Computers & Business Machines

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.

The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers

In the mid-1960s, Dartmouth College professors John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz developed a computer language intended to be easy to learn and use. They called it BASIC -- Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.
Description
In the mid-1960s, Dartmouth College professors John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz developed a computer language intended to be easy to learn and use. They called it BASIC -- Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. Students learned BASIC on a teletype terminal that communicated with a central computer. Several terminals were linked to one computer as part of a system called timesharing. Students on remote terminals could use the computer without seeing it--or even knowing what kind of computer it was. This particular BASIC tape was used with a MITS Altair 8800, a later microcomputer.
date made
ca 1975
ID Number
1986.0463.24
catalog number
1986.0463.24
accession number
1986.0463
This black coil of oiled punched paper tape has the code for the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. It was received with a plastic bag and the paper envelope in which it was delivered.
Description
This black coil of oiled punched paper tape has the code for the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 microcomputer. It was received with a plastic bag and the paper envelope in which it was delivered. The dimensions listed do not include the bag and envelope.
The software was used at the Naval Research Laboratory. It is an an early product of the firm now known as Microsoft.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
2013.3016.01
catalog number
2013.3016.01
nonaccession number
2013.3016
The monitor for the Alto computer is designed to sit on a table. The keyboard can be pushed underneath the monitor when not in use. The mouse is square with two buttons. For other parts of the device, see 1989.0432.01.1 and 1989.0432.01.3.Currently not on view
Description
The monitor for the Alto computer is designed to sit on a table. The keyboard can be pushed underneath the monitor when not in use. The mouse is square with two buttons. For other parts of the device, see 1989.0432.01.1 and 1989.0432.01.3.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1973
maker
Xerox Corporation
ID Number
1989.0432.01.2
catalog number
1989.0432.01.2
accession number
1989.0432
In 1977, Commodore introduced the PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) home/personal computer. Appearing before either the Apple II or the Radio Shack TRS-80, it was among the first personal computers.
Description
In 1977, Commodore introduced the PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) home/personal computer. Appearing before either the Apple II or the Radio Shack TRS-80, it was among the first personal computers. The PET 2001, Commodore's first model, included four kilobytes of memory, cost $495, and was fully functional out the box. The computer sold well, but initially Commodore could produce only a meager thirty units a day.
The PET had a main board with a 1 MHz MOS 6502 processor and room for additional RAM. The machine included a built-in cassette on the front of the case for data storage. Users could write their own programs in BASIC, but many complained about the small keyboard, which made touch typing difficult. The screen of the PET computer was small (9"), and had a black or blue display. Users could design simple graphics, do animations, or work out math problems. A notable feature of the PET 2001 was that the top of the computer opened for maintenance like the hood of a car.
PET 2001 was designed by computer pioneer Chuck Peddle. He came to Commodore during the company's acquisition of MOS Technology in 1976. AT MOS, he had designed the KIM (Keyboard Input Monitor) computer. At Commodore, he convinced managers that computers were "in" and won approval to design the PET. It paved the way for later Commodore machines, such as the Commodore-64.
This particular PET 2001 was donated by Louis Mittleman, who noted not only that the keyboard was a serious "drawback," but also that the manual did not have much information.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1977
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
1985.0591.01
catalog number
1985.0591.01
accession number
1985.0591
serial number
0011716
This is a homemade keyboard for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the socia
Description
This is a homemade keyboard for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal computer. MITS succeeded where other, more established firms had failed, and it was their machine that inaugurated the personal computer age. MITS got its start in computing in 1971, when it introduced an electronic calculator kit. Several thousand sold before 1974, when the sharp reduction in calculator prices drove the company out of that market.
H. Edward Roberts, the Florida-born former U.S. Air Force officer who headed MITS, decided to design a small, affordable computer around the Intel 8080. His daughter named the new machine after the star Altair. It was the first microcomputer to sell in large numbers. In January 1975, a photograph of the Altair appeared on the cover of the magazine Popular Electronics. The caption read “World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models.” According to the magazine, the machine sold as a kit for $395, and assembled for $498. Roberts had hoped to break even by selling 200 Altairs. Within three months he had a backlog of 4,000 orders.
