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

Pronto Systems, Inc. introduced its Pronto Series 16 microcomputer in 1983. It represented the high end of business computing of its era.
Description
Pronto Systems, Inc. introduced its Pronto Series 16 microcomputer in 1983. It represented the high end of business computing of its era. The Pronto pioneered innovative design features, including a tilting and swiveling monitor, a small foot print, a streamlined and adjustable keyboard, and an expandable cord that allowed the processor to be stored as much as six feet away from the monitor. These features won a 1983 design award from Industrial Design Magazine. The computer offered the first tower system—a design that later became common in the industry. This index number covers the tower.
Inside, the Pronto 16 was a powerful machine designed for the full range of business applications. It had a 16-bit Intel 80186 microprocessor. It was shipped with MS-DOS 2.0. It had 128 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 1 MB. The standard hard drive was 5.6 MB, and it was removable. The computer had dual 800 KB floppy drives (5 ¼"), dual serial ports, one parallel port, and a high-resolution monochrome monitor. Users could buy a color monitor as an option. The base price was $3,000.
Over 1,000 systems were sold from 1983 to 1987. The company had to file for bankruptcy when the stock market crashed while the company was in the process of going public through an Initial Public Offering.
The donors of this example of the Pronto 16 were both associated with the firm that made it. Henry Gasbarro was founder, executive vice president, and chief technology officer of Pronto. He created the company in 1982. Skip Hansen, vice president of engineering, was responsible for the hardware design, software,and the high-resolution graphics capability that the system had.
See the other parts of acquisition 2001.0255 as well as 2001.3082.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1983-1987
maker
PRONTO Computers, Inc.
ID Number
2001.0255.01
catalog number
2001.0255.01
accession number
2001.0255
This microcomputer, manufactured by Commodore, has serial number V045518.
Description
This microcomputer, manufactured by Commodore, has serial number V045518. It consists of a CPU / keyboard, power supply box, RF
modulator, video cable, another small metal box with cable
(function unknown, but may be the switchbox), another cable
(function unknown) and the operating manual. All are contained in
the original box.
The CPU / keyboard is in a rectangular, plastic housing, cream
colored with brown and tan keys.
The donor dated the object to 1979, Williams's article would suggest a later date.
References:
Bruce Makoto Arnold, “Twenty-Two Columns of Lowbrow Revolution: The Commodore VIC-20 and the Beginning of the Home Computer Era,” Journal in Humanities, 2017, vol. 6 #1, pp. 11-20.
Gregg Williams, "The Commodore VIC 20 Microcomputer: A Low-Cost, High-Performance Consumer Computer," Byte, May, 1981, vol. 6 #5, pp. 46-64.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1979-1981
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
1987.0249.02
accession number
1987.0249
catalog number
1987.0249.02
Data General was primarily a mini-computer company. But in 1984, it introduced the Data General/One (DG-1), a breakthrough personal computer laptop.
Description
Data General was primarily a mini-computer company. But in 1984, it introduced the Data General/One (DG-1), a breakthrough personal computer laptop. The Data General/One weighed nine pounds, ran MS-DOS, had dual 3 ½" diskettes, a 79-key full stroke keyboard, 128 KB to 512 KB of RAM, and a monochrome LCD screen. It ran on a CMOS 80C88 processor. Unlike other "luggable" computers of the era, the DG-1 was light enough to carry on travel, but also powerful enough to emulate a desktop.
The DG-1 enjoyed only mediocre success. Its 3 ½" diskettes were slightly ahead of their time, and much popular software was not available in 3 ½" format. Adding to the problem, software copyright protection made copying into the 3 ½" format difficult. In addition, the DG-1 base price was relatively high at $2,895, and the real cost tended to be even higher, because users generally needed both more RAM and an external 5 ¼" drive to run disks from their desktop machines.
This example is a Model No. 2203 with serial number Q0026418.
The carrying case for the Data General/One (1995.0069.02) is divided into two sections. One contains the laptop-sized computer and a part for the floppy drive. the other contains:
1. two power cords
2. a modem cable
3. three 3 1/2" diskettes in a plastic fox. The diskettes all have a paper label that reads: Data General. One has no further marks. A second is marked: DATA GENERAL/ONE PERSONAL SYSTEM (/) MS-DOS REV 2.11 (/) DATA GENERAL CORPORATION (/) 1984 (/) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (/) MICROSOFT CORPORATION (/) 1981 1982 1983 (/) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. A third is marked: DATA GENERAL / ONE PERSONAL SYSTEM (/) HOW TO USE YOUR DATA GENERAL/ONE. It is copyrighted 1984
4. a spiral-bound Data General One Owner's Manual, Dated September, 1984. The manual contains a loose sheet and a sheet and an owner's manual for the carrying case.
