[[Image:AmstradPCW16.jpg|thumb|Amstrad PcW16]]
The <b>PCW</b> (<b>P</b>ersonal <b>C</b>omputer for <b>W</b>ritingordprocessor) was another Amstrad computer. In Germany it's better known by its codename <b>Joyce</b>, which Schneider chose to keep for the final product.
The codename was the name of Alan M. Sugar's secretary.
The PCW was the Amstrad computer in production for the longest time(1985 - 1996). And the Amstrad computer with the most model revisions (Starting with the PCW8256 and ending with the PcW16). All models was based on the Z80 CPU.
The series consists of PCW 8256 and PCW 8512 (introduced in 1985), PCW 9512 (introduced in 1987), PCW PcW 9256 and PCW PcW 9512+ (introduced in 1991), PcW10 and PcW16 (introduced in 1995). The PCW switched from 3inch floppy drives to 3.5inch floppy drives in 1991.
8 million units sold worldwide (over 200,000 in UK) [https://www.retroisle.com/amstrad/pcw/general.php Source].
The operating system, called Rosanne, no longer uses a command prompt but has a true graphical user interface written by Creative Technology. It makes use of the included 3-button mouse.
The resolution is now 640x480 instead of 720x256 for the other PCW machines. See: [http://toastytech.com/guis/pcw.html Amstrad PcW16 GUI screenshots] Memory is 1MB of RAM, and 1MB of Flash which contains the BIOS, Rosanne, and the built-in software: a word processor, spreadsheet, address book, diary/alarm, calculator and file manager. It is not supplied with CP/M. However, CP/M 2 and 3 have been ported to the PcW16 by John Elliott [https://www.seasip.info/Cpm/software/index.html Source].
It is The PcW16 does not supplied come bundled with CP/Ma printer, but provides a standard Centronics printer port. HoweverIt has drivers for laser printers, CP/M implementations are freely availableinkjet printers and 24-pin matrix printers. It does not support daisy wheel or 9-pin matrix printers.
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* [http://www.fvempel.nl/ PCW Joyce Computer Club]
* [http://www.joyce.de Joyce User AG e.V. (German)]
* [http://toastytech.com/guis/pcw.html Amstrad PcW16 GUI screenshots]
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