42:
619:"Called the IMSAI 108, the system can handle 54 megabytes of data with a single spindle or, according to IMS director of marketing William H. Millard, it could be expanded to handle up to 16 drives-864 megabytes-'without any trouble at all.'" "The single-spindle model costs $ 29,500, and a dual-spindle (108 megabytes) model is priced at$ 47,500."
261:
338:
in 1976 quickly put an end to the dominance of 8080 machines as the new chip had an improved instruction set, could be clocked at faster speeds, and had on-chip DRAM refresh. IMSAI sales quickly plummeted and so in 1977 Millard decided to take the company through another transition, this time from a
308:, receiving positive reactions. IMS shipped the first IMSAI 8080 kits on 16 December 1975 and shortly after turned to fully assembled units. Between 17,000 and 20,000 units were eventually produced, with an additional 2500 produced under the Fischer-Freitas name thereafter.
401:
in 1984; the franchises became independent following a series of bitter and costly legal battles with
Millard. The right to the word mark IMSAI expired on 2004-04-06 because Thomas Fischer did not correctly submit the required documents for renewal.
864:
564:
197:
298:
Intel had announced the 8080 chip, and compared to the 4004 to which IMS Associates had been first introduced, the 8080 looked like a "real computer". Full-scale development of the
370:
which worked poorly. Many franchise dealers refused to retail most IMSAI products except those that retained popularity including the IMSAI 8080. With most of the IMSAI resources
385:
was eventually acquired by Thomas "Todd" Fischer and Nancy
Freitas (former early employees who undertook continued support after the parent company folded), now doing business as
599:"Hypercube II will sell for about $ 80,000." "IMS marketing director William Millard says military and government agencies have already expressed great interest in Hypercube"
859:
844:
316:
In 1976, as IMS had completed its transition from a consultancy firm into a manufacturing firm, the name of the company was changed to IMSAI Manufacturing
Corporation.
854:
839:
884:
869:
874:
879:
291:, which would be controlled by a small computer. Eventually, product development was stopped. Millard and his chief engineer Joe Killian turned to the
849:
226:
and engineering, using his home as an office. The work done by IMS was similar to that
Millard had done previously for the city and county of
696:
498:
389:(since October 1978), who continued manufacturing and service support under their newly acquired and trademarked IMSAI badge (such as the
467:
573:
559:
449:
374:
to fund
ComputerLand's expansion, and with Millard's attention diverted, IMS Associates, Inc. went into a "tailspin", and filed for
192:
770:
675:
187:
and encouraged vast discrepancies between executives and staff - were a key contributor to the downfall of the company, and
363:
215:
201:, noting that Millard's EST-induced unwillingness to admit a task might be impossible was a key factor in IMSAI's demise.
151:
90:
812:
746:
343:
retail outlets, initially called
Computer Shack (the name was changed to ComputerLand following legal threats from
805:
243:
174:
155:
80:
630:
355:
28:
700:
502:
367:
304:
239:
184:
524:
569:
445:
280:
231:
143:
658:
466:
390:
284:
555:
371:
188:
393:), and continue support to this day. ComputerLand stores continued to prosper retailing
438:
350:
ComputerLand retailed not only IMSAI 8080s, but also computers from companies including
650:
473:
292:
276:
833:
227:
139:
287:, and special software. Five of these work stations were to have common access to a
325:
163:
159:
41:
440:
Once Upon a Time in
ComputerLand: The Amazing, Billion-Dollar Tale of Bill Millard
813:"The Microcomputer System that's easy to take (Advertisement for the IMSAI 8080)"
339:
computer manufacturing company to a computer retailer. He established a chain of
238:, all for software. IMS provided advanced engineering and software management to
344:
340:
272:
223:
158:. Their first product launch was the IMSAI 8080 in 1975. One of the company's
639:
Advertisement: IMSAI 8080 computer with 1K of RAM. $ 439 kit, $ 621 assembled.
375:
351:
299:
265:
255:
147:
123:
750:
589:
Scrupski, Stephen (December 11, 1975). "Coming: cheap, powerful computers".