5. six miscellaneous documents on the computer in an envelope marked: Limited Warranty and Service Booklet
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1984
maker
Data General Corporation
ID Number
1995.0069.01
accession number
1995.0069
catalog number
1995.0069.01
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
In the early 1980s, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) was the second largest computer company in the United States, following IBM, and was the leading producer of minicomputers.
Description
In the early 1980s, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) was the second largest computer company in the United States, following IBM, and was the leading producer of minicomputers. DEC had missed the initial development of personal computers, but decided to enter the market with a 16 bit machine. In 1982, it introduced the DEC Rainbow 100, for a price of $2,500.
The Rainbow 100 had both a Z-80 and an Intel 8088 microprocessor that ran at 4 MHz. It had 64 KB or RAM and 24 KB of ROM and had two built in floppy drives that could accommodate 400 KB single-sided quad density disks. It had three operating systems: MS-DOS, CP/M-86, and CP/M. Users made a selection by a menu at boot time. This portion - CPU - sat on a floor stand. For the monitor, see 1994.0078.01.2. For the keyboard, see 1994.0078.01.3. For related documentation, see 1994.3022.
The Rainbow could be used for word processing, spreadsheets, and games, although it had a monochrome screen. In addition to operating as a stand-alone computer, the Rainbow worked effectively as a VT-100 or VT-220 terminal emulator on larger machines, such as DEC's minicomputers. Although the Rainbow was a powerful and effective personal computer, it was not fully compatible with IBM systems, and eventually was overshadowed and undersold by IBM clones.
According to the donor, Steve Lubar, writing at the time he gave the machine to the museum, "purchased the Rainbow 100 in 1984, through my wife, Lisa Thoerle,who was then an employee of Digital Equipment Corporation.There was a large employee discount, perhaps almost 50%,(if I remember right!) which made the machine affordable,and close in price to more common PCs.
At the time,I was employed as a historian in the Department of
History of Science and Technology,working on the Engines of Change exhibition and a variety of scholarly papers. I used the Rainbow for word processing mostly, using WordStar software,and as a VT-100 terminal, using the built-in emulation, to call bulletin boards. I always used the machine in its CP/M mode, mostly because I found
that the only software I had for the MS-DOS mode(an early version of WordPerfect) was dreadful. Lisa used the machine a bit; she had a
C compiler,but found the machine too slow to use to do any serious
work. (She was used to VAXs and PDP-11s).
I used the Rainbow until 1988 or 1989,when I purchased a
Macintosh SE.The Rainbow,it was clear by that point, was a
technological deadend,too expensive to upgrade,and too
idiosyncratic to take advantage of the ever-cheaper prices on
hardware upgrades then available for IBM-standard PCs."
Reference:
Accession File 1994.0078.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1982
maker
Digital Equipment Corporation
ID Number
1994.0078.01.1
accession number
1994.0078
catalog number
1994.0078.01.1
After the success of the IBM's business PC, IBM attempted to capture the home market with the IBM PCjr.
Description
After the success of the IBM's business PC, IBM attempted to capture the home market with the IBM PCjr. The PCjr system was compact, low cost, and designed for applications related to learning, entertainment, and personal productivity.
The computer had an Intel 8088 microprocessor that ran at 4.77 MHz–faster than most systems on the market at the time. It had 64 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 256 KB and later to 720 KB with third party add-ons. It featured an internal 5 1/4" floppy drive and a wireless keyboard. King's Quest, a popular Adventure game of the 1980s, debuted on the PCjr.
Despite a flashy debut and a strong technology core, the PCjr flopped in the market. Consumers were not as attracted by the IBM name as business had been. Price was a major factor. The PCjr cost about the same as the Coleco Adam, but for the price, the Adam included two tape drives, a printer, and software. The PCJr was twice as expensive as the Commodore 64. With the exception of the Apple II, it was possible to purchase a complete system (computer, disk drive, and printer) from almost any of IBM's competitors for less money. However, criticism of the system focused on the "chiclet" keyboard. Similar to that of a pocket calculator, the small keys were cheap and difficult to use for touch typing. IBM later replaced this with a wireless conventional-sized keyboard. But it could only be used two or three feet away from the machine and drained batteries quickly.
