Micromation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Microcomputer hardware |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Ben Cooper |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Australia |
| Products | Microcomputer systems, circuit boards, peripherals |
Micromation Inc. was a trailblazer from 1978 to 1983 in the development, production, and distribution of microcomputer hardware, including systems, circuit boards, and peripherals. Their offerings utilized early Intel and Zilog microprocessor technology, incorporated the S-100 bus, and operated on Digital Research's CP/M and MP/M platforms. The company's main office and manufacturing facilities were situated in San Francisco.
In contrast to many competitors of that era, Micromation concentrated on serving business clientele rather than enthusiasts or general consumers. Their computer systems were compatible with a broad spectrum of software, such as the widely used WordStar word processing program alongside other CP/M and MP/M applications.
The firm was among the pioneers in creating multi-user microprocessor-based computing systems capable of supporting up to 16 CRT terminals. A notable innovation was their "multi-processor" design, where each system could house as many as 16 individual CPUs—one assigned per user—thus delivering superior performance when multiple users accessed the system concurrently. This approach differed significantly from most contemporary multi-user machines, which relied on a single CPU shared by all users, often resulting in diminished responsiveness.
Before closing operations in 1985, Micromation distributed thousands of units throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Australia. Like numerous early microcomputer enterprises, it faced challenges adapting after the launch of the IBM PC in 1981.
History
Established in 1977 by Ben Cooper, an electronic engineer and former officer in the U.S. Navy, Micromation set up its corporate headquarters in downtown San Francisco with manufacturing taking place in the South of Market area.
Their initial flagship product was the "Doubler," an S-100 bus floppy disk controller card that increased recording density on 8" floppy disks to roughly 256 KB per side. Although this product initially attracted hobbyists assembling S-100 computer systems, Micromation soon redirected its efforts toward offering complete S-100 computer solutions.
The company’s first full-fledged system—the Z-Plus or Z-System—earned the nickname "The Coffin Computer" due to its elongated shape and wooden side panels. Designed to fit standard 19" racks, this form factor proved unpopular among smaller enterprises, prompting the creation of custom wooden desk-style enclosures.
In 1980, Micromation acted as an early original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner for Zendex Corporation by supplying a single-board Intel SBC-202 Double Density MMFM Floppy Disk Controller—the sole Multibus-I product developed by Micromation. Zendex sold hundreds of these units under the model ZX-200 name with added customer support services. After Micromation discontinued this product line to focus exclusively on S-100 systems, Zendex reverse engineered it.
Later offerings such as the M/System, Mariner, and MiSystem were business-oriented computers featuring multi-user and multi-processor capabilities that ran a customized version of Digital Research's MP/M operating system tailored by Micromation.