Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Acorn Computers

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[edit] Acorn Computers

Pretty comprehensive article on a the history and products of a now defunct British computer company. A lot of effort has gone into this article, including contacting several people involved with the company by email to clear up disagreements surrounding the article. TreveX^talk 17:22, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

• Self nominate and support. TreveX^talk 17:22, 9 October 2005 (UTC)

• Support. Terrific piece. Angmering 22:44, 9 October 2005 (UTC)
• Support. It came out rather well! mfc 15:21, 14 October 2005 (UTC)
• Support Object
  • lots of bold text
  • ToC is granulated. Use terse headings eg: Acorn Group as an Olivetti subsidiary (1985–1998) ---> Olivetti subsidiary
  • Section 5.1 is unnecessary. Either merge with parent, or promote to a top level heading.
  • an appearance at Supergirl's school! what's the exclaimation mark for?
  • Separate 4MHz etc. with a non breaking space 4 MHz.
  • Your footnote is not done correctly. Use {{ref}} and {{note}} to correct it.

User:Nichalp/sg 05:05, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

• • • Each subsection (===Subsection not a section===) is now at least three lengthy paragraphs.TreveX^talk 10:41, 10 October 2005 (UTC)
    • I've also expanded the footnotes (using {{ref}} and {{note}}).

TreveX^talk 11:14, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

• • • TreveX, please do not strike out my objections. Only the reviewer is authorised to do so. You may bullet my answers or correct typos, but please do not strike out (or fragment if the case arises) by objections.

      I'm not happy with the headings: 1) Use either Prehistory OR Chris Curry and Sinclair Radionics 2) Remove the years in the headings; A new RISC.... --> New RISC ... ; BBC Master, Archimedes --> BBC Master and Archimedes; ; The last acorns fall --> too flowery, please tone down. 3) company was closed down --> company folded? 4) 5 December : dates like these should be wikified. 5) (shown right) not necessary 6) I notice a lot of text in brackets, (eg. (including the CPU); (the Econet) etc ) this breaks the flow of the text, please avoid using these. Good work fixing the rest. User:Nichalp/sg 18:44, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

I've now fixed all of your criticisms with the exception of one, the years in the headings. I think this is a minor disagreement about style rather than a substantive grounds for objection. In my opinion, the use of years in the headings makes the article more useful and informative by giving an at-a-glance overview of how the four main phases of the company were distributed, chronologically speaking. Are there any Wikipedia style guides on inclusion of years in headings? TreveX^talk 11:29, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

Though I still reccommend you not use years in the headings, I won't hold it against the article. Good work in taking care of the rest. User:Nichalp/sg 17:58, 12 October 2005 (UTC)

• Support. Very well done. --Pamri • Talk 11:15, 10 October 2005 (UTC)

• Comment shouldn't there be some info on its stock performance and corporate structure? (maybe there is but I missed it?)Ryan Norton ^{T | @ | C} 22:55, 11 October 2005 (UTC)

There is information on stock performance, profits and company structure throughout the article. Stock performance and profits are discussed at critical points:

The BBC Micro sold spectacularly well – so much so that Acorn's profits rose from a mere £3000 in 1979 to £8.6m in July 1983. In September 1983, CPU shares were liquidated and Acorn was floated on the Unlisted Securities Market as Acorn Computer Group plc, with Acorn Computers Ltd as the microcomputer division. With a minimum tender price of 120p, the group came into existence with a market capitalisation of about £135 million. CPU founders Herman Hauser and Chris Curry leapt instantly into the paper millionaire bracket: Hauser's 53.25 million shares made him worth £64m; Curry's 43 million shares translated into £51m.

The Italian computer company took a 49.3% stake in Acorn for £12 million, which went some way to covering Acorn's £11 million losses in the previous six months. This valuation fell some £165m below Acorn's peak valuation of £190m. In September 1985, Olivetti took a controlling share of Acorn with 79% of shares.

Between 1996 and 1998 Olivetti disposed of its interest in Acorn Group through a series of structured transactions, raising £54m.

As for structure, the various incarnations of the company are discussed throughout the narrative:

• • Cambridge Processor Unit Ltd (Dec 1978)
  • Acorn Computer Ltd (Jan 1979)
  • Acorn Computers Ltd (May 1979)
  • Acorn Computer Group PLC (Sep 1983)
  • ARM Ltd (1990)
  • Acorn Online Media (1994)
  • Element 14 (1999)

Thanks for looking at the article. Hope this helps! TreveX^talk 11:35, 12 October 2005 (UTC)