382:
331:
288:
412:
359:
235:
398:
724:
260:
529:
183:
considered
Millard's requirements - which placed a heavy emphasis on
179:
173:
IMS Associates required all executives and key employees to take the
17:
230:. By 1973, Millard founded IMS Associates, Inc. Millard soon found
335:
259:
362:. The 8080 sold poorly in comparison, and IMSAI developed the
394:
801:
302:
was put into action, and by
October 1975 an ad was placed in
416:(1983 film), in which the IMSAI 8080 appeared in a key role
142:
company, responsible for one of the earliest successes in
796:
771:"The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)"
565:
Fire in the Valley: The Making of The
Personal Computer
271:
In 1974, IMS was contacted by a client which wanted a "
198:
Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer
775:
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
279:
new-car dealership. IMS planned a system including a
637:. Vol. 8, no. 4. Ziff Davis. p. 110.
119:
111:
96:
86:
64:
56:
48:
617:(17). New York: McGraw-Hill: 129. August 21, 1975.
499:"IMSAI Pre-History: The Hypercube and Other Tales"
437:
865:Defunct computer companies of the United States
697:"The History of IMSAI - The Path to Excellence"
802:Oral history interview with Seymour Rubenstein
431:
429:
525:"History of Cults: A Trail of True Believers"
8:
34:
699:. IMS Associates, Inc. 1978. Archived from
40:
33:
860:Computer companies disestablished in 1979
845:American companies disestablished in 1979
719:
717:
492:
490:
275:system" that could complete jobs for any
397:computers until IBM abandoned the 8-bit
676:"Company: IMS Associates, Inc. (IMSAI)"
425:
234:for his business, and received several
855:Computer companies established in 1973
840:American companies established in 1973
670:
668:
550:
548:
546:
747:"ComputerLand's suddenly poorer boss"
629:IMS Associates, Inc. (October 1975).
150:. The company was founded in 1973 by
7:
885:1979 disestablishments in California
870:Defunct computer hardware companies
597:(25). New York: McGraw-Hill: 67–68.
875:Defunct computer systems companies
444:. Los Angeles: Price Stern Sloan.
242:users, including business and the
25:
880:1973 establishments in California
468:"Stores Acquired By Computerland"
609:"Disk system is 'intelligent'".
218:began business individually as
168:Information Management Sciences
222:(IMS) in the area of computer
1:
850:Companies based in California
745:Brody, Michael (1985-04-15).
649:Lundin, Leigh (2011-10-09).
70:; 51 years ago
901:
808:. University of Minnesota.
523:Crosby, Kip (2001-02-04).
436:Littman, Jonathan (1987).
323:
253:
26:
806:Charles Babbage Institute
631:"IMSAI and Altair Owners"
39:
497:Fischer, Thomas (2008).
244:United States Government
387:Fischer-Freitas Company
156:San Leandro, California
81:San Leandro, California
797:Official IMSAI website
268:
818:. Computerhistory.org
678:. Computerhistory.org
263:
465:Staff (1990-12-30).
177:Standard Training.
132:IMS Associates, Inc.
27:For other uses, see
661:: SleuthSayers.org.
635:Popular Electronics
368:all-in-one computer
330:The release of the
305:Popular Electronics
36:
283:, small computer,
269:
185:self-actualization
166:. IMS stood for "
144:personal computing
378:in October 1979.
154:and was based in
129:
128:
100:October 1979
16:(Redirected from
892:
826:
824:
823:
817:
785:
784:
782:
781:
767:
761:
760:
758:
757:
742:
736:
735:
733:
732:
727:. PC-History.org
721:
712:
711:
709:
708:
693:
687:
686:
684:
683:
672:
663:
662:
651:"An Apple Today"
646:
640:
638:
626:
620:
618:
606:
600:
598:
586:
580:
579:
556:Freiberger, Paul
552:
541:
540:
538:
537:
520:
514:
513:
511:
510:
501:. Archived from
494:
485:
484:
482:
481:
470:
462:
456:
455:
443:
433:
391:IMSAI Series Two
107:
105:
78:
76:
71:
44:
37:
21:
900:
899:
895:
894:
893:
891:
890:
889:
830:
829:
821:
819:
815:
811:
793:
788:
779:
777:
769:
768:
764:
755:
753:
744:
743:
739:
730:
728:
723:
722:
715:
706:
704:
695:
694:
690:
681:
679:
674:
673:
666:
648:
647:
643:
628:
627:
623:
608:
607:
603:
588:
587:
583:
576:
568:. McGraw-Hill.
