CEMCorp ICON
Dublin Core
Title
CEMCorp ICON
Subject
educational computer
Description
Historical context
(by Z. Stachniak)
Since the late 1940s, several computer enthusiasts and dedicated educators have engaged in a variety of computing-related activities, ranging from the design of computer toys and educational aids to publishing and establishing computer clubs and organizations. In 1949, Edmund Berkeley published Giant Brains or Machines That Think, a book intended for a general audience interested in technological innovations. He followed it with a series of computer construction projects and educational devices in the 1950s, including Simon, BRAINIAC, and GENIAC. These devices were not intended as scientific instruments, but rather as educational tools
to exhibit in simple understandable form the essential principle of any artificial brain
[E. Berkeley and R.A. Jensen, World's Smallest Electric Brain, Radio Electronics, October 1950.]
Berkeley's computer education ideas inspired others to find ways of introducing knowledge about computers and their role in modern society to educators, electronics hobbyists, and even children. One such individual was Joseph Weisbecker, a computer engineer at RCA. His career spanned a wide range of fields, from designing mainframe computer hardware to developing microprocessors and microcomputer architectures. However, his true passion lay in demystifying the little-understood world of digital computing. Weisbecker's numerous iterations of his Flexible Recreational and Educational Device (FRED) were not another tape of computer toy—despite having designed many in the past—but as affordable, general-purpose computers for use in homes and schools.
The introduction of the first microprocessors in the early 1970s not only reshaped the semiconductor industry but also gave rise to the global microcomputer industry. Education quickly emerged as one of the key application areas driving this new technological wave. As early as 1973, during the launch of its MCM/70 computer, the Canadian electronics company Micro Computer Machines (MCM) identified education as a primary market for microcomputers. The company emphasized that computers like the MCM/70 could
provide each student in a computer equipped classroom with his own individualized interactive computer. [...]
Featuring a language suitable in its simplicity and power for students and teachers alike, the MCM/70
brings to the world of education a technological solution to the problem of introducing economical interactive
computer systems. [MCM promotional brochure, 1974]
By the early 1980s, the use of microcomputers in schools had become widespread. In several countries, educators began experimenting with large-scale computer education programs. One such initiative was the BBC Computer Literacy Project, launched in the UK in 1981. It played a significant role in introducing computing into UK homes and schools and served as a crucial stepping stone for many people's first experiences with computers and programming.
In Canada, the television series Bits and Bytes, produced by TVOntario in 1983, aimed to teach the basics of home and personal computer use and applications. That same year, the Ottawa-based NABU Network launched an education channel that featured both commercial and teacher-developed courseware. The content covered a broad range of subjects, including the arts, languages, computer programming, skills and tools, as well as mathematics, history, and various scientific disciplines.
Ontario Educational Computer
In the early 1980s, Canadian provinces and territories recognized that computers would have a significant impact on education. This awareness was reflected in the formation of numerous working committees and task forces at both the government and local school board levels. It became increasingly clear that advancements in microelectronics would continue to drive major changes in Canadian society—particularly within the education system.
At the time, Canadian schools were using a wide array of incompatible microcomputers produced by companies such as Apple Computer, Atari, Commodore, Tandy, and Texas Instruments. As a result, educational software had to be developed separately for each platform, making it difficult to standardize and streamline computer-based education programs. In response to this challenge, the Ontario Ministry of Education began implementing a coordinated computer education program in 1983.
It is increasingly important that students in Ontario schools have the opportunity to the full
extent of their abilities to become knowledgeable and creative users of the microcomputer as a
personal tool. Only in this way will we be able, individually and corporately, to cope with the
"Information Revolution" that advancing micro-technology is creating, and to take full advantage of
the social and economic opportunities it creates.
[The Ministry of Education, Ontario, Policy/Program Memorandum No.
