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can anyone tell me more about this vintage computer?

Really? I guess not too many people are familiar with these machines... From what I looked up they run Business BASIC, were leased to bussiness in the mid 1970s to early 1980s, and they were similar to the IBM 5100 Line of computers. They had an external 8" floppy drive unit as big as a fridge as seen in the image and a 70 MB hard drive.
 
1970s fare. Your photo has the correct Basic Four color scheme, but the model is unfamiliar to me. It sort of resembles the 510, but only sort-of.

You'll discover that business systems from the 1970s and early 1980s are wildly under-represented in the web chronicler sagas. After all, they weren't good gaming systems. :)

How many people know about "Four Phase Systems" or "Two Pi" systems?
 
Four Phase? Is that like 3 phase power systems because that I do know.
Anyway, a woman contacted me and sent me those images and said they had this machine for decades, Still works and they want it Gone.. They dont have books or literature but they have 8 inch floppy software. I said ill try to be there Monday or Tuesday to take it away. They claim it works fine.

The Portrait CRT is odd to me, cant find another Basic four photo online with that same monitor... reminds me of the Xerox Alto
 
Would this likely be a uP system, PDP based or maybe some BitSlice machine?
I don't recall ever seeing a TTL based machine. Some had DEC racks inside but had other names on the outside.
I know a number of these types of machines use 8080, 8086 and 68K processor.
I'm just curious as to what it used.
Dwight
 
This is a MAI Basic four system 80, its a kind of file server, the programs run on the terminal, instead of in the memory of the file server, like all other MAI systems did, For MAI was this machine (S80) the only type that worked that way.
 
Desktop sized? Its the size of a small rerigerator. This unit did not use a 1/4" streamer. It used the internal 8" floppy drive. IT was used at an architectural firm. The strange thing is it only came with one terminal so it wouldnt be multi user. Seems an expensive route to go.
 
Desktop sized? Its the size of a small rerigerator. This unit did not use a 1/4" streamer. It used the internal 8" floppy drive. IT was used at an architectural firm. The strange thing is it only came with one terminal so it wouldnt be multi user. Seems an expensive route to go.
Will you be able to take additional photos of the unit? it is fairly rare and unique, a photo gallery would be worth compiling. thanks.
 
Sure. Id like to do just that. It was hard enough getting it into my basement using a dolly. Getting it down from the second floor of an office building with no elevator by myself was also an undertaking. It was just such an odd unit I couldnt let it go to scrap.
 
I think so. A portrait crt terminal and the system uses an 8" floppy drive (to give the unit scale). Came with a large format matching MAI badged daisy wheel printer with plenty of extra daisy wheel fonts. Problem is its too big and heavy to do anything with so it lives in my basement.
 
As I mentioned it was used by an architechtural firm that owned this machine for savings digital architectural plans. This was a major firm who was responsible for many bridges and buildins in my state. This is also the firm that I got my Wang 7000 model from 1971. The Owner explained the history behind these machines when he gave them to me. I have books and programs along with the equipment. He explained how they are 3rd generation (he being the 3rd and was already up there in years) and he showed me these Analog wood angle tools from the 1870s they used to use in the early days for archways and bridges.

And portrait orientation just makes sense. Strange that only Mac monitors were every available in modern times in portrait mode (CRT). Wide screen monitors are just stupid when it comes to using computers....
 
Mai Basic4, Halloween 1975, Anaheim manufacturing, Systems test. In the mid 1970’s I worked in systems test.
 

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On a serious note I think this spring is time to give the old MAI Basic Four some love and attention. Stay posted.

And @Stev welcome to the Forum! If you worked at MAI we would love to hear some details.
 
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