from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
TRS-80
<computer> A series of {personal computers} sold by {Tandy
Radio Shack}. The '80' refers to the use of {Zilog Z-80}
processor (NOT {Intel 80x8x}).
There were 7.5 computers in the TRS-80 line: Models I, II,
III, 4, 100, 102, 200. The Model 4P was a portable version of
the Model 4 with no tape drive -- only 2 1/2-height single
sided disk drives.
Later models that Radio Shack produced were not TRS-80
machines -- they were based on the {Intel 80x8x} architecture.
These included Tandy 1000, Tandy 2000, Tandy 3000, and others.
The 1000 had a proprietary Color card. The 2000 was a
powerful machine for its time, but was based on the {Intel
80186}, so when {IBM} didn't build a computer based on this
chip, it failed. It was used to design a boat for the
America's Cup.
The TRS-80 {GUI}, DeskMate, was proprietary, but no more than
{Windoze} at the time.
Many joke about "{TRaSh-80}" machines but several models were
in fact classics of their time.
(1996-02-18)