68, March 24, 1983]
The Ministry argued that the most effective way to address the hardware and software needs of Ontario schools was to base the selection of microcomputers on well-researched and clearly defined functional requirements. The Functional Requirements for Microcomputers for Educational Use in Ontario Schools were issued in 1983. School boards that purchased microcomputers meeting these standards were eligible to receive grants covering 75% of the purchase cost. Additionally, the Ministry allocated $5 million for the development of educational software for use with microcomputers that met its requirements.
The new Ontario educational computing initiative was also designed to achieve another important goal: stimulating the growth of Canada’s microelectronics industry, particularly in the areas of hardware and software development. It was argued that
this need [for expertly developed educational software ] can best be met if a competitive educational software
industry can be established in Ontario whose primary market is the province's elementary and secondary school
system. Basing itself on this market and taking advantage of the strong R & D base in computer science which has
developed in Ontario universities, and the experience gained to date, such an industry could potentially seize a
dominant position internationally in the provision of educational software. [...] Unless every opportunity is taken to
develop in Canada a world class capability in these vital technologies we cannot remain competitive in the world economy.
[The Ministry of Education, Ontario, Policy/Program Memorandum No. 69, March 24, 1983]
CEMCorp ICON computer
At the time the Functional Requirements for Microcomputers for Educational Use in Ontario Schools were announced, only one Canadian company—Educational Microprocessor Corporation (CEMCorp) of Toronto—offered a computer design that met the specifications. Founded in 1981, CEMCorp was established in response to the Board of Industrial Leadership and Development’s recommendation to create an all-Canadian microcomputer tailored to the educational market and to support the growth of the Canadian educational software industry.
Given this context, it is not surprising that the Ontario Ministry of Education awarded CEMCorp a $10 million contract to complete the design and manufacture the ICON—a new standardized educational microcomputer system for Ontario schools.
CEMCorp began shipping the ICON in 1984. The computer was manufactured by Microtel in Belleville, Ontario (with the exception of the display manufactured in Taiwan). Its QNX operating system was developed by Quantum Software Systems of Ottawa, while Toronto-based Burroughs Canada was contracted to handle sales and support.
Between 1984 and the early 1990s, several generations of the ICON were produced. In 1986, the ICON II workstation was introduced by Unisys Corporation, which had been formed through the merger of Burroughs and Sperry Rand. The ICON II featured a redesigned case, a detached keyboard with an integrated trackball, expanded RAM, and support for an internal hard disk.
The ICON II was later succeeded by several models of IBM-compatible computers, built around the Intel 386 processor and ran Microsoft DOS and Windows operating systems.
The success of IBM and Apple Computer in the microcomputer market—along with other manufacturers gaining ministerial approval for educational computers that had originally been the exclusive domain of the ICON—led to a significantly reduced presence of Unisys computers in Ontario schools. Moreover, unlike the ICON, these well-established platforms were supported by an extensive base of software publishers that provided vast libraries of educational software.
Ultimately, the Ontario Ministry of Education ended all support for the ICON platform in 1994, which was soon followed by Unisys discontinuing ICON production. Despite its eventual demise, the ICON had a lasting impact on computer education in Ontario, introducing a generation of students and teachers to the world of computing.
CEMCorp ICON technical description
The CEMCorp ICON computer was based on a workstation–file server model, with the file server—called the LEXICON—providing system and application software, external storage, and connectivity to shared peripherals such as printers. The workstation itself was housed in a large metal case, featuring a tilt-and-swivel display mounted on top, a built-in full-sized keyboard, and a trackball. It booted from the LEXICON server via a dedicated ARCNET network.
The ICON offered NAPLPS/Telidon-based graphics and included a speech synthesis controller that enabled synthetic speech communication. A GUI-based Ambience software, developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education, provided an environment for students and teachers to, among other operations, interact with ICON without the explicit use of the operating system.
The LEXICON file server was housed in a cuboid-shaped metal enclosure and featured an internal hard drive with a minimum storage capacity of 10 MB, along with a single 5.25" floppy disk drive. In addition to system and application software, the hard drive stored all user workspaces. The server included multiple ports for connecting ICON workstations, a shared printer, and optional external peripherals such as a keyboard and display. Internally, its hardware closely resembled that of the ICON workstation.
