Date   : Mon, 24 Oct 2005 23:26:41 +0100
From   : Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk@...>
Subject: Re: Acorn Proton?

Richard Hobbis wrote:
> I found this German website http://www.zock.com/8-Bit/D_Acorn-A.HTML that
refers to the BBC Micro as a 'Proton'
> 
> Was this name ever officially used as a model name for the Beeb?
> It certainly makes sense in context with it's sibmlings' names (Atom, Electron)
but I've never heard it referred to as a Proton before.

I believe it was the official name for the BBC A/B prototype prior to 
the BBC actually accepting it as the official schools' computer.

I'm not sure whether there were ever machines cased and labelled as 
Proton though - probably not. Actually, anyone know what Acorn *did* 
demo to the BBC - was it just a PCB hooked up to relevant bits and 
pieces, or did they drop the prototype board into some sort of case and 
make it look a little more proffesional? I gather timescales were a 
little on the tight side :)

Did they even *have* a PCB, or was it just a bunch of wirewrapped 
prototype boards at that stage?

I wonder if the BBC themselves have a photo of the system in their 
archives anywhere...

By the way, I do have documents that reference a System 6 and System 7 
in the context of Acorn's earlier Systems 1 - 5. I'm guessing that 
System 6 was a provisional name for the Atom, and System 7 the BBC 
micro. But at the time the Atom was well established, in theory what 
became the BBC B hadn't even been thought of...

So, was the System 7 the BBC B, or did Acorn have plans for a machine 
prior to the beeb which never saw the light of day...

cheers

Jules