The Acorn system 2 is a complete micro-computer available in kit form or fully assembled and tested. Using the popular Euro cards (100 x 160mm) an easily expanded system concept has been created and system 2 itself may be produced as an expansion of the two card system 1. The cards are housed in a 19" card frame with a backplane using DIN standard two part connectors. No peripheral devices are supplied with the basic system 2, it being left to the user to select the ASCII keyboard, CRT display, cassette tape recorder and power supplies best suited to the application. These parts are, of course, available with the system if required. The system may be furnished with professional connectors, front panels and a 19" case if desired.
At the heart of system 2 is the Cassette Operating System (C.O.S.) software and the Acorn BASIC interpereter. This resident software provides powerful high level language facilities ideally suited for all applications.
Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of this manual need to be referred to only if the system is in kit form. Chapters 9, 10 and 11 need only be referenced in case of system expansion. The Acorn BASIC is described in its separate manuals.