Difference between revisions of "Dragon Data Ltd"

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[[File:DragonData.jpg|right|thumb|Dragon Data Ltd Factory]]
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[[Image:Logo dragondata.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]  
  
Dragon Data Ltd was a Welsh producer of home computers during the early 1980s. These computers, the [[Dragon 32]] and [[Dragon 64]], strongly resembled the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer ("CoCo")—both followed a standard Motorola datasheet configuration for the three key components (CPU, SAM and VDG). The machines came in both 32KB and (later) 64KB versions.
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== The people ==
 +
*[[Tony Clarke| Clarke, Tony]] - managing director, 10.1982 - 09.1983
 +
*[[Brian Moore|Moore, Brian]] - managing director, 09.1983 - 08.1984
 +
*[[Steve Davis|Davis, Steve]] - marketing assistant, 198x - 198x
 +
*[[Duncan Smeed|Smeed, Duncan]] - technical software manager, 198x - 198x
 +
*[[Richard Wadman|Wadman, Richard]] - marketing director, 198x - 198x
 +
*[[Derek Williams|Williams, Derek]] - technical director, 198x - 198x
  
The history of Dragon Data Ltd in the period 1982–84 was a chequered one. The company was originally set up by a Toy Company called [[Mettoy]], and after initial good sales looked to have a bright future. At its high point it entered negotiations with [[Tano]] to form a North American branch. [[Mettoy]] then suffered financial difficulties, casting a shadow on the future of Dragon Data Ltd before it was spun off as a separate company. However, a number of circumstances (the delay in introducing the 64K model, poor colour support with a maximum of 4 colours displayable in "graphics mode" and only 2 colours in the highest 256 x 192 pixel mode, the late introduction of the external disk unit and of the supporting [[OS-9]] based software) caused the company to lose market share.
+
== The history ==
  
To combat this, under the control of GEC, Dragon Data Ltd worked on the next generation of Dragon computers - the [[Project Alpha]] (or Dragon Professional) and [[Project Beta]] (or Dragon 128). These systems only made it to the prototype stage before the business went into receivership and was sold on to the Spanish startup [[Eurohard SA]] in 1984. Unfortunately Eurohard also suffered financial problems and went into receivership a couple of years later.
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'''Dragon Data''' was a Welsh producer of home computers during the early 1980s. These computers, the Dragon 32 and Dragon 64, strongly resembled the [[Tandy|Tandy CoCo]] as both followed a standard Motorola datasheet configuration for the three key components (CPU, SAM and VDG). The machines came in both 32KB and (later) 64KB versions.  
  
In addition to the [[Dragon 32]] and [[Dragon 64]], an MSX-compatible machine, the [[Dragon MSX]] reached the prototype stage.
+
The history of Dragon Data in the period 1982–84 was a chequered one. The company was originally set up by a toy company called [[Mettoy]], and after initial good sales looked to have a bright future. At it's high point it entered negotiations with [[Tano]] to form a North American branch. [[Mettoy]] then suffered financial difficulties, casting a shadow on the future of [[Dragon Data]] before it was spun off as a separate company. However, a number of circumstances (the delay in introducing the [[Dragon 64|64K]] model, poor colour support with a maximum of 4 colours displayable in "graphics mode" and only 2 colours in the highest 256 x 192 pixel mode, the late introduction of the [[Dragon Data Disk Drive|external disk unit]] (and of the supporting [[OS9]]-based software) caused the company to lose market share.  
  
 +
To combat this, under the control of [[GEC Dragon|GEC]], [[Dragon Data]] worked on the next generation of Dragon computers - the [[Alpha prototype|Dragon Alpha (or Professional)]] and [[Beta protoype|Beta (or 128)]]. These systems only made it to the prototype stage before the business went into receivership and was sold on to the Spanish startup [[Eurohard SA|Eurohard]] in 1984. Unfortunately [[Eurohard SA|Eurohard]] also suffered financial problems and went into receivership a couple of years later.
  
== History / Timeline ==
+
In addition to the [[Dragon 32]] and [[Dragon 64|64]], an MSX-compatible machine, the [[Dragon MSX-64]] reached the production stage, with around 500 units being made.
  
 +
Parts of this article is sourced from Wikipedia under the GNU FD License.
  
