{"id":20429,"date":"2025-01-21T13:44:08","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T18:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=20429"},"modified":"2026-06-19T15:21:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:21:51","slug":"vin45","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin45\/","title":{"rendered":"Compaq Plus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Compaq Plus\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"compaq-plus\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Compaq Plus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"355\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-400x355.png\" alt=\"Carleton U Logo\" class=\"wp-image-20435\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-400x355.png 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-160x142.png 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-240x213.png 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-768x682.png 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-1536x1363.png 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-2048x1818.png 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-360x320.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Compaq Plus, introduced in October 1983, was a notable evolution of the original Compaq Portable, distinguished by its built-in 10 MB hard disk drive-an innovation that greatly enhanced its utility for business users. Its claim to fame was being among the very first IBM PC-compatible portable computers, with near-complete software compatibility thanks to a legally reverse-engineered BIOS. The Compaq Plus played a crucial role in legitimising the IBM PC clone market, breaking IBM&#8217;s near-monopoly and accelerating the spread of PC-compatible systems. It was highly popular for its time, with the original Portable (on which the Plus was based) selling over 53,000 units in its first year and setting a record for first-year sales by a U.S. company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250121_183116841-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Compaq Computer Corporation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Luggable (portable) computer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release Date<\/strong>: October 1983<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $3,590 (CAD ~$12,000 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 0.33 (330 KIPS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"hardware-specifications\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW36078203 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW36078203 BCX0\">Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Intel 8088 CPU @ 4.77 MHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memory<\/strong>: 128 KB standard, expandable to 640 KB<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: 10 MB MFM hard disk, one 5.25&#8243; double-sided double-density floppy drive (360 KB)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Display<\/strong>: Built-in 9&#8243; green (monochrome) CRT monitor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Graphics<\/strong>: CGA-compatible video card (hybrid MDA\/CGA)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: 28 lbs (13 kg)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyboard<\/strong>: Detachable, &#8220;foam and foil&#8221; Keytronics keyboard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>: Parallel, CGA, and others for expansion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Case<\/strong>: Designed to be carried as luggage, with a handle and detachable keyboard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"operating-system-programming-languages\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW136206418 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW136206418 BCX0\">Operating System &amp; Programming Languages<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW136206418 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Operating System<\/strong>: &nbsp;MS-DOS (Compaq DOS 1.12 or 2.00), which was fully compatible with IBM PC DOS; later versions supported hard disk operations. Could also run CP\/M-86 and other IBM PC-compatible operating systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supported Languages<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Supported all languages available for IBM PC compatibles, including BASIC, C, Pascal, FORTRAN, COBOL, and others, as long as they ran under MS-DOS.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Popular compilers and interpreters of the era (such as Microsoft BASIC, Turbo Pascal, and C compilers) ran on the Compaq Plus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"notables\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Compaq Portable, released in March 1983, was the first fully IBM PC-compatible luggable (portable) computer. Its engineers achieved this by reverse-engineering the IBM PC BIOS, allowing the Compaq Portable to run essentially all IBM PC software-a feat that earlier portables had not fully accomplished<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nicknamed the &#8220;luggable&#8221; or &#8220;sewing machine&#8221; due to its suitcase-like design and portability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Compaq Plus was the first portable fully IBM PC-compatible with a built-in hard disk, making it a practical business tool for mobile professionals. The Bytec Hyperion released their IBM compatible luggable computer a few months before the Compaq Portable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its success helped break IBM&#8217;s dominance in the PC market by proving that legal, fully compatible clones were possible, leading to the explosion of the PC-compatible industry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its BIOS was developed using a &#8220;clean room&#8221; technique, which became the industry standard for reverse engineering proprietary systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While not uniquely Canadian, the Compaq Plus was widely adopted in Canada as part of the North American business computing boom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Donated by<\/strong>: Carleton University&#8217;s School of Computer Science<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Carleton University<\/strong>: This portable computer was in production the School of Computer Science<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Compaq Plus The Compaq Plus, introduced in October 1983, was a notable evolution of the original Compaq Portable, distinguished by its built-in 10 MB hard disk drive-an innovation that greatly enhanced its utility for business users. Its claim to fame was being among the very first IBM PC-compatible portable computers, with near-complete software compatibility thanks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[90,123],"class_list":["post-20429","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20429"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24950,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20429\/revisions\/24950"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=20429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}