In this section there are (or will be) the manuals and ROM images of other Z88 Applications written by Cambridge and 3rd party manufactures.

A personal Introduction

When the Z88 came out everything was new. New computer, new operating system, new programs to write and no internet. There were different computer hardware and operating systems being introduced without any regard on which one would ultimately win. So why write any software for the Z88?

Cambridge Computer started the ball rolling when they released PC Link followed by PC Link II and Mac Link. Unless you are still using DOS or the older Apple Mac there is no need to look at these now with Eazylink2 available as a free download on this wiki. I will be downloading these programs shortly.

Wordmongers were the first 3rd party software company to bite the bullet. Based in Aylesbury which was only a few miles away from where I lived, they started writing software to enable different computers to transfer data between them using the serial port. Tx was their breakthrough. They needed to get involved with many computers and the Z88 was one of them. Using the experience gained from Tx came Xmodem that allowed the Z88 to use a MODEM and hook up via the telephone to Bulletin board system, which were the forerunner to the internet. Other applications followed, games and Thinkz a personal thoughts organizer and a Database spring to mind.

S&S took advantage of the database and released the School Organiser which helped sorting out school timetables, followed by T-Touch, a touch typing course. Being a team of educationist, the program came with a collapsible box that covered the keyboard.

Harvester Information Systems Ltd also released their touch typing course, Finger Organiser followed by Z88 Data Organiser and Wordchip, a word processor and spelling program.

Computer Concepts launched a superior version of this, SpellMaster.

The portability of the Z88 encouraged some companies to write applications to be 'out and about." Stopwatch and Events Control Systems demonstrate this.

Some programs did not 'take off," There was an aviation enthusiast from Hereford, who wrote a BBC BASIC program to calculate the times and headings for the flight plan. Would I recommend using a Z88 in flight? Not without having a paper copy to hand. You can make up your own mind as l have uploaded it for "old times sake."

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