Micromega 32

The Micromega 32 was a Motorola 68000-based machine running MIMOS,[1] the French version Version 7 Unix, released in 1982 by the French company Thomson SA.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] It is based on the Fortune 32:16[9], developed by Fortune Systems Corp.[3][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] The machine was presented to the public at the 1982 Salon des industries et du commerce de bureau (SICOB) in the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.[4][17]

It had a 68000 CPU clocked at 5.5 MHz and 256KB of RAM, expandable to 1MB.[3] The display was monochrome and text based. An optional card enabled pixel graphics with a resolution of 800x480. Another expansion card added a Zilog Z80 CPU enabling the machine to run CP/M. External floppy drives or hard disks (with sizes up to 20MB) could be connected. The RS232 port could be used for network connection.

Aimed at business[18][19] and government departments,[20][21] it was used in French hospitals,[22][23][24] embassies[2] and scientific research.[25][26][27][28][29][30] It was also sold in the Middle East[31] and Algeria.[32]

The Micromega was fundamental on the adoption of Unix by the French government, due to the localization of the Unix operating system. According to Dominique Maisonneuve, a Unix developer at CERG (Paris): "It was thanks to the Micromega that the government became interested in installing Unix. What was needed, was some hardware with a French coloring.".[33]

Follow up models include:

• Micromega SX and Micromega SX/T – These machines have a similar box but with a different floppy drive location. The CPU is a 68000 at 11 MHz and RAM is expandable to 2 MB. It supports 45 and 70 MB hard drives and QIC-11 cartridges on the SX/T.
• Micromega 32000[34][35] – An Alcatel branded machine with a tower layout. The CPU is a 68020 at 16.5 MHz (68881 optional) with 1 to 4 MB of RAM. It features a 70MB hard drive, supports QIC-24 cartridges and offers ARCNET network connection.