GoKawiilInitially computers were complete and relatively closed products developed by individual manufacturers, which designed and produced all of their key components while also managing every aspect of their maintenance and use. The first significant departure from this production approach was brought on by minicomputers. Manufacturers no longer required an entirely original hardware or software design. Instead, they could combine various readily available minicomputer components into a functioning system, make their own modifications and market it under a new brand name. Electronic components, software, and other parts, such as their housings, could originate from entirely different industrial and design environments. The DEC PDP-11 minicomputers are a good example, since they were well established in Slovenia through locally produced variants manufactured by the company Iskra Delta.
With the advent of microcomputers this new production approach was further refined. The development of readily available microprocessors, different memory and controler chips, as well as hard-disk and floppy-disk drives and other compatible components, enabled even small companies with no prior experience in the field to begin producing their own microcomputers. Entry into the industry became considerably easier, however, manufacturers lost a substantial degree of their independence. Success of their products largely depended on effective advertisting and positioning in an increasingly saturated market. In addition to integrating readily available components into a complete product, local adaptations and high-quality technical support became increasingly important. This production approach was consolidated by the introduction of the IBM PC microcomputer, which, contrary to the company’s traditional practice, was designed as a more open product assembled from components manufactured by different suppliers.
Microcomputer Partner
The Iskra Delta Partner is regarded as the most successful Slovenian microcomputer. It represents one of the earliest and most significant domestic attempts to develop and mass-produce computers. In fact, it was a domestic version of a well established type of microcomputer based on integrated circuits from the Zilog Z80 family and the CP/M operating system. However, Partner was not merely a copy of better known foreign computers. It was a result of smart integration of internationally available technological solutions and approaches with domestic development and adaptations. Today, it serves as a valuable example for examining the changes in computer manufacturing brought on by mini and microcomputers. The Computer Museum’s collection contains five Partner computers from different time periods. During routine examination and restoration, we asked ourselves: Where did their distinctive computer case actually originate from and what can it tell us about the computer industry of the 1980s? While attention is usually focused on main functional units, the external appearance of a device can also reveal much about how an international network of manufacturers and designers contributes to the creation of products that we recognize as distinctly domestic.
Microcomputer Partner. Wolfgang Stief on Flickr. (CC Public domain)
In 1983, the newly merged Iskra Delta company sought to immediately establish a strong presence on the domestic market by introducing a competitive, mass-produced computer. The Partner microcomputer was designed for a broad range of users, including businesses, institutions, and schools. Since the company still possessed relatively limited in-house production capabilities, it had to rely on foreign suppliers and components. The printed circuit boards were manufactured to order in Italy, while the distinctive enclosures were produced in England. In Ljubljana, the printed circuit boards were fitted with electronic components and tested, then installed into their housings together with the display unites. The computer also required a suitable domestically produced firmware (BIOS) to run the popular CP/M 2.2 operating system and well-established business software.
Later version Partner in original computer case. Computer museum in Ljubljana.
In addition to the first business version of Partner, two later versions were developed. The second, graphical version, released in 1985, was an enhanced version od the first one, equipped with a basic graphics controller and a local-area network (LAN) controller. It belonged to the Triglav family of microcomputers and terminals, distinguished by a highly characteristic and ergonomic computer case designs, created by Vid Brataševec at the Mak design studio in Koper. The design received an industrial design award. The third version of Partner, released in 1987 was compatible with IBM PCs. It was an entirely different type of microcomputer, based on integrated circuits from the Intel 80286 family and the MS-DOS operating system. It was sometimes marketed as a workstation. The computer was housed in a characteristic horizontal desktop case with a separate monitor on top. The design matched that of the other computers and terminals in the Triglav family.
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