LogAbax


LogAbax was a French computer brand. Founded in 1942, the company was one of France's pioneers in computer manufacturing. The name is composed of two abbreviations: Log from logarithm and Abax from abacus.

History

The company was created in 1942 as “La Société Française des Brevets LogAbax”. In 1947 it employs twenty people and has a factory located at Malakoff. The company obtains a contract from CNRS for the construction of a "Couffignal machine", intended to be the fist French "electronic calculation machine". Between 1948 and 1950 LogAbax studies an electronic meter, related to the electronic calculator development.
In 1968 LogAbax and Bariquand et Marre merge, forming LogAbax SA.
The LX 500, a personal computer based on the Z80 microprocessor and running the CP/M operating system, is presented in 1978.
Due to poor results in the late 1970s, LogAbax files for bankruptcy in 1981, with Olivetti becoming the majority shareholder, creating a new entity named Société Nouvelle LogAbax.
The Persona 1600, a PC compatible machine with an Intel 8086 CPU is presented in 1985. Other rebranded Olivetti PCs follow.
In 1988 Olivetti France and Société Nouvelle LogAbax merge, becoming Olivetti-LogAbax.

Machines

LX 3200 - office computer, calculator, typewriter, printer, 1969LX 2200, 2600 - office computer, calculator, typewriter, printer, 1974/75LX 4200, 4300, 4400, 4500, 4600 - office computer, 1970s/75LX 5000, 5076, 5200 - multi-user 16-bit computer, 64 Kb RAM, 1976/77LX 2000, 2010, 2500 - 1976LX 500, 518, 528 - Z80A, 128Kb RAM, CP/M, 1978LX 3000, 3128, 3500 - multi-user office computer, 1980Hyper 32 - fault tolerant redundant computer, 1983Persona 800 - Z80 @ 4 MHz, 64KB RAM, CP/M, 1985Persona 1600 - Nanoréseau' network machine, 8086 @ 8 MHz, 1985Persona 1800 - 80286 @ 8 MHz, 1986Persona 1300 - 8088 @ 4.77 MHz, 256KB RAM, 19863B modèle 400 - 68030,''' VOS, 1986