A series of ARM and StrongARM based computers, running RiscOS?. For more comprehensive info, see FOLDOC

Very popular with some schools as they were the successor to BBC model B micros in a lot of classrooms before the rise of the PC.

Note to original author, I do not believe the Acorns ever used the StrongARM Chip, just the ARM. I could be wrong so I just leave this note.

Whoever made the above comment is incorrect. The RiscPC? series of computers made by Acorn used the StrongARM processor. --DavidHallett

Yeah, you're right Olly, it was late, I was lazy! - BTW, I DTPed our Te Awamutu College school magazine on an Archimedes (A3000?) back when a GUI was SERIOUSLY cool... --GreigMcGill

Actually, Acorn was the company.

We used to have an Acorn Electron computer. It plugged in to the television, had 16 KB of memory, and ran BASIC in ROM. You could load programs from cassette tape via a normal audio tape deck, or you could type them in. No idea what sort of chip these ran.

In case you're referring to the Acorn Electron, I actually had one of those. The CPU was a 6502 just slightly different from what powered the hugely successful Commodore64 home computer. Unfortunately, neither graphics nor sound capabilities could hold a candle to those of the Commodore64. --AristotlePagaltzis

The next model was the Acorn BBC. Because they were British, schools in the UK used the BBC computers. Some schools in NewZealand followed suit. Again, I don't know what sort of chips these ran. This was probably mid-to-late 80's to early 90's.

The BBC Model B had a 6502 processor. --DavidHallett

After that was the Acorn Archimedes. This definitely had an ARM chip in it, and ran the flash RiscOS with a GUI. RiscOS? was very well designed. Unfortunately...

Eventually, schools (and the public) started using the cheaper mass-produced drivel that still haunts us today...

Part of CategoryCompany and OldComputers?