ID Xerox 6085
Short Name
Name 6085
Company Xerox
Description The Xerox 6085 was the successor of the revolutionary Xerox Star, first commercial computer to use a graphical user interface (GUI) with the familiar desktop, icons and a mouse.
The 6085 series was offered in models for network, remote (linked by Ethernet) and stand alone operation. The main unit was founded upon Xerox's Mesa 8 MHz processor which had 256 auxiliary registers and executed 48-bit-wide instructions. It also used an 80186 as an auxiliary processor.
The basic system came with 1.1 MB of memory, expandable up to 3.7 MB, a 10 to 80 MB hard disk drive, two serial ports and a 15-inch high-resolution monochrome display. An optional card allowed the 6085 to run MS-DOS software.
The operating system and GUI interface was called ViewPoint. It also came from the Star. It was written in a language developed at Xerox PARC in the 1970's and also called Mesa. This strongly-typed and structured high-level language, would have a large influence on future well known languages like Pascal or C.
Two improved versions were launched afterwards, the 6085-II with an almost twice as fast processor, and the XPIW (Xerox Publishing Illustrator's Workstation), basically a 6085 workstation with a scanner.
Sadly, like the Alto, the 6085 didn't meet a large success in spite of numerous vanguard concepts, mainly because the Xerox marketing policy was, at the time, above all directed towards copiers rather than computers.
Date Available 1985
Type Computer
Emulators
Alternate Names Xerox 6085
Links
Matches tosec Xerox 6085 - Fonts
tosec Xerox 6085 - System - [DMK]
tosec Xerox 6085 - System - [IMD]
tosec Xerox 6085 - Utilities
oldcomputers 1052
tosec Xerox 6085 - Fonts
{
    "id": "Xerox 6085 - Fonts",
    "name": "Xerox 6085 - Fonts",
    "altNames": [
        "Xerox 6085"
    ]
}
tosec Xerox 6085 - System - [DMK]
{
    "id": "Xerox 6085 - System - [DMK]",
    "name": "Xerox 6085 - System - [DMK]",
    "altNames": [
        "Xerox 6085"
    ]
}
tosec Xerox 6085 - System - [IMD]
{
    "id": "Xerox 6085 - System - [IMD]",
    "name": "Xerox 6085 - System - [IMD]",
    "altNames": [
        "Xerox 6085"
    ]
}
tosec Xerox 6085 - Utilities
{
    "id": "Xerox 6085 - Utilities",
    "name": "Xerox 6085 - Utilities",
    "altNames": [
        "Xerox 6085"
    ]
}
oldcomputers 1052
{
    "type_id": 1,
    "id": 1052,
    "pages": {
        "adverts": "photos.asp?t=2&c=1052&st=1",
        "docs": "docs.asp?c=1052&st=1",
        "comments": "forum.asp?c=1052&st=1"
    },
    "image": "https://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/Xerox_6085_System_s1.jpg",
    "company_link": "company.asp?st=1&m=145",
    "company_name": "Xerox",
    "company_logo": "https://www.old-computers.com/museum/logos/xerox_logo.gif",
    "description": "The Xerox 6085 was the successor of the revolutionary Xerox <b>Star</b>, first commercial computer to use a graphical user interface (GUI) with the familiar desktop, icons and a mouse. \nThe 6085 series was offered in models for network, remote (linked by Ethernet) and stand alone operation. The main unit was founded upon Xerox's Mesa 8 MHz processor which had 256 auxiliary registers and executed 48-bit-wide instructions. It also used an 80186 as an auxiliary processor. \nThe basic system came with 1.1 MB of memory, expandable up to 3.7 MB, a 10 to 80 MB hard disk drive, two serial ports and a 15-inch high-resolution monochrome display. An optional card allowed the 6085 to run MS-DOS software.\nThe operating system and GUI interface was called <b>ViewPoint</b>. It also came from the Star. It was written in a language developed at  Xerox PARC in the 1970's and also called <b>Mesa</b>. This strongly-typed and structured high-level language, would have a large influence on future well known languages like Pascal or C. \nTwo improved versions were launched afterwards, the <b>6085-II</b> with an almost twice as fast processor, and the <b>XPIW</b> (Xerox Publishing Illustrator's Workstation), basically a 6085 workstation with a scanner.\nSadly, like the Alto, the 6085 didn't meet a large success in spite of numerous vanguard concepts, mainly because the Xerox marketing policy was, at the time, above all directed towards copiers rather than computers.",
    "name": "6085",
    "manufacturer": "Xerox",
    "type": "Professional Computer",
    "origin": "U.S.A.",
    "year": "1985",
    "end_of_production": "1989",
    "built_in_language": "None",
    "keyboard": "95 key Typewriter style with 20 funtion keys and numeric keypad",
    "cpu": "Xerox Mesa",
    "speed": "8 MHz",
    "co_processor": "Unknown",
    "ram": "1.1 MB up to 3.7 MB",
    "vram": "Unknown",
    "rom": "Unknown",
    "text_modes": "Bit-map characters",
    "graphic_modes": "880 x 697 dots",
    "colors": "Monochrome",
    "sound": "Yes, see below",
    "size_weight": "Unknown",
    "io_ports": "2 serial ports",
    "built_in_media": "5.25 floppy drive, 10 to 80 MB HDD",
    "os": "Xerox ViewPoint",
    "power_supply": "Built-in power supply unit",
    "peripherals": "Unknown",
    "price": "From $4995",
    "adverts": [
        {
            "image": "https://www.old-computers.com/museum/adverts/Xerox_6085_Advert_s1.jpg",
            "name": "Xerox range, August ..."
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    ]
}