CEMCorp selected the little-known QUNIX operating system—renamed QNX in 1983—for the ICON. Its adoption by CEMCorp, and shortly thereafter by the NABU Network for its NABU 1600 computer, helped open the global embedded systems market to QNX.
CEMCorp ICON software
One of the key objectives of the Ministry’s Ontario Approved Educational Computer initiative was to foster the growth of a competitive educational software industry. To support this goal, the Ministry allocated $5 million to its Exemplary Lessonware Project, aimed at assisting in the development of high-quality educational software aligned with the learning objectives outlined in the Ministry’s curriculum guidelines for elementary and secondary schools.
More than 500 software proposals were submitted in response to the call for computer-based learning materials; however, only 57 lessonware projects were selected for funding. These projects were managed by the Ontario Educational Software Service (OESS), and the completed software was distributed by TVOntario.
However, by the end of 1987, Ontario's educational software industry remained in its early stages. Despite some notable exceptions, companies from outside the province were generally reluctant to participate. As a result, fewer than 100 lessonware titles were available through TVO/OESS (see the list below), which negatively affected ICON’s competitiveness in the educational market.
Several programming languages were offered for the ICON, including C and Logo from UNISIS, as well as APL, BASIC, COBOL, Fortran, and Pascal from Watcom of Waterloo. Other notable software developed for the ICON included the aforementioned Ambience, created by the Ontario Ministry of Education, ALICE Pascal from Looking Glass Software in Toronto, and a variety of text and graphics editors.
Selected ICON software, 1987:
(1) le Centre franco-ontarien de ressources pédagogiques, Ottawa, On.
(2) Computers in Education Centre, the Ministry of Education of Ontario
(3) Innovations Foundation, University of Toronto, ON
(4) Canadian Education Computer Systems, Beamsville, ON
(5) Mindflight Technology Inc., Dunnville, ON
(6) Faculty of Education, Queen's University, Kingston, ON
(7) Peel Board of Education, Mississauga, ON
(8) Gemini Education Group, Don Mills, ON
(9) International Cinemedia Center Ltd., Toronto, ON
(10) Logicus Inc., Nobelton, ON
(11) Computer Systems and Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON
(12) DAD's Computing, Ancasetr, ON
(13) J.J. and J Enterprises, Brantford, ON
(14) Soft Sell, Bolton, ON
(15) Twintek Educational Software, Orilla, ON
(16) Interactive Image Technologies, Toronto, ON
(17) Liveware, Winnipeg, MB
(18) Southwood Park School, Ajax, ON
(19) Snowbird Software, Hamilton, ON
(20) Courseware Solutions Inc., Toronto, ON
CEMCorp ICON workstation technical specifications
Museum holdings
(by Z. Stachniak)
Since the late 1940s, several computer enthusiasts and dedicated educators have engaged in a variety of computing-related activities, ranging from the design of computer toys and educational aids to publishing and establishing computer clubs and organizations. In 1949, Edmund Berkeley published Giant Brains or Machines That Think, a book intended for a general audience interested in technological innovations. He followed it with a series of computer construction projects and educational devices in the 1950s, including Simon, BRAINIAC, and GENIAC. These devices were not intended as scientific instruments, but rather as educational tools
to exhibit in simple understandable form the essential principle of any artificial brain
[E. Berkeley and R.A. Jensen, World's Smallest Electric Brain, Radio Electronics, October 1950.]
Berkeley's computer education ideas inspired others to find ways of introducing knowledge about computers and their role in modern society to educators, electronics hobbyists, and even children. One such individual was Joseph Weisbecker, a computer engineer at RCA. His career spanned a wide range of fields, from designing mainframe computer hardware to developing microprocessors and microcomputer architectures. However, his true passion lay in demystifying the little-understood world of digital computing. Weisbecker's numerous iterations of his Flexible Recreational and Educational Device (FRED) were not another tape of computer toy—despite having designed many in the past—but as affordable, general-purpose computers for use in homes and schools.
