What does S-80 mean?

“S-80” was sometimes used as a non-trademarked synonym for “TRS-80.” Most often it was used to refer to the TRS-80 expansion bus (“S-80 bus”). Other times it was used as an all-encompassing term for the TRS-80 and compatibles (“S-80 computers”). Other notable uses include the newsletters S-80 Bulletin (originally TRS-80 Bulletin) and S-80 Computing and the magazine Softside: S-80 Edition.

One definition of the term appeared in the March/April 1980 issue of 80-U.S. Journal:

What is an S-80? No, it’s not a new computer— it is the same one you probably own now (the same one that snickered at you while you learned BASIC). 80-U.S. and several other publications are (or have already) adopted S-80 as a designation for the computer we all use and write about, much the same way that S-100 is used to define computers using the S-100 bus. It makes things simple—and you will be seeing this reference often in this and in other publications.

An explanation for the switch was printed elsewhere in the same issue:

It seems that Radio Shack made a fuss about the use of their product name at some recent fairs. The Computer Information Exchange, in their Nov-Dec 79 Bulletin is advocating the usage of S-80 instead of TRS-80. The situation seems to be a replay of the fuss MITS stirred up with vendors claiming to have products compatible with the “Altair Bus.” Industry responded by renaming the Altair bus “S-100.”

Despite fears to the contrary, it turned out that Radio Shack didn’t actually object to the use of the name TRS-80 in advertising. The name “S-80” never caught on. Soon almost everyone resumed using TRS-80, even 80-U.S. Journal and Softside.

Written by Matthew Reed | Filed Under FAQ