This is good work, but I am reluctant to consider many early uses of microprocessors as "computers" without further explanation.
The idea of "computers" evolved in many ways, to be brief about it. So calling something a computer begs the question of what computers were or were not at the times referenced.
I feel it is safe to called the system a computer and I call it a computer because for the following reasons: All the documents of the time reference it as such. The articles, the guides all reference this as a computer. In the article "Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems" LeRoy Anderson lays out what is an "Industrial Microcomputer System" and lays the reasoning for the System 4 as such. So as far as I can see the Comstar System 4 is a computer built on the 4004 and came out almost a year before the Micral. Now I have the programmer/compiler. The compiler is a chassis based unit as well and I noticed that the CPU card is the same card that is on the document for the System 4 Micro Computer Set. So I'm pretty sure they share parts. Just a bit of History. Comstar was a company that built systems for automation. The Warner & Swasey company, a rather large industrial machinery, tools and instrument company bought Comstar in 1974 to build their own microcomputer line. Comstar had a number of computers by 1975 ================================== Comstar System 4 with the Intel 4004 Comstart System 4a & 4b with the Intel 4040 Comstar System 8A and 8D which was 8080 based but with a 8080 clone. Microcomputer Digest Volume 1 Number 11 May 1975 has a brief discussion on the System 8 http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Microcomputer_Digest/Microcomputer_Digest... In the 80s Warner & Swasey was bought by another company we all know, the Bendix Corporation. To answer William Dudley's question, the ROMs were 1702s.. I know this because I have like 20 very beaten up 1702s that came with the programmer compiler. I want to bring this up in ClassicCMP to see if anyone else knows about this.