CompuSource

CompuSource Compatible Systems Inc.

Company type	Private
Industry	Technology, Computer hardware
Founded	1 December 1982 (1982-12-01)
Founder	Joel Ronning
Headquarters	Minneapolis , United States
Products	Apple II clone computers (Orange Peel, Abacus series), portable computers compatible with IBM PC and CP/M software

CompuSource Compatible Systems Inc. was a privately owned American technology firm established in December 1982 by Joel Ronning in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company focused on manufacturing Apple II clone computers, including a portable variant that also supported software compatible with IBM PC compatible systems and CP/M.

History

The initial product from CompuSource was the Orange Peel, an Apple II replica produced by Orange Computers in Toronto. It utilized a custom-designed, clean-room ROM that was compatible with Apple II applications but featured modified functionalities. Sales reached about 95 units between late 1982 and early 1983, generating roughly US$76,000 in revenue. In February 1983, U.S. Customs confiscated four units due to concerns over counterfeit products; however, CompuSource was exonerated of any violations by March 1984. Following the dissolution of Orange Computers, CompuSource transitioned to new suppliers and offered the remaining Orange Peel inventory at discounted prices.

After an unsuccessful appeal against Customs' decision in August 1983, CompuSource introduced the Abacus series, manufactured by General Fabrication Corporation based in Forest Lake, Minnesota. This lineup included both desktop and portable versions equipped with integrated 9-inch CRT displays and keyboards. These systems supported Apple II and CP/M software and came with licensed Apple DOS 3.3 and CP/M 2.2 operating systems. To circumvent patent issues, critical hardware components such as the floppy controller card were redesigned.

The Abacus offered optional enhancements like memory expansions, an 80-Column Text Card clone, and an IBM PC compatibility card powered by an Intel 8088 processor enabling MS-DOS software execution—though memory was limited to 192 KB. Attempts to secure an MS-DOS license from Microsoft prior to release were unsuccessful. The computers included proprietary applications—Compucalc (spreadsheet), Compuword (word processor), and Compubase (database)—developed by ArtSci of Los Angeles, along with three video games.

The portable Abacus model was launched in January 1984 with initial units sent to dealers for testing. By February, CompuSource commenced mass production, manufacturing approximately 15,000 units over the following months. The models featured configurations with one or two floppy drives, and a 10-MB hard disk option was planned for release by mid-1984.