Enterprise 64 & 128

The Enterprise 64 and Enterprise 128 were home computers developed and manufactured by British company Intelligent Software and introduced in 1985.

1. Development and Release: The Enterprise computers were designed as advanced home computers and were developed by a team led by Clive Sinclair, the founder of Sinclair Research. The Enterprise 64 was released in 1985, followed by the Enterprise 128 later the same year. The numbers in their names corresponded to their memory sizes, with the Enterprise 64 having 64 KB of RAM and the Enterprise 128 having 128 KB.

2. Hardware: The Enterprise computers featured a unique hardware architecture based on the Zilog Z80 processor running at 4 MHz. They had advanced graphics and sound capabilities for their time, including hardware sprites, smooth scrolling, and four-channel sound. The computers also featured built-in peripherals such as a keyboard, cassette tape interface, and cartridge slot for software expansion.

3. Software Compatibility: The Enterprise computers were compatible with a wide range of software, including games, productivity applications, and programming tools. They ran their own proprietary operating system called EXOS, which provided a user-friendly interface and supported multitasking. The computers also had built-in support for CP/M, a popular operating system for microcomputers at the time, which expanded their software compatibility.

4. Market Performance: Despite their advanced features and capabilities, the Enterprise computers struggled to gain traction in the home computer market. They faced stiff competition from established platforms such as the Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit series, and Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Additionally, the Enterprise computers suffered from poor marketing and distribution, limiting their availability and visibility to consumers.

5. Legacy: The Enterprise computers are remembered as innovative and ahead of their time, but ultimately unsuccessful in the market. They have developed a cult following among retro computing enthusiasts, who appreciate their unique hardware features and software capabilities. Today, the Enterprise computers are sought after by collectors and hobbyists, and there is an active community of users who continue to develop software and hardware for the platform. Despite their commercial failure, the Enterprise computers remain an important part of computing history, representing the diversity of home computer platforms in the 1980s.