Enthusiasm for the Altair and other personal computers spawned computer hobbyist clubs, computer stores, newsletters, magazines, and conventions. By 1977, a host of companies, large and small, were producing microcomputers for a mass market. This phenomenon was abetted by a design decision to make the Altair an "open" machine. In other words, it passed data along a channel called a bus, whose specifications were not kept a secret. That way both MITS and other companies could add memory cards, cards to control a printer or other devices as long as they adhered to the published standards.
This particular Altair was collected by the Smithsonian because it documents how hobbyists would outfit the machine with additional parts and components. The user added his own keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and 17 plug-in boards to expand the computer’s capability. Unfortunately, the original owner of the kit is unknown. The computer was donated to the Smithsonian by a second owner, Mark Sienkiewicz, who purchased it as a collectable item and never used it.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1975
ID Number
2007.0032.02
catalog number
2007.0032.02
accession number
2007.0032
This disk drive for 8" floppy disks was used with an Altair 8800 microcomputer.Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, wh
Description
This disk drive for 8" floppy disks was used with an Altair 8800 microcomputer.
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal computer. MITS succeeded where other, more established firms had failed, and it was their machine that inaugurated the personal computer age. MITS got its start in computing in 1971, when it introduced an electronic calculator kit. Several thousand sold before 1974, when the sharp reduction in calculator prices drove the company out of that market.
H. Edward Roberts, the Florida-born former U.S. Air Force officer who headed MITS, decided to design a small, affordable computer around the Intel 8080. His daughter named the new machine after the star Altair. It was the first microcomputer to sell in large numbers. In January 1975, a photograph of the Altair appeared on the cover of the magazine Popular Electronics. The caption read “World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models.” According to the magazine, the machine sold as a kit for $395, and assembled for $498. Roberts had hoped to break even by selling 200 Altairs. Within three months he had a backlog of 4,000 orders.
Enthusiasm for the Altair and other personal computers spawned computer hobbyist clubs, computer stores, newsletters, magazines, and conventions. By 1977, a host of companies, large and small, were producing microcomputers for a mass market. This phenomenon was abetted by a design decision to make the Altair an "open" machine. In other words, it passed data along a channel called a bus, whose specifications were not kept a secret. That way both MITS and other companies could add memory cards, cards to control a printer or other devices as long as they adhered to the published standards.
This particular Altair was collected by the Smithsonian because it documents how hobbyists would outfit the machine with additional parts and components. The user added his own keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and 17 plug-in boards to expand the computer’s capability. Unfortunately, the original owner of the kit is unknown. The computer was donated to the Smithsonian by a second owner, Mark Sienkiewicz, who purchased it as a collectable item and never used it.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1975
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
2007.0032.04
catalog number
2007.0032.04
accession number
2007.0032
This is a cathode ray tube monitor for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met th
Description
This is a cathode ray tube monitor for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal computer. MITS succeeded where other, more established firms had failed, and it was their machine that inaugurated the personal computer age. MITS got its start in computing in 1971, when it introduced an electronic calculator kit. Several thousand sold before 1974, when the sharp reduction in calculator prices drove the company out of that market.
H. Edward Roberts, the Florida-born former U.S. Air Force officer who headed MITS, decided to design a small, affordable computer around the Intel 8080. His daughter named the new machine after the star Altair. It was the first microcomputer to sell in large numbers. In January 1975, a photograph of the Altair appeared on the cover of the magazine Popular Electronics. The caption read “World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models.” According to the magazine, the machine sold as a kit for $395, and assembled for $498. Roberts had hoped to break even by selling 200 Altairs. Within three months he had a backlog of 4,000 orders.
Enthusiasm for the Altair and other personal computers spawned computer hobbyist clubs, computer stores, newsletters, magazines, and conventions. By 1977, a host of companies, large and small, were producing microcomputers for a mass market. This phenomenon was abetted by a design decision to make the Altair an "open" machine. In other words, it passed data along a channel called a bus, whose specifications were not kept a secret. That way both MITS and other companies could add memory cards, cards to control a printer or other devices as long as they adhered to the published standards.