The introduction of the first microprocessors in the early 1970s not only reshaped the semiconductor industry but also gave rise to the global microcomputer industry. Education quickly emerged as one of the key application areas driving this new technological wave. As early as 1973, during the launch of its MCM/70 computer, the Canadian electronics company Micro Computer Machines (MCM) identified education as a primary market for microcomputers. The company emphasized that computers like the MCM/70 could
provide each student in a computer equipped classroom with his own individualized interactive computer. [...]
Featuring a language suitable in its simplicity and power for students and teachers alike, the MCM/70
brings to the world of education a technological solution to the problem of introducing economical interactive
computer systems. [MCM promotional brochure, 1974]
By the early 1980s, the use of microcomputers in schools had become widespread. In several countries, educators began experimenting with large-scale computer education programs. One such initiative was the BBC Computer Literacy Project, launched in the UK in 1981. It played a significant role in introducing computing into UK homes and schools and served as a crucial stepping stone for many people's first experiences with computers and programming.
In Canada, the television series Bits and Bytes, produced by TVOntario in 1983, aimed to teach the basics of home and personal computer use and applications. That same year, the Ottawa-based NABU Network launched an education channel that featured both commercial and teacher-developed courseware. The content covered a broad range of subjects, including the arts, languages, computer programming, skills and tools, as well as mathematics, history, and various scientific disciplines.
Ontario Educational Computer
In the early 1980s, Canadian provinces and territories recognized that computers would have a significant impact on education. This awareness was reflected in the formation of numerous working committees and task forces at both the government and local school board levels. It became increasingly clear that advancements in microelectronics would continue to drive major changes in Canadian society—particularly within the education system.
At the time, Canadian schools were using a wide array of incompatible microcomputers produced by companies such as Apple Computer, Atari, Commodore, Tandy, and Texas Instruments. As a result, educational software had to be developed separately for each platform, making it difficult to standardize and streamline computer-based education programs. In response to this challenge, the Ontario Ministry of Education began implementing a coordinated computer education program in 1983.
It is increasingly important that students in Ontario schools have the opportunity to the full
extent of their abilities to become knowledgeable and creative users of the microcomputer as a
personal tool. Only in this way will we be able, individually and corporately, to cope with the
"Information Revolution" that advancing micro-technology is creating, and to take full advantage of
the social and economic opportunities it creates.
[The Ministry of Education, Ontario, Policy/Program Memorandum No.
68, March 24, 1983]
The Ministry argued that the most effective way to address the hardware and software needs of Ontario schools was to base the selection of microcomputers on well-researched and clearly defined functional requirements. The Functional Requirements for Microcomputers for Educational Use in Ontario Schools were issued in 1983. School boards that purchased microcomputers meeting these standards were eligible to receive grants covering 75% of the purchase cost. Additionally, the Ministry allocated $5 million for the development of educational software for use with microcomputers that met its requirements.
The new Ontario educational computing initiative was also designed to achieve another important goal: stimulating the growth of Canada’s microelectronics industry, particularly in the areas of hardware and software development. It was argued that
this need [for expertly developed educational software ] can best be met if a competitive educational software
industry can be established in Ontario whose primary market is the province's elementary and secondary school
system. Basing itself on this market and taking advantage of the strong R & D base in computer science which has
developed in Ontario universities, and the experience gained to date, such an industry could potentially seize a
dominant position internationally in the provision of educational software. [...] Unless every opportunity is taken to
develop in Canada a world class capability in these vital technologies we cannot remain competitive in the world economy.
[The Ministry of Education, Ontario, Policy/Program Memorandum No. 69, March 24, 1983]
CEMCorp ICON computer
At the time the Functional Requirements for Microcomputers for Educational Use in Ontario Schools were announced, only one Canadian company—Educational Microprocessor Corporation (CEMCorp) of Toronto—offered a computer design that met the specifications. Founded in 1981, CEMCorp was established in response to the Board of Industrial Leadership and Development’s recommendation to create an all-Canadian microcomputer tailored to the educational market and to support the growth of the Canadian educational software industry.