To see a full history of how [[Dragon Data Ltd]] came to be, look at timeline below:
+
== References  ==
  
[[1912 - 1933 Tipp & Co. (TCO)]]
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*Smeed, D. & Sommerville, I. (1983). ''[[Inside The Dragon]]''. Addison-Wesley.
  
[[1933 - 1983 Mettoy]]
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== Software  ==
  
[[1982 - 1984 Dragon Data Ltd]]
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[[Dragon Data]] of course had their own line of software for their "beast". Many of the releases were converted [[Tandy|Tandy CoCo]] software, lisenced from the US. They released software on both cassette and floppy discs, as well as on cartridges.
  
 +
{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" width="100%"
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|- valign="top"
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| style="vertical-align: top" | <div style="border-right: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-right: 1em; border-top: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-left: 1em; padding-bottom: 0.5em; margin: 0px 0px 5px; border-left: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-top: 0.5em; border-bottom: #e4dede 1px solid; background-color: #f9f9f9">
 +
=== Dragon Data games  ===
  
== Software ==
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*[[Adventure Trilogy|Adventure Trilogy]]
 +
*[[Astroblast|Astroblast (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Berserk|Berserk (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Beyond The Cimeoon Moon]]
 +
*[[Black Sanctum|Black Sanctum]]
 +
*[[Bloc Head|Bloc Head]]
 +
*[[Breakout|Breakout]]
 +
*[[Breakout And Middle Kingdom|Breakout/Middle Kingdom]]
 +
*[[Bridge Master|Bridge Master]]
 +
*[[Calixto Island|Calixto Island]]
 +
*[[Cave Hunter|Cave Hunter (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Circus Adventure]]
 +
*[[Cosmic Clones|Cosmic Clones]]
 +
*[[Cosmic Invaders|Cosmic Invaders (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Cyrus Chess|Cyrus Chess (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Doodle Bug|Doodle Bug (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Dragon Mountain|Dragon Mountain]]
 +
*[[Dragon Special Selection 1|Dragon Special Selection 1]]
 +
*[[Dragon Special Selection 3]]
 +
*[[Dragon Special Selection 4]]
 +
*[[El Bandito|El Bandito]]
 +
*[[El Diablero|El Diablero]]
 +
*[[Final Countdown]]
 +
*[[Flag|Flag]]
 +
*[[Flight|Flight]]
 +
*[[Galax Attax|Galax Attax]]
 +
*[[Ghost Attack|Ghost Attack (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Happy Birthday Dragon]]
 +
*[[Jump Jet|Jump Jet]]
 +
*[[Junior's Revenge|Junior's Revenge]]
 +
*[[Lunar Rover Patrol|Lunar Rover Patrol]]
 +
*[[Madness And The Minotaur|Madness And The Minotaur]]
 +
*[[Mansion Of Doom]]
 +
*[[Meteoroids|Meteoroids (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Middle Kingdom|Middle Kingdom]]
 +
*[[Monsters & Magic|Monsters &amp; Magic]]
 +
*[[Moon Hopper|Moon Hopper]]
 +
*[[Nerble Force|Nerble Force]]
 +
*[[Poseidon Adventure]]
 +
*[[Rail Runner|Rail Runner (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[School Maze]]
 +
*[[Shaft|Shaft]]
 +
*[[Shark Treasure|Shark Treasure]]
 +
*[[Shuttlezap|Shuttlezap]]
 +
*[[Stalag and Eno|Stalag/Eno]]
 +
*[[Starfighter|Starfighter]]
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*[[Starship Chameleon|Starship Chameleon (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Storm Arrows|Storm Arrows]]
 +
*[[Tee Off|Tee Off]]
 +
*[[Quest|Quest]]
 +
*[[Viking|Viking]]
 +
*[[Whirlybird Run|Whirlybird Run]]
 +
*[[World Beyond The Cimeeon Moon|World Beyond The Cimeeon Moon]]
 +
</div>
 +
|}
  
CARTRIDGE ALLDREAM
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{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" width="100%"
 +
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="vertical-align: top" | <div style="border-right: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-right: 1em; border-top: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-left: 1em; padding-bottom: 0.5em; margin: 0px 0px 5px; border-left: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-top: 0.5em; border-bottom: #e4dede 1px solid; background-color: #f9f9f9">
 +
=== Dragon Data applications  ===
  