Announced in November 1983 and available in March 1984, IBM sold the PCJr for $669 with 64 KB RAM, and $1,269 for 128 KB RAM. The more expensive system also included a floppy-disk drive. The device was manufactured in Lewisburg, Tennesee, by Teledyne, IBM discontinued the PCjr in March of 1985 after selling only approximately 270,000 units.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1984-1985
maker
IBM
ID Number
2002.0090.01
catalog number
2002.0090.01
accession number
2002.0090
In 1984 Michael Dell was a freshman at the University of Texas, building PCs and selling them to fellow students and faculty.
Description
In 1984 Michael Dell was a freshman at the University of Texas, building PCs and selling them to fellow students and faculty. By 1985 Dell’s company, PC’S Limited, was selling Turbo PC IBM clones that came with an Intel 8088 microprocessor, 640 kilobytes of RAM, a 360-kilobytes drive, a 130-watt power supply, eight expansion slots, and the ability to connect to local area networks (LAN). One of Dell’s selling points was the option to order a PC over the phone with customized components. This connection with the consumer and the ability to keep inventory low until a computer was ordered gave Dell a distinct business advantage going forward. This computer was sold to Clint Johnson, a freelance writer in North Carolina. In 2005 he donated the computer back to Dell Inc., which gave it to the Museum in 2007.
References:
Owen Edwards, “Baby Dell,” Smithsonian Magazine, August 2007.
Nancy Fowler Koehn, Brand New: How Entrepreneurs Earned Consumers' Trust from Wedgwood to Dell (Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2001), 276–305.
date made
1985
maker
Dell Inc.
ID Number
2007.0042.01
catalog number
2007.0042.01
accession number
2007.0042
In 1974 Stanford University doctoral graduates Harry Garland and Roger Melen established a partnership named for their former dormitory Crothers Memorial Hall. Cromemco was formally incorporated in 1976.
Description
In 1974 Stanford University doctoral graduates Harry Garland and Roger Melen established a partnership named for their former dormitory Crothers Memorial Hall. Cromemco was formally incorporated in 1976. For the life of the company Garland and Melen remained the sole shareholders and avoided outside investment. At the insistence of their accountant, the company held a bank credit line but never had to tap the full amount. Their business philosophy was to grow only within the parameters of available cash. Revenues in 1975 were $50,000 and grew to an estimated $55 million by 1987 when the owners sold the company to Dynatech.
The company’s first products were a microcomputer system digital camera, the Cyclops, and a color graphics card called the Dazzler. From these products the company moved on to making reliable, high-quality business and scientific computers and in 1982, they introduced the C-10 Personal Computer. Cromemco systems were the first commercially marketed microcomputers certified by the U.S. Navy for use aboard ships and Ohio class submarines for data logging during tests. The United States Air Force became a major customer for their Theater Air Control System (TACS) and the Mission Support System (MSS) for F-16, F-15 and other aircraft. By 1986 more than 80 percent of the major-market television stations in the U.S. used Cromemco systems to produce news and weather graphics.
According to the user manual, “The C-10’s high-quality construction, continual self-testing, and proven design assure that it will perform faithfully year after year.”
This Cromemco C-10 microcomputer was used at Monroe High School in Monroe, MI from 1982-2008. In 1980 physics teacher Darol Straub started an after school computer class which led to the development of the school’s first formal computer curriculum. To be accepted into the course, students were required to take an aptitude entrance test. Classes were two periods per day for three years. Hardware and software topics included basic circuits to microcomputer design and building, and programming in binary code and assembly language as well as higher level languages such as BASIC, FORTRAN, PASCAL, COBOL, and “C.” The third year focused on developing advanced projects using speech recognition, numeric control, fiber optic communication, graphic design, and robotics.
Many of Straub’s students went on to college to study computer science and earned jobs with companies such as Microsoft and Intel. Two brothers who completed the curriculum opened a computer company when they graduated from high school. According to Mr. Straub, the company was still in business in 2018. The brother of the donor, also a student of Straub’s, graduated from Monroe High School in 2009 and MIT in 2013. He now works for Space X.
In 1988 the Computer Engineering Program students produced a 20 minute video “Monroe High School – Current Generation” which the school used to promote and recruit new students for the course.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1982
user
Straub, Darol
Gagnon, Blair
maker
Cromemco Inc.