Given this context, it is not surprising that the Ontario Ministry of Education awarded CEMCorp a $10 million contract to complete the design and manufacture the ICON—a new standardized educational microcomputer system for Ontario schools.
CEMCorp began shipping the ICON in 1984. The computer was manufactured by Microtel in Belleville, Ontario (with the exception of the display manufactured in Taiwan). Its QNX operating system was developed by Quantum Software Systems of Ottawa, while Toronto-based Burroughs Canada was contracted to handle sales and support.
Between 1984 and the early 1990s, several generations of the ICON were produced. In 1986, the ICON II workstation was introduced by Unisys Corporation, which had been formed through the merger of Burroughs and Sperry Rand. The ICON II featured a redesigned case, a detached keyboard with an integrated trackball, expanded RAM, and support for an internal hard disk.
The ICON II was later succeeded by several models of IBM-compatible computers, built around the Intel 386 processor and ran Microsoft DOS and Windows operating systems.
The success of IBM and Apple Computer in the microcomputer market—along with other manufacturers gaining ministerial approval for educational computers that had originally been the exclusive domain of the ICON—led to a significantly reduced presence of Unisys computers in Ontario schools. Moreover, unlike the ICON, these well-established platforms were supported by an extensive base of software publishers that provided vast libraries of educational software.
Ultimately, the Ontario Ministry of Education ended all support for the ICON platform in 1994, which was soon followed by Unisys discontinuing ICON production. Despite its eventual demise, the ICON had a lasting impact on computer education in Ontario, introducing a generation of students and teachers to the world of computing.
CEMCorp ICON technical description
The CEMCorp ICON computer was based on a workstation–file server model, with the file server—called the LEXICON—providing system and application software, external storage, and connectivity to shared peripherals such as printers. The workstation itself was housed in a large metal case, featuring a tilt-and-swivel display mounted on top, a built-in full-sized keyboard, and a trackball. It booted from the LEXICON server via a dedicated ARCNET network.
The ICON offered NAPLPS/Telidon-based graphics and included a speech synthesis controller that enabled synthetic speech communication. A GUI-based Ambience software, developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education, provided an environment for students and teachers to, among other operations, interact with ICON without the explicit use of the operating system.
The LEXICON file server was housed in a cuboid-shaped metal enclosure and featured an internal hard drive with a minimum storage capacity of 10 MB, along with a single 5.25" floppy disk drive. In addition to system and application software, the hard drive stored all user workspaces. The server included multiple ports for connecting ICON workstations, a shared printer, and optional external peripherals such as a keyboard and display. Internally, its hardware closely resembled that of the ICON workstation.
CEMCorp selected the little-known QUNIX operating system—renamed QNX in 1983—for the ICON. Its adoption by CEMCorp, and shortly thereafter by the NABU Network for its NABU 1600 computer, helped open the global embedded systems market to QNX.
CEMCorp ICON software
One of the key objectives of the Ministry’s Ontario Approved Educational Computer initiative was to foster the growth of a competitive educational software industry. To support this goal, the Ministry allocated $5 million to its Exemplary Lessonware Project, aimed at assisting in the development of high-quality educational software aligned with the learning objectives outlined in the Ministry’s curriculum guidelines for elementary and secondary schools.
More than 500 software proposals were submitted in response to the call for computer-based learning materials; however, only 57 lessonware projects were selected for funding. These projects were managed by the Ontario Educational Software Service (OESS), and the completed software was distributed by TVOntario.
However, by the end of 1987, Ontario's educational software industry remained in its early stages. Despite some notable exceptions, companies from outside the province were generally reluctant to participate. As a result, fewer than 100 lessonware titles were available through TVO/OESS (see the list below), which negatively affected ICON’s competitiveness in the educational market.