CARTRIDGE A2000 SHOP DEMO
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*[[Alldream|Alldream (cartridge)]]
 +
*[[Computavoice|Computavoice]]
 +
*[[Dragon Forth|Dragon Forth]]
 +
*[[Dragon Special Selection 2|Dragon Special Selection 2]]
 +
*[[Dream|Dream]]
 +
*[[Dreambug|Dreambug]]
 +
*[[Examples From The Manual|Examples From The Manual]]
 +
*[[Graphic Animator|Graphic Animator]]
 +
*[[Music Box|Music Box]]
 +
*[[Personal Finance|Personal Finance]]
 +
*[[Pixel Editor]]
 +
*[[Super Dragon Writer II|Super Dragon Writer II]]
 +
*[[Synther 7|Synther 7]]
 +
*[[Timscript]]
 +
*[[Typing Tutor|Typing Tutor]]
 +
</div>
 +
|}
  
CARTRIDGE ASTROBLAST
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{| class="FCK__ShowTableBorders" width="100%"
 +
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="vertical-align: top" | <div style="border-right: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-right: 1em; border-top: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-left: 1em; padding-bottom: 0.5em; margin: 0px 0px 5px; border-left: #e4dede 1px solid; padding-top: 0.5em; border-bottom: #e4dede 1px solid; background-color: #f9f9f9">
 +
=== Dragon Data educational software  ===
  
CARTRIDGE BERSERK
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*[[Hide And Seek]]
 +
*[[Lets Count|Let's Count]]
 +
*[[Number Gulper]]
 +
*[[Number Puzzler]]
 +
*[[Words Words Words|Words, Words, Words]]
 +
</div>
 +
|}
  
CARTRIDGE BRIDGE MASTER (PLUS CASSETTE))
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[[Category:Software_publishers]]
 
 
CARTRIDGE CAVE HUNTER
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE CHESS
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE COSMIC INVADERS
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE DOODLE BUG
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE GHOST ATTACK
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE LOGO
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE METEOROIDS
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE RAIL RUNNER
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE STARSHIP CHAMELEON
 
 
 
CARTRIDGE SUPER DRAGON WRITER II
 
 
 
 
 
TAPE ADVENTURE TRILOGY
 
 
 
TAPE ALLDREAM
 
 
 
TAPE ASTROLOGY
 
 
 
TAPE BEYOND THE CIMEEON MOON
 
 
 
TAPE BLACK SANCTUM
 
 
 
TAPE BLACK SANCTUM (GRAPHICAL)
 
 
 
TAPE BLOC HEAD
 
 
 
TAPE BUMPERS
 
 
 
TAPE CALIXTO ISLAND
 
 
 
TAPE CALIXTO ISLAND (GRAPHICAL)
 
 
 
TAPE CHILDREN FROM SPACE
 
 
 
TAPE CIMEON MOON
 
 
 
TAPE CIRCUS ADVENTURE)
 
 
 
TAPE COMPUTAVOICE
 
 
 
TAPE COSMIC CLONES
 
 
 
TAPE CRANKY
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON BIRTHDAY SPECIAL
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON FORTH
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON MOUNTAIN
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON SELECTION 1
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON SELECTION 2
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON SELECTION 3
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON SELECTION 4
 
 
 
TAPE DRAGON SELECTION 5
 
 
 
TAPE DREAM
 
 
 
TAPE DREAMBUG
 
 
 
TAPE EL BANDITO
 
 
 
TAPE EL DIABLERO
 
 
 
TAPE ENO / STALAG
 
 
 
TAPE EXAMPLES FROM THE MANUAL
 
 
 
TAPE FACE MAKER
 
 
 
TAPE FEMBOTS' REVENGE
 
 
 
TAPE FINAL COUNTDOWN
 
 
 
TAPE FLAG
 
 
 
TAPE FLIGHT
 
 
 
TAPE FRUITY
 
 
 
TAPE GALAX ATTAX
 
 
 
TAPE GRAPHIC ANIMATOR
 
 
 
TAPE HIDE & SEEK
 
 
 
TAPE JUMPJET
 
 
 
TAPE JUNIOR'S REVENGE
 
 
 
