The quiet history of Chinese microcomputers
Please note quotes are machine translated.
While doing the usual information dive through old 8-bit microcomputers, a thought occurred to me: how come I've never heard of a Chinese microcomputer? There is so much mention of ZX Spectrums, Commodores, and even the lesser known Texas Instruments own TI99 computer. Surely China being a huge technology producing giant today has some deep roots in computing history?
1950s: China creates their first computer that uses vacuum tubes, with a lot of technical and financial assistance from Russia.
1960s: Russia drops their support. Transistor-based computers are made but they are:
1. Not micro
2. Not for consumers
In general, technical progress greatly declines because of cultural revolution.
1970-1977s: More cultural revolution.
And then they finally created their first microcomputer: DJS-050.
This is the only picture I was able to find on the "Chinese Internet":
If anyone reading has better pictures, both external and internal, I'm sure the world would appreciate it!
Around this time the Apple I was being advertised. In that same article it is also predicted that:
These other computers were also released before and during this time (taken from http://oldcomputers.net/):
There are no specifications for the DJS-050 that can be found using Google regarding this microcomputer. Clearly this is odd. If my large country had created its first microcomputer surely there would be some noise about it somewhere on the Internet years later, just like the other microcomputers.
I arm myself with Google Translate, Baidu and get searching. What do you know the first result is exactly what I'm looking for. I don't know what to think of this, besides ask myself why the heck won't Google index this important historical information?
The DJS-050 specifications are:
64kb of RAM
8080 compatible (I think? Might be 8008.)
Is broken up into 40 smaller circuits instead of one integrated circuit.
Another interesting tidbit of information I was able to find is a re-telling of this history, where another reason for the lack of microcomputer innovation was because they were just toys:
And that's all I really wanted to find out on this personal research endeavor. Now it will be easy for others to quickly piece together what happened.
While doing the usual information dive through old 8-bit microcomputers, a thought occurred to me: how come I've never heard of a Chinese microcomputer? There is so much mention of ZX Spectrums, Commodores, and even the lesser known Texas Instruments own TI99 computer. Surely China being a huge technology producing giant today has some deep roots in computing history?
Basically the history is this:
1950s: China creates their first computer that uses vacuum tubes, with a lot of technical and financial assistance from Russia.1960s: Russia drops their support. Transistor-based computers are made but they are:
1. Not micro
2. Not for consumers
In general, technical progress greatly declines because of cultural revolution.
 |
| Spooky propaganda |
|
| Politics > computing |
And then they finally created their first microcomputer: DJS-050.
This is the only picture I was able to find on the "Chinese Internet":
If anyone reading has better pictures, both external and internal, I'm sure the world would appreciate it!
Around this time the Apple I was being advertised. In that same article it is also predicted that:
China is clearly positioning itself as a major future microcomputer offshore manufacturing country.It is insane how accurate this 30-year-old statement is.
These other computers were also released before and during this time (taken from http://oldcomputers.net/):
| 1970 | |
| 1971 | |
| 1972 | |
| 1973 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1975 | |
 | |
| 1976 | |
| 1977 | |
Vector-1 | |
There are no specifications for the DJS-050 that can be found using Google regarding this microcomputer. Clearly this is odd. If my large country had created its first microcomputer surely there would be some noise about it somewhere on the Internet years later, just like the other microcomputers.
I arm myself with Google Translate, Baidu and get searching. What do you know the first result is exactly what I'm looking for. I don't know what to think of this, besides ask myself why the heck won't Google index this important historical information?
The DJS-050 specifications are:
64kb of RAM
8080 compatible (I think? Might be 8008.)
Is broken up into 40 smaller circuits instead of one integrated circuit.
Another interesting tidbit of information I was able to find is a re-telling of this history, where another reason for the lack of microcomputer innovation was because they were just toys:
The main reason is to invest in the development of minicomputers and large computers. I remember that in 1972, a foreign ministry leader brought back a scientific calculator from abroad. However, some domestic experts believe that we have been able to produce millions of computers. This kind of gadget is nothing.Basically from then on Chinese-based companies have been creating clones. Examples are the Great Wall 286 and 386 home computers (which really needs someone to take good pictures):
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