Editing Acorn Computers (section)

====Network computers====
{{See also|Acorn Network Computer}}
{{Contradicts other|date=July 2011|1=Acorn Network Computer}}
[[File:Wired-uk-edition-september-1996.jpg|thumb|upright|left|''[[Wired UK]]'', September 1996 issue, "Five Go Nuts in Cambridge: Acorn's mad rush to build the world's first Network Computer"]]
When [[BBC Two|BBC2]]'s ''[[The Money Programme]]'' screened an interview with [[Larry Ellison]] in October 1995, Acorn Online Media Managing Director Malcolm Bird realised that Ellison's [[network computer]] was, basically, an Acorn set-top box.<ref name="wired209">[http://yoz.com/wired/2.09/features/acorn.html Five Go Nuts in Cambridge] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518051909/http://yoz.com/wired/2.09/features/acorn.html |date=18 May 2011}}, ''Wired UK'' magazine 2.09, September 1996</ref> After initial discussions between [[Oracle Corporation]] and Olivetti, Hauser and Acorn a few weeks later, Bird was dispatched to San Francisco with Acorn's latest Set Top Box. Oracle had already talked seriously with computer manufacturers including [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]] and Apple about the contract for putting together the NC blueprint machine; there were also rumours in the industry that said Oracle itself was working on the reference design. After Bird's visit to Oracle, Ellison visited Acorn and a deal was reached: Acorn would define the NC Reference Standard.

Ellison was expecting to announce the NC in February 1996. Sophie Wilson was put in charge of the NC project, and by mid-November a draft NC specification was ready. By January 1996 the formal details of the contract between Acorn and Oracle had been worked out,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.cnet.com/Oracle-signs-up-Acorn-for-Net-devices/2100-1001_3-201758.html | title = Oracle signs up Acorn for Net devices | access-date = 2011-06-10 | date = 1996-01-10 | publisher = [[CNET.com]] | quote = Oracle has signed up a small British computer design firm called Acorn Computer Group to come up with a blueprint for an inexpensive Internet access device. |url-status = live| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026141921/http://news.cnet.com/Oracle-signs-up-Acorn-for-Net-devices/2100-1001_3-201758.html | archive-date = 26 October 2012}}</ref> and the PCB was designed and ready to be put into production.<ref name="wired209" /> In February 1996, Acorn Network Computing was founded.<ref name="jointeduventure" /> In August 1996 it launched the [[Acorn Network Computer]].

[[File:Acorn-Netstation.jpg|thumb|An Acorn NetStation NC]]
It was hoped that the Network Computer would create a significant new sector in which Acorn Network Computing would be a major player,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/desktop-hardware/2002/03/08/five-years-ago-acorn-fights-back-with-reduced-losses-2106207/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505113318/http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/desktop-hardware/2002/03/08/five-years-ago-acorn-fights-back-with-reduced-losses-2106207/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 May 2013 | title=Five years ago: Acorn fights back with reduced losses | work=[[ZDNet]] | date=8 March 2002 | access-date=15 December 2011 | quote=Developing and licensing technologies for Internet solutions and interactive TV has also lead us to markets in the US, Japan and Korea, whereas before, we were primarily involved in dealing with UK schools and colleges. }}</ref> either selling its own products or earning money from licence fees paid by other manufacturers for the right to produce their own NCs. To that end, two of Acorn's major projects were the creation of a new 'consumer device' operating system named Galileo, and, in conjunction with Digital Semiconductor and ARM, a new StrongARM chipset consisting of the SA-1500 and SA-1501. Galileo's main feature was a guarantee of a certain [[quality of service]] to each process in which the resources (CPU, memory, etc.) required to ensure reliable operation would be kept available regardless of the behaviour of other processes.<ref>[http://www.poppyfields.net/acorn/news/acopress/97-02-10b.shtml Acorn Looks to the Stars With New Galileo Operating System] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192905/http://www.poppyfields.net/acorn/news/acopress/97-02-10b.shtml |date=3 March 2016}}, Acorn Computer Group press release, 10 February 1997</ref> The SA-1500 sported higher clock rates than existing StrongARM CPUs and, more importantly, a media-focussed coprocessor (the Attached Media Processor or AMP). The SA-1500 was to be the first release target for Galileo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnd.utwente.nl/topix/texts/aw97.html|title=TopixWEB - Acorn World '97 Transcripts|website=dnd.utwente.nl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182719/http://www.dnd.utwente.nl/topix/texts/aw97.html|archive-date=3 March 2016|access-date=13 October 2005}}</ref>

After having incorporated its STB and NC business areas as separate companies, Acorn created a new wholly owned subsidiary, Acorn RISC Technologies (ART). ART focused on the development of other software and hardware technologies built on top of ARM processors.<ref name="jointeduventure" />
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