TECHNICAL DATA
Trojan Products was a prominent British peripheral engineering and software development firm based in Wales. It achieved widespread fame during the 1980s in the European microcomputer market due to its specialization in optical reading technologies designed for cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors. Its core contribution combined high-precision hardware with native graphic design suites and utilities.
Trojan's impact on the Amstrad ecosystem was so profound that Alan Sugar's corporation decided to forge an alliance with them. Instead of developing their own in-house hardware, Amstrad subcontracted and officially distributed the Welsh company's products under the Amsoft brand, establishing Trojan as the official manufacturer of optical peripherals for their entire computer lineup.
The company began by manufacturing light pens for mass-market home computers such as the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Dragon 32/64. Following the launch of the Amstrad CPC and Amstrad PCW ranges, Trojan quickly positioned itself as the undisputed technology leader in the optical graphics market.
A crucial milestone in the company's history occurred within the professional word-processing ecosystem: Nick Buckingham, the creator of the acclaimed alternative word processor "The Last Word" (and head of Myrmidon Software), personally selected Trojan Products from multiple interested firms to transfer the commercial and distribution rights of his software. Buckingham determined that Trojan's stellar reputation in the British professional market put them in the best position to safeguard and expand the system.
Later in the late 1980s, Trojan applied its expertise in phototransistors to manufacture light guns. Their engineering resulted in the official Magnum Light Phaser, a peripheral marketed directly by Amstrad/Sinclair to challenge the rising dominance of video game consoles in the home entertainment sector.