TAPE LET'S COUNT
 
 
 
TAPE LUNAR ROVER PATROL
 
 
 
TAPE MADNESS & THE MINOTAUR
 
 
 
TAPE MANSION OF DOOM
 
 
 
TAPE MIDDLE KINGDOM / BREAKOUT
 
 
 
TAPE MONSTERS & MAGIC
 
 
 
TAPE MOONHOPPER
 
 
 
TAPE MUSIC BOX
 
 
 
TAPE NERBLE FORCE
 
 
 
TAPE NUMBER CHASER
 
 
 
TAPE NUMBER GULPER
 
 
 
TAPE NUMBER PUZZLER
 
 
 
TAPE PERSONAL FINANCE
 
 
 
TAPE PIXEL EDITOR
 
 
 
TAPE POSEIDON ADVENTURE
 
 
 
TAPE QUEST
 
 
 
TAPE SAMSIM
 
 
 
TAPE SCHOOL MAZE
 
 
 
TAPE SEA QUEST
 
 
 
TAPE SHAFT
 
 
 
TAPE SHAPE UP
 
 
 
TAPE SHARK TREASURE
 
 
 
TAPE SHENANIGANS
 
 
 
TAPE SHUTTLEZAP
 
 
 
TAPE SPACE TREK
 
 
 
TAPE STARFIGHTER
 
 
 
TAPE STORM ARROWS
 
 
 
TAPE SYNTHER 7
 
 
 
TAPE TABLE ADVENTURES
 
 
 
TAPE TEE OFF
 
 
 
TAPE THE GRUNEBERG LINKWORD LANGUAGE SYSTEM - FRENCH
 
 
 
TAPE THE GRUNEBERG LINKWORD LANGUAGE SYSTEM - GERMAN
 
 
 
TAPE THE GRUNEBERG LINKWORD LANGUAGE SYSTEM - ITALIAN
 
 
 
TAPE THE GRUNEBERG LINKWORD LANGUAGE SYSTEM - SPANISH
 
 
 
TAPE TIMSCRIPT
 
 
 
TAPE TYPING TUTOR
 
 
 
TAPE VIKING
 
 
 
TAPE WHIRLYBIRD RUN
 
 
 
TAPE WORDS, WORDS, WORDS
 
 
 
 
 
== OS-9 ==
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Basic 09]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 C Compiler]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Cash & VAT]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Dynacalc]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Editor Assembler]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 System]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Programmers Manual]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Pascal]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Record Management System]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Stock Recording]]
 
 
 
[[OS-9 Stylograph]]
 

Revision as of 22:57, 21 July 2009

The people

The history

Dragon Data was a Welsh producer of home computers during the early 1980s. These computers, the Dragon 32 and Dragon 64, strongly resembled the Tandy CoCo as both followed a standard Motorola datasheet configuration for the three key components (CPU, SAM and VDG). The machines came in both 32KB and (later) 64KB versions.

The history of Dragon Data in the period 1982–84 was a chequered one. The company was originally set up by a toy company called Mettoy, and after initial good sales looked to have a bright future. At it's high point it entered negotiations with Tano to form a North American branch. Mettoy then suffered financial difficulties, casting a shadow on the future of Dragon Data before it was spun off as a separate company. However, a number of circumstances (the delay in introducing the 64K model, poor colour support with a maximum of 4 colours displayable in "graphics mode" and only 2 colours in the highest 256 x 192 pixel mode, the late introduction of the external disk unit (and of the supporting OS9-based software) caused the company to lose market share.

To combat this, under the control of GEC, Dragon Data worked on the next generation of Dragon computers - the Dragon Alpha (or Professional) and Beta (or 128). These systems only made it to the prototype stage before the business went into receivership and was sold on to the Spanish startup Eurohard in 1984. Unfortunately Eurohard also suffered financial problems and went into receivership a couple of years later.

In addition to the Dragon 32 and 64, an MSX-compatible machine, the Dragon MSX-64 reached the production stage, with around 500 units being made.

Parts of this article is sourced from Wikipedia under the GNU FD License.

References

Software

Dragon Data of course had their own line of software for their "beast". Many of the releases were converted Tandy CoCo software, lisenced from the US. They released software on both cassette and floppy discs, as well as on cartridges.

Dragon Data games