Rank Xerox Advert - 14th July 1983
From Personal Computer News
Microcomputers? Let Rank Xerox point you in the right direction
Hugely influential in the early computer industry with its Palo Alto Research Center (Xerox PARC) spawning computer fundamentals like Ethernet, Laser printers and the graphical user interface - a preview of which was said to have, er, "influenced" Apple - Xerox as a computer manufacturer never quite lived up to its original Xerox Alto - one of the first computers designed, in 1973, for "individual use"[1], including a GUI and Douglas Engelbart's mouse.
Mice starting appearing commercially during the early 1980s, but were still something of a luxury.
In July 1983, Televideo announced a mouse which would be available in autumn of the same year for £103.45, which is about £450 in 2025 money. Microsoft was also working on a mouse - its was due to be available at the bargain price of £140 (£610), whilst Texas Instruments was also working on its own model[2].
Meanwhile, the advert shows Xerox's 820 series, which at the entry level was a fairly conventional (and non-IBM compatible) business machine with a pedestrian 2.5MHz Z80 running CP/M.
The slightly better 820-II had an improved 4MHz processor and double-sided double-density 8" disks[3].
It was released in 1981 and the range was discontinued in 1985, when Xerox exited the PC market[4].
Date created: 19 December 2013
Last updated: 24 September 2025
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