This particular Altair was collected by the Smithsonian because it documents how hobbyists would outfit the machine with additional parts and components. The user added his own keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and 17 plug-in boards to expand the computer’s capability. Unfortunately, the original owner of the kit is unknown. The computer was donated to the Smithsonian by a second owner, Mark Sienkiewicz, who purchased it as a collectable item and never used it.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1975
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
2007.0032.03
catalog number
2007.0032.03
accession number
2007.0032
The punched paper tape contains the program SPACEWAR. In addition there is documentation on this program, a sheet of code, and documentation on the program D+7A/IO REV E.Currently not on view
Description
The punched paper tape contains the program SPACEWAR. In addition there is documentation on this program, a sheet of code, and documentation on the program D+7A/IO REV E.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
maker
Cromemco Inc.
ID Number
2012.3060.12
catalog number
2012.3060.12
nonaccession number
2012.3060
This blue spring binder contains an eight-inch disk with a copy of version 1.0 of DEBBI (Disk Extended Basic By ICOM) for the IMSAI 8080 microcomputer. There also is a set of sheets documenting the program. These appear to be a photocopy.
Description
This blue spring binder contains an eight-inch disk with a copy of version 1.0 of DEBBI (Disk Extended Basic By ICOM) for the IMSAI 8080 microcomputer. There also is a set of sheets documenting the program. These appear to be a photocopy. Donor and user Barry Berg commented about this program that IMSAI "came out with their own disk BASIC. It was kind of a lame BASIC. It was very flexible and it was
kind of buggy. But it was one first disk-based BASICs and back then there wasn't too many disk systems around. So you ran with it."
For Berg's IMSAI microcomputer, see 2010.0239.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
ID Number
2012.3060.21
nonaccession number
2012.3060
catalog number
2012.3060.21
This green plastic circuit board has plastic and metal parts attached to it and four rubber feet. Two ribbon cables proceed from the back to a plug marked: D8 25. The dimensions givendo not include the cables or plug.
Description
This green plastic circuit board has plastic and metal parts attached to it and four rubber feet. Two ribbon cables proceed from the back to a plug marked: D8 25. The dimensions givendo not include the cables or plug. The board is marked: THE PROM SETTER"
According to donor and user Barry Berg, "This is what you use to program the ROM. So the program ROMs that were up there, if I wanted code change or something,I have my own 8 track cassette tape with an ultraviolet case. You erase the PROMs,put it in there,reload your software in it and stick them back in."
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
ID Number
2012.3060.04
catalog number
2012.3060.04
nonaccession number
2012.3060
This object number covers the monitor and attached keyboard by Data Terminals Corporation used with an Alpha AM100 microcomputer.It has serial number 7015308.
Description
This object number covers the monitor and attached keyboard by Data Terminals Corporation used with an Alpha AM100 microcomputer.It has serial number 7015308. Introduced in 1977 by Alpha Micro Systems, the Alpha Micro 100 was an ambitious attempt to break out of the Intel 8080 mold of the late 1970s and to offer a true multi-user, multi-tasking microcomputer based on S-100 bus technology. The machine was expensive, and was targeted for sale to commercial firms or successful professionals. Ultimately, the entire (and quite extensive) commercial sector that was based on the S-100 bus machines (and the CP/M operating) collapsed in the face of the competition from the IBM PC and Microsoft's DOS
The Alpha AM 100 contained a WD1600 processor that ran at 2 MHz. It used Alpha Micro Operating System (AMOS).
The Alpha AM 100 represents the early attempt by the industry to move beyond the limited 8-bit technology of commercial use. From this arose a class of expensive and higher performance machines based on the S-100 bus and CP/M operating systems. The Alpha Micro 100 was the first proper multi-user microcomputer available and was first available in kit form.
For the microcomputer, see 1998.0634.01. For other parts, see 1998.0234.03 and 1998.0234.04. For documentation see 1998.3072.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1978
maker
Data Terminals Corporation
ID Number
1998.0234.02
accession number
1998.0234
catalog number
1998.0234.02
This handheld electronic calculator has a plastic case and thirty-five rectangular plastic keys.
