Microsoft SoftCard II

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Microsoft SoftCard II was a hardware and software system to enhance the capabilities of Apple II or Apple IIe. The Zilog Z-80 SoftCard is a plug-in co processor and 64K bytes memory expansion card to turn the Apple II into a CP/M system based upon the Zilog Z80. It was the idea of Paul Allen to simplify porting Microsoft's programming language products to the Apple II and was developed by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products (SCP), redesigned by Don Burtis of Burtronix and manufactured by California Computer Systems.
Introduced by Microsoft in 1980 as its first hardware product, and bundled with the Microsoft Basic programming language, the co-processor enabled the Apple II to run the Digital Research C/PM operating system, which had become the industry-standard operating system for running business software. This gave Apple II users access to much more business software and high level language compilers and interpreters.

CP/M was an early cross-platform operating systems, which ran on Intel 8080 compatible CPUs like the Z80, which was easily adaptable to a wide range of auxiliary chips and peripheral hardware, unlike the Apple's MOS Technology CPU.

It became the most popular CP/M platform and Microsoft's top revenue source for 1980, it was succeeded by Microsoft's Premium Softcard IIe for the Apple IIe.

Microsoft SoftCard II system comprises: SoftCard II printed circuit board; SoftCard II Master floppy disk including CP/M operating system

Platform: Apple II, II+ and 80 Column Video Display Board or Apple IIe 64Kb RAM 2xDisk 5.25

OS: DOS 3.3 and DR: CP/M 80

System Software (SS:) Programming Language (PL:) BASIC

Version: 1984

Platform :	Apple II
Format :	Disk 5.25
Publisher :	Microsoft
Authors :	Don Burtis of Burtronix
Date :	1984
Product Code :

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