computer science

Holborn 9100

Holborn 9100 is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Holborn 9100 rather than just read about it. In short: The Holborn 9100 was a personal computer introduced in 1981 by a small Dutch company called Holborn. Only around 200 of these devices were sold, with Holborn going into bankruptcy in 1983.

Key takeaways

Holborn 9100 belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Holborn 9100 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Holborn 9100 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Holborn 9100 was a personal computer introduced in 1981 by a small Dutch company called Holborn. Only around 200 of these devices were sold, with Holborn going into bankruptcy in 1983.

History The Holborn 9100 was released in 1981 by Dutch computer manufacturer Holborn. The appearance was designed by an industrial design office named Studio Vos and developed by Hans Polak and Henny Beavers. The name comes from the phrase "born in Holland." There were two main versions, a larger one with a proprietary multi-user operating system named Holborn OS with support for a light pen, and a smaller machine with the operating system CP/M and no light pen support. These versions were split into four different models released: the 9100, 7100, 6500, and 6100. The systems consist primarily of a combined desktop monitor, terminal, and keyboard with an external unit housing two 8 inch floppy drives and an optional hard drive. The 6500 series had a detachable keyboard. The computer was primarily marketed to small companies for administration and bookkeeping purposes. The lower-numbered models were produced after the release of the 9100. Around 200 machines were produced, with 50 of them being the larger models. Due to the high price of the system at the time at 30,000 guilder or $10,000 USD (equivalent to $30,591 in 2023) and competition from IBM, the system was a commercial failure and caused the manufacturer to go bankrupt in 1983. The most popular version was the 6100. It is estimated that around 20 systems survive.

Specifications OS: Holborn OS or CP/M CPU: Zilog Z80A at 4 MHz RAM: 72 KB (expandable to 220KB) Storage: 2.5 MB on two 8 inch floppy disks, optional 30 MB hard drive Monitor: 12 inch, made of green phosphors

Holborn OS Holborn OS (HOS) was a multi-user operating system developed by Holborn. It was stored entirely on ROM and used floppy disks to start applications. The application software was menu driven and could be controlled by a light pen to aid use by technically unskilled users.

Holborn Holborn Computers was founded in 1979 by Hans Polak and Dick Gerdzen. The goal of the company was to supply computers based on microprocessor technology to specific types of retailers. The company saw a market for cheaper computer systems as IBM computers were expensive at the time. Henny Beavers joined soon afterwards. The company aimed to design and manufacture the systems as quickly as possible to get them out in the market. Once the Holborn 9100 was released in 1981, they marketed it using displays at trade shows and advertisements. Due to competition from more popular IBM computers, Holborn remained dependent on financial aid from the Overijssel development company OOM. OOM could not supply enough financial resources and Gerdzen had to leave the company, causing the company to go bankrupt on 27 April 1983. They ultimately considered the 9100 a failure.

Reception The Holborn 9100 is noted for its design, being referred to as "something out of a retro-futuristic movie" by cybernews. Inexhibit noted that "The design of the Holborn set it apart from most computers of the time," calling it futuristic and organic.

See also Aster CT-80, another 1980s Dutch computer

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Holborn 9100

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Holborn 9100 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Holborn 9100 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Holborn 9100 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Holborn 9100

In research: Holborn 9100 appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Holborn 9100 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Holborn 9100 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1979 establishments, Computer-related introductions in 1981, Computer companies disestablished in 1983, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Holborn 9100 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Holborn 9100 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Holborn 9100 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Holborn 9100 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Holborn 9100 in simple terms?

The Holborn 9100 was a personal computer introduced in 1981 by a small Dutch company called Holborn. Only around 200 of these devices were sold, with Holborn going into bankruptcy in 1983.

Why does Holborn 9100 matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Holborn 9100?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Holborn 9100.