Several programming languages were offered for the ICON, including C and Logo from UNISIS, as well as APL, BASIC, COBOL, Fortran, and Pascal from Watcom of Waterloo. Other notable software developed for the ICON included the aforementioned Ambience, created by the Ontario Ministry of Education, ALICE Pascal from Looking Glass Software in Toronto, and a variety of text and graphics editors.
Selected ICON software, 1987:
| TITLE | AUTHORS | PUBLISHER | AREA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accele-read | M. Barcelos, M. Billard et al. | Centre (1) | reading |
| Animals of Ontario | A. Delong | Southwood (18) | biology |
| Art Treasures | J. Pollock | Ministry (2) | art history |
| Bar Graphs | M. Barcelos, M. Billard et al. | Centre (1) | data representation |
| The Bartlett Saga Part I: Refugees in the Wilderness | J. Bemrose, Ch. Moore | Interactive (16) | history, geography |
| The Bartlett Saga Part II: The Rebels | J. Bemrose | Interactive (16) | history, geography |
| The Bartlett Saga Part IV: The Golden West | P. McGrath, Ch. Moore | Interactive (16) | history, geography |
| B.C. Lumbering | J. Buckley, K. Donald | - | geography, economics |
| Cargo Sailer | ? | Ministry (2) | social studies, geography |
| CASI Accounting | Paul Rehak | Computer Systems (4) | business, accounting |
| Cattle | J. Pollock | Ministry (2) | biology, history |
| Colourball | ? | Ministry (2) | system demo |
| Contributing Canadians | J. Pollock | Ministry (2) | history |
| Data Classification | G. Caissy, M.Howart et al. | Mindflight (5) | social studies, science |
| Decide, Your Excellency | J. Leishman, J. Thiessen et al. | Liveware (17) | sociology, geography |
| Electric Chemistry Building | D. Santry, A. Blizzard et al. | Snowbird (19) | chemistry |
| Flame Life | J. Olson | Queen's (6) | physics |
| Food Nutrient Tally | S. Jones | Peel (7) | biology |
| Function Workshop | J. Thiessen et al. | Liveware (17) | math |
| Get Ready for Math | M. Howarth | Mindflight (5) | math |
| Grand Tour | L. Haynes | Copp Clark Pitman, Ltd. | math |
| Greenhouse | ? | ? | biology |
| Ideal Gas Simulation | M. Kilpatrick, G. Miao at al. | Gemini (8) | chemistry |
| InfoSchool - Create New Database | ? | ? | data management |
| InfoSchool - Discovering Ontario | ? | ? | geography |
| Intuitrig | B. Collacutt, D. Collacutt | Logicus (10) | math |
| IPaint | M.Lamb, J. Martin, L. Gondor | Innovations (3) | art |
| Izzit | M. Golick, M. Lee | Cinemedia (9) | problem solving, reading |
| Know Your Numbers | M. Howarth | Mindflight (5) | math |
| Learn to Ad | M. Howarth | Mindflight (5) | math |
| Learn to Count | M. Howarth | Mindflight (5) | math |
| Learn to Subtract | M. Howarth | Mindflight (5) | math |
| Learning Game Generator | ? | Ministry (2) | game generator |
| Logic Lab | W. Buxtonm M. Delange | UofT (11) | computer studies |
| Map Manoeuvre | C. Ratsep | social studies, geography | |
| Math Maze | D. Didu | DAD's (12) | math |
| MathVille | ? | Courseware (20) | math |
| Micro News | B. Collacutt, D. Collacutt | Logicus (10) | language arts |
| Moving Words | M.Barcelos, M.Billard et al. | Centre (1) | vocabulary |
| North-West Fur Trade | J. Brent | J.J. and J. (13) | geography, history |
| Offshore Fishing | D. Leslie | - | geography, environment |
| Partie-Prise | M. Barcelos, M. Billard et al. | Centre (1) | visual perception |
| Putting Yourself Together | S. White | East York Board (14) | social studies |
