Dejāzu-87 (computer)

Dejāzu-87

Dejāzu-87 Portable Computer.
Developer	Murai Setsuko
Manufacturer	Ministry of Digital Affairs / Karasu
Product family	Dejāzu Family
Type	Portable Computer
Release date	April 18th, 1986 (48 years ago)
Introductory price	N/A
Discontinued	January 5th, 2005 (29 years ago)
Units shipped	21.87 Million (total)
Media	Hikaridisuku, Dokiuku
Operating system	HAOPMU
CPU	Karasu Saitai 8Mhz 16-bit microprocessor
Memory	2.6mb RAM
Storage	10mb internal storage, internal 3'5 Dokiuku drive, connector to external Hikaridisuku system.
Display	Monochrome orange gas-plasma display
Graphics	640×400 / 80x25 textmode
Sound	Karasu KaneY0 six-channel sound chip
Input	thumb-shift keyboard, 58 keys
Power	Internal power supply (220v, 60w)
Dimensions	31.0cm x 36.1cm x 7.9cm
Mass	7.5kg (17lb)
Best-selling game	Kensuto (6.8 million copies distributed)
Successor	Dejāzu-06

The Dejāzu-87 (HCL: Dejitaru Afeāzu / 87) was an 16-bit portable PC produced by Neo-Korea released in 1986. It was a fairly modern platform for the time period, incorporating a 2.6mb Ram, 10mb of internal storage, and capacity to interact with both then-currently in-use Dokiuku discs and the then recently-developed Hikaridisuku system. The 87 was seen as futuristic at the time, and for a short period many forms of media focusing on futurism would incorporate orange screens and the newly developed thumb-shift keyboard as "inevitable signs of progress" despite their failings and eventual evaporation from the cultural mainstream over time.

The 87 was first introduced during the 2nd Omiskan Annual Technology Fair, held two years after the 1st Fair which had revealed the HAOPMU processing system. During the course of the fair, the Ministry of Digital Affairs would reveal a number of projects, the majority being based on the Sysrésociaux/Teletex networks previous systems were built upon, with the 87 being one of the few exceptions. Designed as a portable computer system for laborers, the hope was that it would be possible to outfit every worker of every major industry relating to computerized work with such, although this would fail to manifest despite high production numbers. The 87 continues to be utilized in certain hobbyist communities into the modern era, primarily as a shell for more modern systems.

During its lifespan, the 87 would act as a model for numerous non-state created portable computer systems, which encouraged heavy variantization of the 87 to continue justifying investment into its frame and the Ministry as a whole. Amongst the vast list of variants, there were a notable amount designed to interact with foreign operating systems, driven by the then-ongoing period of reconciliation between Neo-Korea and the pair of Meridon and Anagonia. The key issue that would lead to the discontinuation of support for the 87, aside from general issues with keeping up against its competitors, was the proliferation of systems which did not have the limited space of the 87, which allowed them to be more variable in comparison and destroyed their general capacity for competition against these competitors for state resources.

History

Background

As mentioned, the 87 would be developed shortly after the reveal of HAOPMU as a processing system, being revealed during the 2nd Omiskan Annual Technology Fair as a mobile alternative to a number of Sysrésociaux-like home computing systems which were also being offered at the 2-OATF. Wrapped into its reveal was the hope that it could eventually be given to the workers of every major industry over time - although this would not historically manifest.

It was the personal project of Jin Tsukiko and her team, who took inspiration from Meridonian (TBD) labtop produced in 1981.

Design and Architecture

Display

The 87 is notable for its utilization of an orange-on-black gas-plasma display, which provided a distinctly unique visual nature to the computer that has been cited as a reason for its early success and later influence on fiction of the time period. This display would be produced by the now-defunct Kamei Iminchebol, whose work with the system, and said system's success against then-extant LCD systems, would allow it to become a mainstay of the computer design world, and as such they allowed for their screens to be used for very little compensation with regards to internal favor-trading, owing to the belief that the attachment of the screens to a viable system would act as recommendation for their utilization to a great enough extent. The majority of these screens were produced at the 18th General Facility for Display Systems in Fuzan.

Storage

The 87 was very notable at the time for the wide variety of storage space it had - owing to a capacity to interact with floppy discs, Hikaridisuku, and possession of an 10mb internal storage system. Through this storage system, it was able to utilize a large amount of information for either economic or gaming purposes at once - making it a prolific platform for the early field of video gaming in Neo-Korea. This storage also played a key role in the 87's role in government activity, being distinctly usable as a notetaking platform and means of recording information or statistics for future usage.

Human Interface

The 87 was the first Neo-Korean computer to utilize the thumb-shift keyboard in an integral fashion. The thumb-shift keyboard operated by utilizing simultaneous inputs with both the thumb and an ordinary finger (as opposed to the holding of a bar by the thumb) to create more complicated symbiology using the letters of the key board. This method allowed for three actions to be taken with each key, and as such the 58 keys on the board could functionally account for 174 keys while remaining relatively small. This system would be incorporated into many keyboards into the future.