ID Number
2018.0113.01
accession number
2018.0113
catalog number
2018.0113.01
This microcomputer with monitor and disk drive comprise one unit which is joined by a cord to the keyboard. A power cord with plug extends from the back.
Description
This microcomputer with monitor and disk drive comprise one unit which is joined by a cord to the keyboard. A power cord with plug extends from the back. The machine was used by Rayna Green when she taught at Dartmouth College, before she came to NMAH as a curator.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1980s
maker
Sanyo Electric Company
ID Number
2012.0092.01
accession number
2012.0092
catalog number
2012.0092.01
This is one of a series of machines introduced by a Hiram, Ohio, firm of scientific instrument makers. Ohio Scientific began selling microcomputers in 1977, the Challenger 8P came a few years later.
Description
This is one of a series of machines introduced by a Hiram, Ohio, firm of scientific instrument makers. Ohio Scientific began selling microcomputers in 1977, the Challenger 8P came a few years later. This example includes the central processing unit, a dual disk drive that held 8” disks, and a simple keyboard (there is no monitor). The case for storing floppy disks holds six disks (for these see 2007.0132.18). The CPU is marked: CHALLENGER 8P. The disk drive is marked: OHIO SCIENTIFIC
For documentation relating to Ohio Scientific microcomputers and their users, see 2006.3070.43, parts of acquisition 2021.3098, document 2015.3167.10, and document 2015.3167.11. For a model 600 Ohio Scientific microcomputer from 1979 (presently held by the Electricity collections) see 2011.0112.01.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1981
maker
Ohio Scientific
ID Number
2006.0132.17
catalog number
2006.0132.17
accession number
2006.0132
This is an example of IBM’s Personal System/1, a microcomputer designed primarily for home use. It sold from 1990 until it was succeeded by the IBM Aptiva in 1994.
Description
This is an example of IBM’s Personal System/1, a microcomputer designed primarily for home use. It sold from 1990 until it was succeeded by the IBM Aptiva in 1994. This cream-colored PS/1 includes not only the central processing unit (powered by an Intel 8026 microprocessor) but a monitor, two disk drives (one for 5 ¼” disks, one for 3 1/2” disks), a keyboard, and a mouse. A tag on the back of the cpu reads: Type 2011-C34 (/) S/N 23-5006568.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1990 - 1994
maker
IBM
ID Number
2006.0132.13
catalog number
2006.0132.13
accession number
2006.0132
The Apple Lisa introduced the graphic user interface (GUI) into the Apple Computer Corporation's line of personal computers. Instead of using only text-based commands, users could employ pictorial icons displayed on the screen to initiate operations.
Description
The Apple Lisa introduced the graphic user interface (GUI) into the Apple Computer Corporation's line of personal computers. Instead of using only text-based commands, users could employ pictorial icons displayed on the screen to initiate operations. Officially, "Lisa" stood for "Local Integrated Software Architecture," but it was also the name of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' daughter. This computer was also Jobs "baby," as he championed its creation and believed it would revolutionize personal computing. Apple spent four years and $50 million to develop it, but it turned out to be a commercial flop, in large part because of the $10,000 per unit cost. Only 80,000 were eventually sold. The Lisa is most important historically as the computer that pioneered concepts later used in the far more successful Macintosh.
This Lisa has model number A65B100 and serial number B08B832370482. It was owned and used by Roslyn Lang and her family. Her husband used it for academic work, while she and her children used it for computer games. She said: "As I recall, these were mainly games that you played against the software by looking at pictures of a castle and trying to free the princess without being eaten by an ogre!”
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1983
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
2005.0056.01
catalog number
2005.0056.01
accession number
2005.0056
In 1987, Commodore introduced the Amiga 500, also known as the A500, as an inexpensive version of a 16 bit multimedia home computer.
Description
In 1987, Commodore introduced the Amiga 500, also known as the A500, as an inexpensive version of a 16 bit multimedia home computer. The goal was to provide a machine that would compete successfully against other 16 bit machines, just as the Commodore 64 had outsold many competitive 8 bit computers. The A500 did sell well against the Atari 520ST and was the low end successor of the Amiga 1000.
The A500 used a Motorola 68000 microprocessor that ran at 7.14 MHz and had 256 KB of ROM and 512 KB of RAM, which was expandable to 9MB. The Amiga 500 used a special system for its RAM configuration. It had 512 KB of Chip RAM, which could be accessed by the sound and video custom chip, and FAST RAM, which could only be accessed only by the CPU.
