{"id":19879,"date":"2024-11-07T15:04:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T20:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=19879"},"modified":"2026-02-10T16:33:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:33:47","slug":"vin6","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin6\/","title":{"rendered":"QT Computer Systems SYS-I6"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>QT Computer Systems SYS-I6<\/h2>\n<p>[Vin6]<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-20437 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-160x160.jpg\" alt=\"canada logo\" width=\"99\" height=\"99\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-160x160.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-240x240.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada-360x360.jpg 360w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/canada.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 99px) 100vw, 99px\" \/><\/a>The QT Computer Systems SYS-I6 was a notable Canadian-made minicomputer recognized for its advanced multi-user capabilities, allowing several users to work on the system simultaneously-a valuable feature in the era before widespread personal computing. Its claim to fame lies in its support for multi-user environments, which made it an important tool for organizations needing shared computing resources, and it stands out as a rare example of a domestically produced computer in Canada&#8217;s early computing history.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: \u00a0QT Computer Systems, Inc. (based in Ottawa)<br \/>\n<h3><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW169789978 BCX0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-scaled.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-21130\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"QT Computer Systems SYS-I6\" width=\"263\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/PXL_20250512_194210113-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Released<\/strong>: early 1980s<\/li>\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Industrial Computer<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: ~$18,000 (adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cost with peripherals<\/strong>: ~$28,000 (adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 0.7 &#8211; 1.0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"slideme\"><dl class=\"slideme__list\"><dt class=\"slideme__term\"><a href=\"#slideme-hardware-specifications\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"slideme-hardware-specifications\" class=\"slideme__heading slideme__trigger\">Hardware Specifications<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"slideme__description\" id=\"slideme-hardware-specifications\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Processor<\/strong>: 16-bit Intel 8086 microprocessor (CPU)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Memory<\/strong>: 32 KB dynamic RAM, expandable up to 32 KB on-board, Up to 16 KB user-installable ROM (in 2K, 4K, or 8K increments)<\/li>\n<li>24 programmable parallel I\/O lines via Intel 8255A PPI<\/li>\n<li>RS-232C serial I\/O port with Intel 8251A USART<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p><\/dd><dl><\/div>\n<div class=\"slideme\"><dl class=\"slideme__list\"><dt class=\"slideme__term\"><a href=\"#slideme-operating-system-programming-languages\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"slideme-operating-system-programming-languages\" class=\"slideme__heading slideme__trigger\">Operating System &amp; Programming Languages <\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"slideme__description\" id=\"slideme-operating-system-programming-languages\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>O\/S<\/strong>: CP\/M<\/li>\n<li>BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL and assembly language<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p><\/dd><dl><\/div>\n<div class=\"slideme\"><dl class=\"slideme__list\"><dt class=\"slideme__term\"><a href=\"#slideme-notables\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"slideme-notables\" class=\"slideme__heading slideme__trigger\">Notables<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"slideme__description\" id=\"slideme-notables\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><p><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The QT Computer Systems SYS-I6 was one of the few Canadian-designed and manufactured minicomputers, giving it a unique place in the nation&#8217;s tech history.<\/li>\n<li>It was notable for its modular, multi-user design, which allowed several users to operate the system simultaneously-a rare feature for its era.<\/li>\n<li>The system was sometimes referred to as the &#8220;SYS-I6&#8221; or &#8220;QT SYS-I6&#8221; in Canadian computing circles.<\/li>\n<li>Its use of the Intel 8086 processor and CP\/M operating system made it compatible with a wide range of business and development software, enhancing its versatility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p><\/dd><dl><\/div>\n<div class=\"slideme\"><dl class=\"slideme__list\"><dt class=\"slideme__term\"><a href=\"#slideme-donated-by\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"slideme-donated-by\" class=\"slideme__heading slideme__trigger\">Donated By<\/a><\/dt><dd class=\"slideme__description\" id=\"slideme-donated-by\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><p><\/p>\n<p>Dr. Arlen Michaels<\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/dd><dl><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>QT Computer Systems SYS-I6 [Vin6] The QT Computer Systems SYS-I6 was a notable Canadian-made minicomputer recognized for its advanced multi-user capabilities, allowing several users to work on the system simultaneously-a valuable feature in the era before widespread personal computing. Its claim to fame lies in its support for multi-user environments, which made it an important [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>QT Computer Systems SYS-I6 - 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