Description
This handheld electronic calculator has a plastic case and thirty-five rectangular plastic keys. The four lower rows of keys are similar to those found on many calculators, with ten digit keys, a change sign key, a decimal point key, four arithmetic function keys, three memory keys, and a total key. The next row up on the scientific calculator contains keys for various forms of exponents and logarithms, as well as a pi key. The next row up (just below the top row of keys) contains a key for converting from degrees, minutes, and seconds to decimal degrees, as well as keys for trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions. The top row of keys includes keys for powers, reciprocals, square roots, clear entry, and clear. A mark above the keyboard reads: SHARP.
Behind the keyboard is a green fluorescent display that shows the result, up to a six-digit mantissa and a two-digit exponent (as a power of ten). Text above the display reads: SHARP ELSI MATE (/) EL-500. A jack for a power adapter is along the back edge. The on/off switch is on the left side.
The back of the calculator has a compartment for two slim batteries. A sticker inside it reads: 72406257.Text below this reads in part: ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR (/) EL-500. It also reads in part: SHARP CORPORATION (/) MADE IN JAPAN BM.
References:
[Advertisement], Los Angeles Times, March 27, 1977, p. X1. On sale for $14.95
[Advertisement], Washington Post, January 20, 1978, p. A23. Calculator selling for $14.77.
A copy for the manual for this calculator, without the cover, is online at wass.net/manuals, accessed October 27, 2014.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977-1978
maker
Sharp Corporation
ID Number
1986.0988.138
catalog number
1986.0988.138
accession number
1986.0988
Donor and former user Barry Berg explained the use of this extension circuit board as follows:" If you had a problem or needed to look at signals on particular card or something and hook your scopeup, when you go inside the case, you'll notice the cards are really densely packed
Description
Donor and former user Barry Berg explained the use of this extension circuit board as follows:" If you had a problem or needed to look at signals on particular card or something and hook your scope
up, when you go inside the case, you'll notice the cards are really densely packed together. You could never get a probe or you could never even see some of the cards,so you pull the card out and you'd put
this into this space on the 5100 bus and then you'd stick the card into it and then so the card would be sitting up above the case and you could easily get to all the components and adjust them and read the
signal pulses out to debug them." In other words, thecircuit board simply extended the wires on the S-100 bus so that a circuit board could be inserted in it above the other circuit boards in a microcomputer for examination and testing.The wires are marked 1 (at the left) and 50 (at the right) on one side, and 51 (on the left) and 100 (on the right) on the other. On the front side, the board is marked in the right hand lower corner: EXT (/) 1977 IMS ASSOC INC.
Reference: Acquisition file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
ID Number
2012.3060.06
catalog number
2012.3060.06
nonaccession number
2012.3060
One deck of playing cards with the backs of the cards decorated with a computer-generated image by Univac photographer Malcom T. Malm. There are 52 playing cards, 2 jokers, and 2 explanatory cards, in a paper box.
Description
One deck of playing cards with the backs of the cards decorated with a computer-generated image by Univac photographer Malcom T. Malm. There are 52 playing cards, 2 jokers, and 2 explanatory cards, in a paper box. The cards were distributed in honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Univac Twin Cities in 1971.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1971
maker
United States Playing Card Company
ID Number
2012.3060.02
catalog number
2012.3060.02
nonaccession number
2012.3060
Each of these two metal boxes has four plastic buttons numbered from one to four and a lever that moves in several directions. Each joystick has a cable containing several wires that fits into a common receptacle which has several wires proceeding from it.
Description
Each of these two metal boxes has four plastic buttons numbered from one to four and a lever that moves in several directions. Each joystick has a cable containing several wires that fits into a common receptacle which has several wires proceeding from it. The diimensions do not include cords.
For the IMSAI 8080 with which the joysticks were used, see 2010.0239.01. For documentation on the joysticks, see 2012.3060.31.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1976
maker
Cromemco Inc.
ID Number
2012.3060.01
catalog number
2012.3060.01
nonaccession number
2012.3060
In the course of the 1960s and 1970s, computer manufacturers developed diverse ways of storing data and programs on magnetic media. Expertise developed at large manufacturers like IBM found its way into more specialized firms.
