Memories of an old RM

Andrew Muir
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu 21 Aug, 2003 19.24

Memories of an old RM

Back in the good old days of primary school ('97) my school got a new computer, which I think was made by RM. I was wondering if any of you knew about these, I'm just curious as I have not seen or heard anything of them since!

They got one in 1997 with the Tesco's Computers for Schools tokens. It ran CDs but they were huge, i mean like LP size (the cd tray was huge!) massive things and I destinkly remember a program on one of these discs which featured Marks and Spencers!

Would this have been a laserdisc pc? Must have been one of the first to use CD domestically anyway because we were still using Acorn 3000s back then.

Any info on this nostalic erra of computing would be great!
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Bail
Posts: 1142
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 21.41
Location: UK

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Fond memories, I managed to take the Acorn file-server with me as they chucked the Acorn systems out the year I left.

After Acorns left, RM's came in and after a very very brief Google search I found "http://www.rm.com/" They are still going strong so it seems.

Found this on their site, made me chuckle: http://www.rm.com/Secondary/Products/St ... ref=PS9369 - The RM Edition DV offers a number of features for the advanced user looking for professional, broadcast quality results.

Broadcast quality stuff.. from a secondary school, wow.

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My old school had the bottom one of these two, but a much earlier model.
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MarkN
Posts: 323
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 19.39
Location: South Wales

Andrew Muir wrote:Would this have been a laserdisc pc? Must have been one of the first to use CD domestically anyway because we were still using Acorn 3000s back then.
Edited

Yes, it was a laserdisc PC, if the discs were that big. However, the laserdisc technology was around in 1986 at least - can any of our members remember using the BBC Domesday Project Discs?

http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum ... mesday.php
Andrew Muir
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu 21 Aug, 2003 19.24

Yeah, we still have one of the bottom ones at my school. I still can't find any info on a laserdisc RM computer. I'm pretty sure it was RM though.
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MarkN
Posts: 323
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 19.39
Location: South Wales

A laserdisc compared to a Compact Disc:

<img src="http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum ... disc16.jpg" alt="Laserdisc vs CD">
Andrew Muir
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu 21 Aug, 2003 19.24

Thats the one, I suppose it could have been an BBC laserdisc pc. Seeing as the school had them to start with. Hmmm... any evidence of a Marks and Spencer laserdisc, thats a definate!
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Cheese Head
Banned
Posts: 918
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.39
Location: Rockhampton, Australia

We have the F and C series at our school. We even have to use the lame EMBC internet filter...
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I don't know my future after this weekend, and I don't want to
stu
Posts: 236
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 19.34
Location: Kings Oak

Last year I had to refurbish 3 old RM pc's to send to a school in Thailand, another one of those tomorrow.

The other week I was at a primary school's it suite that was full of brand new RM's, and they looked quite tasty, with XP and everything gleaming away.

They also do great big IT training courses for teachers as well, which can't be a bad thing
Big Brother
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.21

Everyone thinks bad of RM - but to be honest the only reason we think this is because of the Memories of schools, who have generally bought the cheapest spec version of an RM system.

My now ex school had 2 Huge IT suites. Each containing around 40-50 PC's. There were a further 35 in the Library. Graphic Communication class with a further 15 and various rooms around the school had a PC.

No doubt it cost a fortune to buy these - but they went for the cheapeast one's in most areas. The Graph Comm. class was fitted with new 1.7Ghz PC's a the beginning of my last year. And I know the servers were replaced shortly after. Not a cheap exercise.
nwtv2003
Posts: 700
Joined: Tue 20 Jan, 2004 22.20
Location: Granadaland

Bail wrote:Image
Our school still uses the bottom one, though they were designed for an older system and have slow processors, all of them have Windows XP. They also have the CD Drive taken out.
DJGM
Posts: 528
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 15.39
Location: Manchester
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nwtv2003 wrote: . . . though they were designed for an older system and
have slow processors, all of them have Windows XP . . .
Sheesh! They must be like the technical equivalent of running through treacle!
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