| Rapidodactylo | S. Nakamura, M. Kryger | - | science, dactylography |
| Ratio Factors | R. Snyder | - | chemistry |
| Shape Mate | B. Collacutt, D. Collacutt | Soft Sell (14) | geometry |
| Speakface | ? | Ministry (2) | language arts |
| The Number Place | ? | ? | math |
| The Puzzler | J. Gollan, D. Burnett, et al. | Queen's (6) | language arts, reading |
| The Voyages of Columbus | ? | Ministry (2) | social studies, history |
| Treasure of Ile Madame | ? | ? | ? |
| Type-Away | S. Nakamura, M. Kryger | - | typing |
| Unusual Countries | J. Pollock | Ministry (2) | geography, history |
| Upstairs-Downstairs | J. Hosack | Twintek (15) | special education |
(2) Computers in Education Centre, the Ministry of Education of Ontario
(3) Innovations Foundation, University of Toronto, ON
(4) Canadian Education Computer Systems, Beamsville, ON
(5) Mindflight Technology Inc., Dunnville, ON
(6) Faculty of Education, Queen's University, Kingston, ON
(7) Peel Board of Education, Mississauga, ON
(8) Gemini Education Group, Don Mills, ON
(9) International Cinemedia Center Ltd., Toronto, ON
(10) Logicus Inc., Nobelton, ON
(11) Computer Systems and Research Institute, University of Toronto, ON
(12) DAD's Computing, Ancasetr, ON
(13) J.J. and J Enterprises, Brantford, ON
(14) Soft Sell, Bolton, ON
(15) Twintek Educational Software, Orilla, ON
(16) Interactive Image Technologies, Toronto, ON
(17) Liveware, Winnipeg, MB
(18) Southwood Park School, Ajax, ON
(19) Snowbird Software, Hamilton, ON
(20) Courseware Solutions Inc., Toronto, ON
CEMCorp ICON workstation technical specifications
- CPU: Intel iAPX186, 7.16 MHz,
- RAM: 512KBytes,
- ROM: 128KBytes,
- Voice Synthesis Processor: TMS5220CNL speech synthesizer,
- display: 12in monochrome (640x240 pixels) or 13in color (320x240 pixels), Hitachi HD46505 SP-1 display controller supporting NAPLPS,
- keyboard: 96-key QWERTY with additional function keys and special keys: ACTION, HELP, PAUSE, and REBOOT,
- numeric keypad: 18-key, built-in,
- trackball: built-in,
- ports: Iconet network IN and OUT, video out, external keyboard, RS232 serial port (x2), parallel printer port,
- LAN: a modified ARCNET, 2.5 Mbit/sec token passing.
- CPU: Intel iAPX186, 7.16 MHz,
- motherboard: the same as ICON workstation,
- diskette drive: single 5 1/4" floppy diskette drive, 640Kbytes capacity,
- hard drive: minimum 10MBytes (YUCoM's LEXICON contains a Metropolis ST 506, 85MB hard drive),
- ports: external keyboard, external video, Iconet network IN and OUT, parallel port, RS232 serial port (x2), AC in and an auxiliary power out.
Museum holdings
- ICON archive: extensive collection of documents related to the introduction and development of the ICON program,
- CEMCorp ICON workstation, serial number 11003684 (on display),
- LEXICON file server, serial number T-841201-219, manufacturing date: April 1985,
- Unisis ICON 2 workstation, serial nr. 345953715, manufacturing date: Nov. 1987,
- Unisis Model CA-3321 computer, serial nr. 432008332,
- Unisis display terminal VGA 200 MON, serial nr. 310902161, manufacturing date: Feb. 1991.
Creator
The Ministry of Education of Ontario, CEMCorp, Unisis
Source
ICON archive, YUCoM
Date
1983-1994
Coverage
Ontario, Canada
Files
Citation
The Ministry of Education of Ontario, CEMCorp, Unisis, “CEMCorp ICON,” York University Computer Museum Canada, accessed May 19, 2025, https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/items/show/350.