Description
In the course of the 1960s and 1970s, computer manufacturers developed diverse ways of storing data and programs on magnetic media. Expertise developed at large manufacturers like IBM found its way into more specialized firms. One such company was Shugart Associates, established by Alan F. Shugart and colleagues. Shugart had worked at IBM and then Memorex; his associates had similar backgrounds. The first product of Shugart Associates, sold from about 1973, was the SA900 disk drive for 8” floppy disks. It was intended particularly for use with mainframes and minicomputers. This example is the sixth one manufactured by Shugart Associates.
A tag on the front reads: SA901. A tag on the bottom reads: Shugart Associates (/) Model No. SA900 (/) Volt 115/60 Freq. 60 Hz (/) SerialNo. P0006.
Also included is an SA150 diskette in envelope.
The SA900 soon was surpassed by the SA800, another drive for 8” floppy disks made by Shugart.
For related materials, see 1980.0612.01.1 (documentation on the SA800), 1980.0612.01.2 (documentation on the SA900), and 1980.0612.01.3 (a press release on Shugart Associates)). The collections include several later Shugart disk drives.
Reference:
Accession file.
"Background: Shugart Associates," September 1979, 1980.0612.01.3.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1972
date made
1973
ca 1973
maker
Shugart Associates
ID Number
1980.0612.01
catalog number
1980.0612.01
accession number
1980.0612
The Alto was developed the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. It was designed to be a networked operating system with a cutting-edge graphics display. The Alto consisted of the processor and storage unit, the display, keyboard, and mouse.
Description
The Alto was developed the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. It was designed to be a networked operating system with a cutting-edge graphics display. The Alto consisted of the processor and storage unit, the display, keyboard, and mouse. Although the Alto and its successor, the Star, were not major commercial successes, their technologies were crucial to the development of personal computers and widely adapted for use by the industry.
Object 1989.0432.01.1 is the large processor and disk storage unit; 1989.0432.01.2 the monitor and keyboard, and 1986.0432.01.3 a disk of games played on the ALTO.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1973
maker
Xerox Corporation
ID Number
1989.0432.01.1
catalog number
1989.0432.01.1
accession number
1989.0432
This unusually thin handheld electronic calculator has an aluminum case.
Description
This unusually thin handheld electronic calculator has an aluminum case. The array of twenty-two gray and white rounded plastic rectangular buttons includes ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a total key, four keys for arithmetic functions, a percentage key, a square root key, three memory keys, and a clear key. The on/off switch is between the keyboard and the eight-digit green fluorescent display. A mark below the display reads: CE COMPEX (/) ST-10. A mark below the keys reads: SUPER THIN (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR. The text printed on the back is largely worn away. The outlet for a recharger is at the bottom right.
Unscrewing a screw in the back makes it possible to change two large squat batteries. (This example has no batteries and no recharger.) A component taped to the back of one circuit board is marked in part: DELTA (/) DC. A mark on the display reads: itron FG94B1 (/) JAPAN JC.
A May 26, 1977 advertisement in the Los Angeles Times indicates that the Compex ST-10 sold for $14.97. This included both a wallet carrying case and the battery recharger.
According to the Datamath Calculator Museum website, Compex calculators were a product of Kinpo Electronics, Incorporated, a firm established in Taiwan by 1973.
References:
Datamath Calculator Museum, http://www.datamath.org/.
Los Angeles Times, May 26, 1977, p. A14.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1977
maker
Compex
ID Number
1986.0988.147
catalog number
1986.0988.147
accession number
1986.0988
A computer board for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well a
Description
A computer board for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal computer. MITS succeeded where other, more established firms had failed, and it was their machine that inaugurated the personal computer age. MITS got its start in computing in 1971, when it introduced an electronic calculator kit. Several thousand sold before 1974, when the sharp reduction in calculator prices drove the company out of that market.
H. Edward Roberts, the Florida-born former U.S. Air Force officer who headed MITS, decided to design a small, affordable computer around the Intel 8080. His daughter named the new machine after the star Altair. It was the first microcomputer to sell in large numbers. In January 1975, a photograph of the Altair appeared on the cover of the magazine Popular Electronics. The caption read “World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models.” According to the magazine, the machine sold as a kit for $395, and assembled for $498. Roberts had hoped to break even by selling 200 Altairs. Within three months he had a backlog of 4,000 orders.