The Amiga 500 was followed by the Amiga 500+. It doubled the amount of the A500s Chip RAM to 1 MB. Both versions could be connected to a TV set or to a video monitor. The A500 computers were the best selling in the Amiga series. Besides doing well in the United States, they also were popular in Europe. Many users favored the Amiga because, in addition to being inexpensive, it had excellent graphics and sound capability for a computer of its era.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1987
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
2001.0186.03
catalog number
2001.0186.03
accession number
2001.0186
This portable microcomputer, named Commuter, has an off-white case with a fixed black handle. To raise the lid, latches on each side of the case are released simultaneously.
Description
This portable microcomputer, named Commuter, has an off-white case with a fixed black handle. To raise the lid, latches on each side of the case are released simultaneously. Inside the lid, the 80 x 16 liquid crystal display (LCD) plugs in via a RJ11 cable to a connector just above the keyboard. The keyboard has 83 keys with a numeric pad to the right and a 10 function key pad to the left. Behind the keyboard, built into the case are two 360K 5¼” floppy disk drives. Above the keyboard on the left is the Commuter logo. A handwritten sticker on the outside rear of the computer notes that the memory was upgraded to 512K, the maximum amount allowed. The LCD display could be removed entirely and replaced by a larger external monitor for office or home use.
The IBM compatible unit uses the MS-DOS 2.1 operating system and an Intel 8088 processor. Although it has no internal expansion slots, it has 6 ports on the rear for cables that would connect to other devises. These ports include: 63 pin expansion, 24 pin asynchronous, 25 pin asynchronous/synchronous, parallel printer, RGB monochrome video (for an external monitor), and a composite video (for a color monitor).
Visual Computer Incorporated introduced the “Commuter” model in November 1983. Advertised as “Portable, IBM Compatible, Powerful, Affordable,” it weighed 16 pounds and sold for $1995. Visual ran ads in PC Magazine, Computerworld, and the American Bar Association Journal appealing to business executives who needed a computer when they traveled--the Commuter was a briefcase-sized portable computer with a handle.
The objects in accession 2017.0321, non-accessions 2017.3153 and 2018.3076 are related.
References:
PC Magazine, April 17, 1984. Advertisement pages 110-111.
Computerworld, June 11, 1984. Advertisement pages 68-69.
American Bar Association Journal, September 1984, Volume 70. Advertisement pages 22-23.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983
ID Number
2017.0321.01
accession number
2017.0321
catalog number
2017.0321.01
Introduced in 1983 at a cost of $199.95, the Timex-Sinclair 2068 (TS 2068) was the fourth and last Sinclair personal computer sold in the US market. It followed the ZX-81 (marketed by Sinclair Research through an American branch), TS 1000, and TS 1500.
Description
Introduced in 1983 at a cost of $199.95, the Timex-Sinclair 2068 (TS 2068) was the fourth and last Sinclair personal computer sold in the US market. It followed the ZX-81 (marketed by Sinclair Research through an American branch), TS 1000, and TS 1500. It’s design also drew on Sinclair’s ZX Spectrum (the Spectrum was not marketed in the U.S.).
The TS 2068 used a Z80 processor that ran at 3.58 MHz. Its memory included 48 KB of RAM and 24 KB of ROM. A cassette recorder was used for external storage. Like the TS 1000, the 2068 included a BASIC interpreter to run programs. Additional functions had been added to handle more complex graphic and sound commands. The TS 2068 included a sound chip and speaker at the bottom of the computer and had a range of 10 octaves and 130 semitones directly programmable from BASIC. Users could buy a TS 2040 printer that was attached to an expansion port.
The TS 2068 was well equipped for playing games and, with the use of an appropriate cartridge, could be used with most software designed for the ZX Spectrum. The computer was generally used for entertainment, educational, and programming tutorials.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1980s
maker
Timex Computer Corporation
ID Number
2000.0205.01
catalog number
2000.0205.01
accession number
2000.0205
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
The computers in the Apple II family were among the most popular personal computers in the late 1970s and 1980s. The last model and most impressive of the Apple II family was the Apple II GS (GS=graphics + sound).
