Vector 3: Computers for the advancement of society

There weren't many micro companies of the era that claimed that their products were for the advancement of society, but here is such a mission statement from Vector Graphic in this US advert for its Vector 3 machine.

The Vector 3 was another in the company's line of Z80 computers running CP/M by default, although it would also support OASIS and a couple of flavours of Micropolis's operating systems - MDOS and ZDOS. 

It was largely derived from the company's previous MZ machine mainboard, with the same S-100 bus, and came in the form of a terminal-like display with fixed keyboard.

[picture: VECTOR_3005_prac_aug81.webp|An advert for the Vector 3005 from UK importer Almarc Data Systems. The system came with the Vector 3 microcomputer built into the terminal, as well as a "whisper quiet" 5MB Winchester disk and 5¼" floppy drive unit housed in the additional external box, apparently for the same price as an 8" floppy-disk based system - although it doesn't say what that price is. From PRAC, August 1981]

1982 was the year that Vector Graphic reached its zenith, with sales of $36.2 million (about [[20|1982]] million in [[now]]) and 425 employees[source: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-25-fi-21221-story.html]. Unfortunately, it bet against MS-DOS and the coming of IBM and stuck with Z80 and CP/M, which set it on a path to irrelevance.

The company - founded by husband-and-wife team Robert and Lore Harp in 1976 - filed for Chapter 11 in December 1985.