Enthusiasm for the Altair and other personal computers spawned computer hobbyist clubs, computer stores, newsletters, magazines, and conventions. By 1977, a host of companies, large and small, were producing microcomputers for a mass market. This phenomenon was abetted by a design decision to make the Altair an "open" machine. In other words, it passed data along a channel called a bus, whose specifications were not kept a secret. That way both MITS and other companies could add memory cards, cards to control a printer or other devices as long as they adhered to the published standards.
This particular Altair was collected by the Smithsonian because it documents how hobbyists would outfit the machine with additional parts and components. The user added his own keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and 17 plug-in boards to expand the computer’s capability. Unfortunately, the original owner of the kit is unknown. The computer was donated to the Smithsonian by a second owner, Mark Sienkiewicz, who purchased it as a collectable item and never used it.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
2007.0032.05.11
catalog number
2007.0032.05.11
accession number
2007.0032
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal compu
Description
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal computer. MITS succeeded where other, more established firms had failed, and it was their machine that inaugurated the personal computer age. MITS got its start in computing in 1971, when it introduced an electronic calculator kit. Several thousand sold before 1974, when the sharp reduction in calculator prices drove the company out of that market.
H. Edward Roberts, the Florida-born former U.S. Air Force officer who headed MITS, decided to design a small, affordable computer around the Intel 8080. His daughter named the new machine after the star Altair. It was the first microcomputer to sell in large numbers. In January 1975, a photograph of the Altair appeared on the cover of the magazine Popular Electronics. The caption read “World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models.” According to the magazine, the machine sold as a kit for $395, and assembled for $498. Roberts had hoped to break even by selling 200 Altairs. Within three months he had a backlog of 4,000 orders.
Enthusiasm for the Altair and other personal computers spawned computer hobbyist clubs, computer stores, newsletters, magazines, and conventions. By 1977, a host of companies, large and small, were producing microcomputers for a mass market. This phenomenon was abetted by a design decision to make the Altair an "open" machine. In other words, it passed data along a channel called a bus, whose specifications were not kept a secret. That way both MITS and other companies could add memory cards, cards to control a printer or other devices as long as they adhered to the published standards.
This particular Altair was collected by the Smithsonian because it documents how hobbyists would outfit the machine with additional parts and components. The user added his own keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and seventeen plug-in boards to expand the computer’s capability. Unfortunately, the original owner of the kit is unknown. The computer was donated to the Smithsonian by a second owner, Mark Sienkiewicz, who purchased it as a collectable item and never used it.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1975
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
2007.0032.01
catalog number
2007.0032.01
accession number
2007.0032
A computer board for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well a
Description
A computer board for the Altair 8800 microcomputer.
Not long after Intel introduced its 8080 microprocessor, a small firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, named MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) announced a computer kit called the Altair, which met the social as well as technical requirements for a small personal computer. MITS succeeded where other, more established firms had failed, and it was their machine that inaugurated the personal computer age. MITS got its start in computing in 1971, when it introduced an electronic calculator kit. Several thousand sold before 1974, when the sharp reduction in calculator prices drove the company out of that market.
H. Edward Roberts, the Florida-born former U.S. Air Force officer who headed MITS, decided to design a small, affordable computer around the Intel 8080. His daughter named the new machine after the star Altair. It was the first microcomputer to sell in large numbers. In January 1975, a photograph of the Altair appeared on the cover of the magazine Popular Electronics. The caption read “World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models.” According to the magazine, the machine sold as a kit for $395, and assembled for $498. Roberts had hoped to break even by selling 200 Altairs. Within three months he had a backlog of 4,000 orders.
Enthusiasm for the Altair and other personal computers spawned computer hobbyist clubs, computer stores, newsletters, magazines, and conventions. By 1977, a host of companies, large and small, were producing microcomputers for a mass market. This phenomenon was abetted by a design decision to make the Altair an "open" machine. In other words, it passed data along a channel called a bus, whose specifications were not kept a secret. That way both MITS and other companies could add memory cards, cards to control a printer or other devices as long as they adhered to the published standards.
