Applied Analytics' MicroSPEED
Test-Fly A $20 Million Jet On An Apple? Yes. With MicroSPEED
I would have gotten this email out sooner, but my internet was down. Also, I stumbled upon this ad while researching for the MicroSpeed PC-TRAC post.
The Company
When I typed “Applied Analytics Inc” into opencorporates, there were 29 results. I was able to narrow it down to one entry, after discovering an article in a 1984 issue of Computer World. Applied Analytics Inc. was founded in 1976. (Eight years later, the company had a grand total of 4 employees.) It doesn’t look like the company survived past 1985. I could not find any references to it in computer mags after that.
The Product
So what was MicroSpeed? According to the Janaury 1982 issue of Digital Design, “The microSPEED Language System (a hardware-assisted superset of FORTH) employs an interactive compiler and the AM9511 Arithmetic Processor to provide increased performance for the Apple II. II+ and III. Features order-of-magnitude speed improvement and greatly enhanced programming facilities beyond those of BASIC and Pascal, including print formatting, enhanced high-resolution graphics, and extended high-speed mathematical functions. Over 300 operators available to the user. Extensive optionally loadable utilities include Diagnostics, Text Editor and Mini-Assembler. System software diskettes. Auxiliary Processor Card and 160-page User's Manual comprise the complete package. Unit price (complete system). $495; manual only (deductible). $35.”
The April 26, 1982 issue of InfoWorld is more terse: “microSPEED-the ULTIMATE FORTH for the Apple. Over 500 words, hardware floating point. Up to 100 times faster than Applesoft. 160-page manual $15.”
The December 1981 issue of Kilobaud Microcomputing Magazine, says:
The microSpeed Language System gives Apple users processing speeds up to 100 times faster than Applesoft BASIC. Developed from an extended version of Forth, the hardware/software package employs the Intel 8231A arithmetic processor with an interactive compiler to provide increased computer performance. The microSpeed system offers enhanced programming capabilities including print formatting, faster high-resolution plotting, turtle graphics and extended, high-speed mathematical functions. MicroSpeed II uses the 2 MHz version of the arithmetic processor, and microSpeed 11+ uses the newer 4 MHz version. For a variety of numerical applications, microSpeed II users can expect a tenfold improvement in processing speed; microSpeed II+ offers a speed improvement approaching a factor of 20. Both systems include the auxiliary processor card and user's manual. MicroSpeed II is $495; microSpeed 11+ is $645.
Applied Analytics Incorporated, 8910 Brookridge Drive, Suite 700, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. Reader Service number 488.
Finally, a reader from Chile wrote the following letter to the editor of Forth Dimension:
Dear Editor,
In reply to Keith Brewster (FD XIII/2), since 1984, I have used muSpeed II, a special Forth for the Apple IIe. It consists of a processor card (Intel 8231A and arithmetic chip) and two diskettes (under DOS 3.3). Its characteristics: single- and double-precision math (16 and 32 bits). All floating-point operations are 32 bits. Range: 0,9223367 E+19. Also, it may use RAM expansion cards. The card-and-language system is a product of Applied Analytics, Inc. (8910 Brookridge Dr., Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772). Also, you may use GoFORTH under ProDOS (IIe, IIgs) from Pair Software. Or MasterForth with floating point, from MicroMotion.
Today, I prefer F-PC running in an 80286-80287.
Sincerely,
Luis de la Cerda Delpin
For those interested in learning a little about the internals of microSpeed, James L. Hockenhull wrote an article about programming with microSpeed. The article “Courting the Digital Muse with a little help from microSpeed” focused on using a computer to create art. It takes a couple of pages before he starts talking about microSpeed though.
Have you ever used any MicroSpeed or any other Applied Analytics products? Do you know anything about its history? Tell us about it in the comments below.