Description
The computers in the Apple II family were among the most popular personal computers in the late 1970s and 1980s. The last model and most impressive of the Apple II family was the Apple II GS (GS=graphics + sound). When it was released in September of 1986—Apple's 10th anniversary—at the price of $999 (without a monitor—or $1498 with an RGB monitor), the Apple II GS competed against other computers such as the Commodore Amiga and the Atari ST.
The Apple II GS used the Western Design Center 65816 16 bit microprocessor, which ran at 2.8 Mhz. It had 256 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 8 MB. There were seven slots to accommodate an expansion of memory. It was the first computer to utilize the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) which linked standard input device such as keyboards, mice, and graphics tablets. This made it possible for Apple to sell a single set of peripherals that both the Apple Computer and later the Macintosh could use. The IIGS display had a 600 X 200 pixel mode with 2-bit palletized cooler and a 320 X 200 pixel mode with a 4-bit palletized color. The Apple II GS could display 256 colors on the screen. Its ProDOS 16 as system software allowed users to handle any number of open files at the same time.
The IIGS seemed well positioned to capture a large market. However, by the time it was released, Apple was putting its energy into developing the Macintosh and the IIGS suffered from limited marketing. Apple discontinued the line in December 1992.
This example of the Apple IIGS is model number A26000, Serial number A2S2-E80113DA2S6000. For related documentation, see 1998.3062.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1986
maker
Apple Computer
ID Number
1998.0199.01
catalog number
1998.0199.01
accession number
1998.0199
This black microcomputer includes a tower with attached base, a monitor with swivel and stand, a media console that fits under the monitor and holds a diskette and a cd, and a keyboard with mouse.
Description
This black microcomputer includes a tower with attached base, a monitor with swivel and stand, a media console that fits under the monitor and holds a diskette and a cd, and a keyboard with mouse. Various cords join the parts.
The dimensions given are for compact storage, not display.
This particular IBM Aptiva was acquired second-hand by the donor, Leslie Ann Jenson, in 2000, when she began a fulltime teaching position at a Catholic high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She used this, her first personally owned computer, primarily for email and grading student work, as well as in her first online job application. The latter proved successful, she went overseas, and the Aptiva gave way to other devices.
Reference:
NMAH accession file 2013.0258.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1996
maker
IBM
ID Number
2013.0258.01
accession number
2013.0258
catalog number
2013.0258.01
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
Kaypro was a manufacturer of portable microcomputers running the CP/M operating system. Its first commercial model, Kaypro II, was launched in 1982. The Kaypro IV was introduced in 1983.
Description
Kaypro was a manufacturer of portable microcomputers running the CP/M operating system. Its first commercial model, Kaypro II, was launched in 1982. The Kaypro IV was introduced in 1983. Surprisingly, it is not the same as the Kaypro 4, which was released in 1984.
The Kaypro IV was basically a Kaypro II with added Double Sided/Double Density Drives. It had a Z80 microprocessor that ran at 2.5 MHz. The memory included 64 KB of RAM and 2 KB of ROM. Kaypro IV had a 9" monochrome monitor and a built-in speaker. The operating system was CP/M 2.2. The Kaypro IV included the word processor Wordstar, which was included in the Perfect Software Suite.
The introduction of the IBM PC in 1981 led to the rapid growth in popularity of the MS-DOS operating system for personal computers. Software developers migrated to writing for MS-DOS instead of CP/M. Kaypro was slow to make the transition in their machines, and the company never gained the kind of prominence in the MS-DOS arena that it had enjoyed with CP/M. A prime competitor for the MS-DOS portable market was Compaq, which sold an "all in one" computer that was similar to its own CP/M portable. In March 1990 Kaypro filed for bankruptcy.
This Kaypro IV was purchased with funds from a research grant obtained by Robert M. Smith, of the Department of Space History of the National Air and Space Museum. Smith's book, The Space Telescope, was written in part on this computer. The object was received as a transfer from the Natonal Air and Space Museum.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1983
maker
Kaypro Corporation
ID Number
1992.0522.01
catalog number
1992.0522.01
accession number
1992.0522
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
In the early 1970s, most personal computers came as hobbyist kits requiring a high level of technical expertise to assemble.