560:Swaine, Michael
554:
553:
544:
535:
533:
522:
521:
517:
508:
506:
496:
495:
488:
479:
477:
464:
463:
459:
452:
435:
434:
427:
423:
408:
328:
322:
314:
258:
252:
216:William Millard
212:
207:
189:Paul Freiberger
152:William Millard
103:
101:
91:William Millard
74:
72:
69:
32:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
898:
896:
888:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
832:
831:
828:
827:
809:
799:
792:
791:External links
789:
787:
786:
762:
737:
713:
688:
664:
641:
621:
601:
581:
574:
542:
515:
486:
474:New York Times
457:
450:
424:
422:
419:
418:
417:
407:
404:
324:Main article:
321:
318:
313:
310:
293:microprocessor
277:General Motors
254:Main article:
251:
248:
220:IMS Associates
211:
208:
206:
203:
193:Michael Swaine
127:
126:
121:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
98:
94:
93:
88:
84:
83:
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
35:IMS Associates
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
897:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
814:
810:
807:
803:
800:
798:
795:
794:
790:
776:
772:
766:
763:
752:
748:
741:
738:
726:
720:
718:
714:
703:on 2018-10-09
702:
698:
692:
689:
677:
671:
669:
665:
660:
656:
652:
645:
642:
636:
632:
625:
622:
616:
612:
605:
602:
596:
592:
585:
582:
577:
575:0-07-135892-7
571:
567:
566:
561:
557:
551:
549:
547:
543:
532:
531:
526:
519:
516:
505:on 2018-10-09
504:
500:
493:
491:
487:
476:
475:
469:
461:
458:
453:
451:0-89586-502-5
447:
442:
441:
432:
430:
426:
420:
415:
414:
410:
409:
405:
403:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
379:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
348:
346:
342:
337:
333:
327:
319:
317:
311:
309:
307:
306:
301:
296:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
267:
262:
257:
249:
247:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
228:San Francisco
225:
221:
217:
214:In May 1972,
209:
204:
202:
200:
199:
195:concurred in
194:
190:
186:
182:
181:
176:
171:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
140:microcomputer
137:
133:
125:
122:
118:
114:
110:
99:
95:
92:
89:
85:
82:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
38:
30:
19:
820:. Retrieved
778:. Retrieved
774:
765:
754:. Retrieved
740:
729:. Retrieved
725:"IMSAI 8080"
705:. Retrieved
701:the original
691:
680:. Retrieved
654:
644:
634:
624:
614:
610:
604:
594:
590:
584:
563:
534:. Retrieved
528:
518:
507:. Retrieved
503:the original
478:. Retrieved
472:
460:
439:
411:
386:
380:
364:IMSAI VDP-80
349:
329:
326:ComputerLand
320:ComputerLand
315:
303:
297:
270:
219:
213:
196:
178:
172:
167:
164:ComputerLand
160:subsidiaries
135:
131:
130:
49:Company type
611:Electronics
591:Electronics
406:Pop culture
345:Radio Shack
273:workstation
224:consultancy
210:Consultancy
834:Categories
822:2008-10-27
780:2023-05-26
756:2008-10-27
731:2008-10-27
707:2008-10-27
682:2008-10-27
655:Technology
536:2008-10-27
509:2008-10-27
480:2008-10-27
421:References
376:bankruptcy
356:North Star
341:franchised
312:Transition
300:IMSAI 8080
266:IMSAI 8080
256:IMSAI 8080
250:IMSAI 8080
148:IMSAI 8080
124:IMSAI 8080
115:Bankruptcy
751:CNN Money
383:trademark
289:hard disk
240:mainframe
236:contracts
60:Computers
562:(1984).
413:WarGames
372:stripped
360:Cromemco
281:terminal
138:, was a
120:Products
57:Industry
659:Orlando
399:ISA bus
285:printer
232:capital
205:History
104:1979-10
102: (
97:Defunct
87:Founder
73: (
65:Founded
52:Private
572:
530:Forbes
448:
358:, and
180:Forbes
146:, the
816:(PDF)
366:, an
352:Apple
336:Zilog
136:IMSAI
134:, or
18:IMSAI
570:ISBN
446:ISBN
381:The
264:The
191:and
162:was
112:Fate
75:1973
68:1973
395:IBM
347:).
334:by
332:Z80
175:EST
170:".
79:in
29:IMS
836::
804:,
773:.
749:.
716:^
667:^
657:.
653:.
633:.
615:48
613:.
595:48
593:.
558:;
545:^
527:.
489:^
471:.
428:^
354:,
295:.
246:.
825:.
783:.
759:.
734:.
710:.
685:.
578:.
539:.
512:.
483:.
454:.
106:)
77:)
31:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
