POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

North Star Advantage personal computer

Object No. 2006/118/1

The North Star Advantage computer may be used for research and exhibitions on early personal computer products and applications and information technology product design. North Star was an early manufacturer of microcomputers, however because their products were not PC compatible the company never sold commercially viable quantities of their product and went out of business. This redundancy makes the North Star Advantage a rare and unusual piece of early personal computer history and a fine addition to the Museum's collection. The design of the North Star Advantage's is also of interest. Its components - display, CPU, keyboard and disc drives are integrated in one elegant case - very few personal computer manufacturers approached the design of their products in this manner preferring to keep components separate. Campbell Bickerstaff, 2006

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Summary

Object Statement

Personal computer, with cover and software, North Star Advantage 8/16, metal / plastic / electronic components / cardboard, made by North Star Computers Inc, California, United States of America, 1982

Physical Description

The North Star Advantage personal computer has a white plastic casing, with a grey interface. The user interface consists of a glass display screen with dual disk drives, one above the other, on its right hand side. Below this is a QWERTY keyboard, with black alphabet and numeric keys and brown function keys. A sticker running horizontally above indicated the various function for each of the brown keys. 'North Star ADVANTAGE 8/16' is found in the top left corner. The device has a black insulated power cord, with a grey socket, plugged into the back as well as a vent and an on/off switch. A green label on the back provides information about the make, model, serial number and specifications. The soft plastic dust cover is made from a cream coloured plastic and designed and shaped to fit over the computers casing and keyboard. Accompanying the computer is 34 floppy disks, with cardboard sleeves, containing software. The disks are housed in three separate plastic cases, the first is grey and marked, 'Datalife / by Verbatim / 10 Minidisks', the second is also grey, and marked 'MINIKAS-ETTE/10 / LIBRARY CASE', and the third is blue is marked on a sticker 'Verbatim / 10 Minidisks / Datalife', Case 1 contains: North Star Advantage Demo / Diagnostic System North Star Graphics CP/M North Star Data Management start up North Star Data Management mailing system North Star Data Management mailing data North Star Data Management gen./ledger system North Star Data Management gen./ledger data North Star Data Management gen./ledger archive North Star Data Management debtors system North Star Data Management debtors data North Star Data Management debtors archive Case 2 contains: Start up (2) Graphics CP/M North Star CP/M (2) WordStar Microplan system Microplan data Microplan master Microplan daily back up CalcStar DataStar & SuperStar MS DOS Format & Boot Case 3 contains: Debtors system (2) Div. Gen. ledger data Div. Gen. ledger system Newsagents system Newsagents data Electricians system Electricians data Wholesalers system Wholesalers data

PRODUCTION

Notes

Manufactured by North Star Computers Inc. North America in 1982. North Star designed and manufactured floppy disk drives for S-100 bus systems in the late 1970s prior to their first computer the Horizon. The Advantage was the second computer system designed and manufactured by North Star. Its components - display, CPU, keyboard and disc drives are integrated in one elegant case - very few personal computer manufacturers approached the design of their products in this manner preferring to keep components separate.

HISTORY

Notes

The North Star Computers Inc. Advantage personal computer was used by the donor in Sydney from 1983 - 1986. During this period the donor ran a bookkeeping bureau.

SOURCE

Credit Line

Gift of Rod Gillespie, 1997

Acquisition Date

25 August 2006

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