This particular Altair was collected by the Smithsonian because it documents how hobbyists would outfit the machine with additional parts and components. The user added his own keyboard, monitor, disk drive, and 17 plug-in boards to expand the computer’s capability. Unfortunately, the original owner of the kit is unknown. The computer was donated to the Smithsonian by a second owner, Mark Sienkiewicz, who purchased it as a collectable item and never used it.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
2007.0032.05.01
catalog number
2007.0032.05.01
accession number
2007.0032
This collection of parts of the Altair 680 micrcomputer includes:.02 - the main circuit board.02.1 - resisistors and diodes for main board assembly (Bag 2).02.2 - twelve integrated circuits for main board assembly (Bag 3).02.3 - resisistors and wire for main board assembly (Bag 4
Description
This collection of parts of the Altair 680 micrcomputer includes:
.02 - the main circuit board
.02.1 - resisistors and diodes for main board assembly (Bag 2)
.02.2 - twelve integrated circuits for main board assembly (Bag 3)
.02.3 - resisistors and wire for main board assembly (Bag 4)
.02.4 - crystals and diodes for main board assembly (Bag 5)
.02.5 - transistors, heat sinks. screws, etc. for main board assembly (Bag 6)
.02.6 - capacitors for main board assembly (Bag 7)
.02.7 - capacitors for main board assembly (Bag 8)
.02.8 - pin sockets, screws, rubber feet for main board assembly (Bag 9)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
1990.0653.02
catalog number
1990.0653.02
accession number
1990.0653
Northstar developed from a computer store called "The Original Kentucky Fried Computer." It changed its name due to impending litigation by Kentucky Fried Chicken. The company's first product was a Floating Point Math Board for S-100 computers.
Description
Northstar developed from a computer store called "The Original Kentucky Fried Computer." It changed its name due to impending litigation by Kentucky Fried Chicken. The company's first product was a Floating Point Math Board for S-100 computers. They then developed an inexpensive floppy drive system. This led the way to the Horizon, one of the first computers with built in floppy drives.
Announced in November 1977, the Horizon was sold in a wooden cabinet, as opposed to the more usual metal or plastic. The initial price was $1,899 assembled and $1,599 unassembled. The Horizon ran on a Z-80 microprocessor that ran at 4 MHz. It contained 16 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 64 KB and 1 KB of ROM. The operating system was both CP/M and Northstar DOS. The machine was among the first to offer floppy drives, and customers could order one or two 90 KB 5 ¼" drives. Northstar was also one of the first machines to offer a hard disk drive. This was called an HD-18, and had 18 megabytes on an 18" platter. The Northstar Horizon was suited for business, education, and software development applications.
This particular machine was donated to the Smithsonian by Peter A. McWilliams. He used it in writing The Word Processing Book: A Short Course in Computer Literacy (1982). When it sold well, McWilliams wrote The Personal Computer Book, (1983), which became a runaway bestseller. This was his first computer.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977
maker
Northstar
ID Number
1989.0354.01
catalog number
1989.0354.01
accession number
1989.0354
This collection of parts for the unassembled Altair 680 includes:.03 - display board.03.1 - twelve integrated circuits for display board assembly (Bag 1).03.2 - light emitting diodes for display board assembly (Bag 2).03.3 - capacitors for display board assembly (Bag 3).03.4 - di
Description
This collection of parts for the unassembled Altair 680 includes:
.03 - display board
.03.1 - twelve integrated circuits for display board assembly (Bag 1)
.03.2 - light emitting diodes for display board assembly (Bag 2)
.03.3 - capacitors for display board assembly (Bag 3)
.03.4 - diodes for display board assembly (Bag 4)
.03.5 - resistors and diodes for display board assembly (Bag 5)
.03.6 - switches for display board assembly (Bag 6)
.03.7- 100-pin connector, for display board assembly
For an assembled example of the computer, see 1991.0891.03
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
maker
Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems
ID Number
1990.0653.03
catalog number
1990.0653.03
accession number
1990.0653

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