| successor = [[IBM Personal Computer]]
| related = [[IBM Displaywriter System]]
| website = <!--{{URL|example.org}}-->
| image_size = 270px
}}

The '''System/23 Datamaster''' (Model 5322 desktop model<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/system23/user_manuals/binder_04/SA34-0107-3_System_23_Setup_Instructions_with_5322_Computer_Jun1982.pdf |title=System/23 Setup Instructions with 5322 Computer |publisher=IBM |date=June 1982}}</ref> and Model 5324 floor model<ref>{{cite book|title=Data Communication Concepts|date=September 1983|publisher=International Business Machines|page=6-7|edition=GC21-5169-4|url=http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ibm/datacomm/GC21-5169-4_Data_Communications_Concepts_Sep83.pdf|accessdate=7 January 2018}}</ref>) is an [[8-bit_computing|8-bit]] [[microcomputer]] developed by [[IBM]]. Released in July 1981, the Datamaster was the least expensive IBM computer until the far less expensive and far more popular [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] was announced in the following month.<ref name="pollack19810813">{{Cite news |last=Pollack |first=Andrew |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/13/business/big-ibm-s-little-computer.html |title=Big I.B.M.'s Little Computer |date=1981-08-13 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2020-03-16 |page=D1 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="pollack19830327">{{Cite news |last=Pollack |first=Andrew |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/27/business/big-ibm-has-done-it-again.html |title=Big I.B.M. Has Done It Again |date=1983-03-27 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2020-03-16 |page=Section 3, Page 1 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:IBM Datamaster (2282600489).jpg|left|thumb|IBM 5322 failing to pass PID-1200 test with error 12h]]{{Multiple image
| image1 = IBM 5120.jpg
| image2 = IBM Datamaster (2283391726).jpg
| caption1 = 5120
| caption2 = Datamaster
| footer = Visual differences between [[IBM 5120|5120]] and Datamaster
}}
The Datamaster is an [[All-in-one PC|all-in-one]] computer with text-mode [[Cathode-ray tube|CRT]] display, keyboard, processor, memory, and two 8-inch [[floppy disk]] drives in one cabinet.<ref name=":0" /> The processor is an 8-bit [[Intel 8085]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oldcomputers.net/ibm5322.html|title=IBM 5322 System/23 Datamaster computer|website=www.oldcomputers.net}}</ref> running at 6.14 MHz,<ref name="bitspassats" /> with [[bank switching]] to manage 128&nbsp;KB of memory.{{r|bradley199009}} Available RAM was 32&nbsp;KB (expandable to 128&nbsp;KB<ref name="auto1">{{cite web | url=https://www.oldcomputers.es/ibm-systems23-5322/ | title=IBM System/23 Datamaster }}</ref>), and the machine had four internal expansion slots.<ref name="auto"/> It could display 80&nbsp;× 24 characters of text (each character with 8&nbsp;× 14 pixels) with 128 possible characters, on a built-in 12" green phosphor CRT.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.nf6x.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/IBM-5322-Service-Library-Volume-1.pdf |title=IBM System/23 Service Library - Volume 1 : IBM 5322 Computer Service Manual |publisher=IBM |year=1980 |pages=4–21}}</ref>

The intention of the Datamaster was to provide a computer that could be installed and operated without specialists. A [[BASIC]] interpreter was built-in to the system. IBM decided to merge the Datamaster's BASIC implementation with [[System/34 BASIC]], which reportedly delayed the Datamaster by almost a year.<ref name="bradley199009">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1990-09/1990_09_BYTE_15-09_15th_Anniversary_Summit#page/n451/mode/2up | title=The Creation of the IBM PC | work=BYTE | date=September 1990 | accessdate=2 April 2016 | author=Bradley, David J. | pages=414–420}}</ref> When introduced, a single-screen Datamaster sold for around {{USD|9000|1981}}. A second keyboard and screen could be attached in an extended configuration.

==Influence on later IBM systems==
The familiarity the design group gained on the Datamaster project encouraged selection of an Intel CPU for the IBM PC. The delay caused by the decision to reuse [[IBM System/34|System/34]] BASIC in the Datamaster was one of the factors in IBM's selection of [[Microsoft BASIC]] for the PC (the other being the popularity of Microsoft BASIC on home computers at the time).{{r|bradley199009}}

A number of hardware components from the Datamaster were reused in the later [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]].<ref name="bradley199009" /> The PC's expansion bus, later known as the [[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA bus]], was based on the Datamaster's I/O bus.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edn.com/whence-came-the-ibm-pc/|title=Whence Came the IBM PC|website=edn.com|date=2001-09-15|access-date=2020-10-13|author=John Titus}}</ref> The Datamaster's [[Model F keyboard]] with its [[IBM 5250|5251]]-style key arrangement was also reused in the PC, albeit with a serial interface (instead of the parallel one used on the Datamaster) and a new external housing.{{r|bradley199009}}

==Timeline==
{{Timeline of the IBM Personal Computer}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{IBM personal computers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ibm System 23}}
[[Category:IBM personal computers|2999System 23]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1981]]

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