Description
In the early 1970s, most personal computers came as hobbyist kits requiring a high level of technical expertise to assemble. Don French, a buyer for the consumer electronics chain Tandy Radio Shack (TRS), believed that Radio Shack should offer an assembled personal computer and hired engineer Steve Leininger to design it. In the summer of 1977, Radio Shack introduced the TRS-80 for $599. This offering included a BASIC language interpreter, four kilobytes of RAM, a Zilog Z80 processor at 1.77 megahertz, a twelve-inch video monitor, a cassette recorder, a power supply, and a cassette tape containing the games Blackjack and Backgammon. While some Tandy executives were skeptical about the success of the PC market, the availability of the TRS-80 on five thousand Radio Shack store shelves helped the Model 1 sell over one hundred thousand units during its first year, half of total PCs sales in 1978.
The TRS-80 had its microprocessor inside its keyboard. While you could purchase just the TRS-80 for $400, most opted for the package that included the twelve-inch monitor and cassette recorder for $600. This example of the object includes the TRS-80 Expansion Interface for $299 (the monitor sits on it) that gave the machine an extra thirty-two kilobytes of memory. Also part of the system are two Mini-Disk drives that sold for $499 and a suitcase for carrying all this around.
One also could purchase such accessories as a TRS-80 Telephone Interface II for $199 that allowed for network communication and printer for $399. Examples of these are in the Smithsonian collections, although they were not received with this specific microcomputer.
This TRS-80 was used by donor Kenneth S. Wiedlitz of Los Angeles, along with the remaining materials in the accession.
References:
Radio Shack, A Tandy Company, 1978 Catalog No. 289, page 166, accessed September 1, 2014, http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalogs/1978
Radio Shack, A Tandy Company, 1979 Catalog No. 302, pages 79–82, accessed September 1, 2014, http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalogs/1979
“BYTE News,” BYTE, May 1979, 117.
Peggy A. Kidwell and Paul E. Ceruzzi, Landmarks in Digital Computing (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994), 96–99.
date made
1977-1981
maker
Tandy Corporation
ID Number
1983.0169.01
catalog number
1983.0169.01
accession number
1983.0169
When the TI-99/4A was introduced in 1981, Texas Instruments claimed it was both "a major breakthrough in computer technology," and, probably more important, the "lowest priced, 16-bit computer available." It cost only $525.
Description
When the TI-99/4A was introduced in 1981, Texas Instruments claimed it was both "a major breakthrough in computer technology," and, probably more important, the "lowest priced, 16-bit computer available." It cost only $525. The TI 99/4a was a redesign of the TI-99/4 system, which had been a market failure and was discontinued. The new machine sold well, but by August 1982, TI was falling behind its competitors, especially Commodore. So it began offering a $100 rebate on the TI-99/4a. It quickly became the best-selling home computer in America, controlling, by the end of 1982, approximately 35% of the market--150,000 machines a month.
In February 1983, TI cut the price to $150, and then in June 1983, it offered a plastic version of the TI-99/4a for less than $100. But now it had gone too far. It was selling computers for less than cost, resulting in a second quarter loss of $100 million.
The TI-99/4a operated on a TI TMS99000 at 3 MHz and included 16 KB of RAM and 26 KB of ROM. The computer included a RS-232 interface card and a 32K memory expansion card as well as a Data Storage cassette. Texas Instruments controlled the development of software for the machine and offered only around 300 titles. These did not include many of the most popular programs of the time.
Initially, the only way to expand the machine was to use a port on the right side of the console. Peripherals could extend out several feet. To remedy the situation TI released a more convenient Peripheral Expansion Box (PEB) and, surprisingly, sold 250,000 units at $1,475.00 each--far more than the cost of the computer.
Eventually Texas Instruments sold over 2.5 million units of the TI-99/4A. However the company decided that computers were not a promising business and dropped out of the PC market in 1984.
This example of the TI 99/4A was acquired by the donors in 1982. For related objects, see the rest of accession 1990.0494 as well as acquisition 1990.3142.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1981-1984
date made
1982
maker
Texas Instruments
ID Number
1990.0494.01
catalog number
1990.0494.01
accession number
1990.0494
The Tandy/Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 was one of the precursors to the modern laptop.
Description
The Tandy/Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 was one of the precursors to the modern laptop. The functions were fairly limited but the size and battery power were well recieved.
This computer was actually made by Kyocera, now a brand name recognized worldwide as a manufacturer of popular cell phone and PDA hybrids.
This example of the computer was used by Paul E. Ceruzzi when he was a curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
In addition to the computer itself, this index number covers a plastic carrying case for it.
date made
ca 1983
user
Ceruzzi, Paul
maker
Tandy Corporation
ID Number
1995.0176.01
accession number
1995.0176
catalog number
1995.0176.01

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