Computers & Business Machines

Apple II Personal Computer

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

Software with Documentation, Xerox Desktop Publishing Series: Ventura Publisher Edition

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986-1987
maker
Xerox Corporation
ID Number
2012.3098.068
catalog number
2012.3098.068
nonaccession number
2012.3098

Xerox Alto Monitor & Keyboard

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

Software on Disks for the Tandy 1400 Microcomputer

Software received with a Tandy 1400 portable computer, stored on nine 3 1/2" diskettes in a plastic box. These are labeled as:1. backup discs for DOS Version 3.302. WordPerfect 4.2 (System and Learning)3. WordPerfect 4.2 (Speller and Thesaurus)4.
Description
Software received with a Tandy 1400 portable computer, stored on nine 3 1/2" diskettes in a plastic box. These are labeled as:
1. backup discs for DOS Version 3.30
2. WordPerfect 4.2 (System and Learning)
3. WordPerfect 4.2 (Speller and Thesaurus)
4. WordPerfect 4.2 (Printer 1 and Printer 2)
5. WordPerfect documents by Merz (the donor)
6. MS-DOS 3.20 (dated 10/30/89)
7. Craig 3, DOS 3.3 and Lotus 2.01
8. LOTUS 1-2-3 release 2.01, Disk 1
One disk is unlabelled.
For the computer, see 2014,0090.01.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1989
ID Number
2014.0090.02
accession number
2014.0090
catalog number
2014.0090.02

Commodore PET 2001 Microcomputer

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

Educational Software for Use with the Commodore 64 Microcomputer, Word Shuttle

This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s.
Description
This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s. Each program has its original box, the 5 ¼” software diskettes, and the user manual.
Word Shuttle
This word processing program was released in 1985 and included a 42-page user guide and two keyboard overlays. Word Shuttle was the official word processor of the Young Astronaut Program which operated between 1984 and 2004. The objective of this international educational curriculum was to promote greater interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through space-themed activities, experiments, and conferences.
Sky Travel
This astronomy program, designed for persons ages 12 and up, was released in 1984 and included a 138-page manual. It provided an interactive guided tour of the universe—in the past, present, and future. The universe model could show the location of more than 1,200 stars, 88 constellations, 8 planets, deep sky objects, and the (then) future appearance (1986) of Halley’s comet. The program had four basic modes: map, set, sky, and chart. Map was used to select the location on Earth; month, day, year, and time were determined in set; optional displays were chosen in sky; and chart was used to project the sky on a celestial sphere with coordinate lines for creating, viewing, and printing your own star charts.
JUST IMAGINE…
This creative writing program, released in 1984 for individuals of all ages, included a 20-page manual. The user could create colorful animated stories by selecting up to three animated characters from the twenty-five provided, choosing one of nine backgrounds, and a few of the 48 stationary objects. The author then wrote a story to match the selected graphics. While different parts of the program loaded it displayed random trivia facts from the 300 stored on the diskette. The story could be played back and saved to diskette. The introduction in the manual states that “JUST IMAGINE… is another example of Commodore’s commitment to excellence-in-education through technology.”
Reading Professor
This reading program, released in 1984, was designed to teach reading skills to high school-age students as well as adults. Included with the two software diskettes was a 40-page user guide. The program provided a series of ten 20-minute lessons to increase reading speed and improve comprehension by presenting specific techniques for eliminating bad reading habits and developing new skills. It has a library of reading materials with three reading levels--High School, College and Adult, and Professional. Each level contians thirty-two reading selections. The program used seven types of exercises to monitor and log progress and success.
Typing Professor
This typing program, released in 1984 for individuals ages 12 and up, included a 20-page manual, two cassettes for use with a Commodore 16, and a diskette for use with either a Commodore 64 or Commodore Plus/4.
Students could learn the basics of touch typing or learn to improve their typing speed. The program had 19 exercises which increased in difficulty. Each exercise contained a score chart that calculated and recorded the number of errors, error rate, and typing speed. The exercises were timed and the student could not exceed the acceptable error rate before beginning the next exercise. The allowed error rate started at 4% for lesson 1 and decreased to 1% for lessons 16-19. The goal for lesson 19 was 35 words per minute with a less than 1% error rate.
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
2006.0132.28.03
catalog number
2006.0132.28.03
accession number
2006.0132

Altair 8800 Microcomputer Keyboard

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

DEC Rainbow 100 Microcomputer

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

Disk Drive for Altair 8800 Microcomputer

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

Educational Software for Use with the Commodore 64 Microcomputer

This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s.
Description
This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s. Each program has its original box, the 5 ¼” software diskettes, and the user manual.
Word Shuttle
This word processing program was released in 1985 and included a 42-page user guide and two keyboard overlays. Word Shuttle was the official word processor of the Young Astronaut Program which operated between 1984 and 2004. The objective of this international educational curriculum was to promote greater interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through space-themed activities, experiments, and conferences.
Sky Travel
This astronomy program, designed for persons ages 12 and up, was released in 1984 and included a 138-page manual. It provided an interactive guided tour of the universe—in the past, present, and future. The universe model could show the location of more than 1,200 stars, 88 constellations, 8 planets, deep sky objects, and the (then) future appearance (1986) of Halley’s comet. The program had four basic modes: map, set, sky, and chart. Map was used to select the location on Earth; month, day, year, and time were determined in set; optional displays were chosen in sky; and chart was used to project the sky on a celestial sphere with coordinate lines for creating, viewing, and printing your own star charts.
JUST IMAGINE…
This creative writing program, released in 1984 for individuals of all ages, included a 20-page manual. The user could create colorful animated stories by selecting up to three animated characters from the twenty-five provided, choosing one of nine backgrounds, and a few of the 48 stationary objects. The author then wrote a story to match the selected graphics. While different parts of the program loaded it displayed random trivia facts from the 300 stored on the diskette. The story could be played back and saved to diskette. The introduction in the manual states that “JUST IMAGINE… is another example of Commodore’s commitment to excellence-in-education through technology.”
Reading Professor
This reading program, released in 1984, was designed to teach reading skills to high school-age students as well as adults. Included with the two software diskettes was a 40-page user guide. The program provided a series of ten 20-minute lessons to increase reading speed and improve comprehension by presenting specific techniques for eliminating bad reading habits and developing new skills. It has a library of reading materials with three reading levels -- High School, College and Adult, and Professional. Each level includes thirty-two reading selections. The program used seven types of exercises to monitor and log progress and success.
Typing Professor
This typing program, released in 1984 for individuals ages 12 and up, included a 20-page manual, two cassettes for use with a Commodore 16, and a diskette for use with either a Commodore 64 or Commodore Plus/4.
Students could learn the basics of touch typing or learn to improve their typing speed. The program had 19 exercises which increased in difficulty. Each exercise contained a score chart that calculated and recorded the number of errors, error rate, and typing speed. The exercises were timed and the student could not exceed the acceptable error rate before beginning the next exercise. The allowed error rate started at 4% for lesson 1 and decreased to 1% for lessons 16-19. The goal for lesson 19 was 35 words per minute with a less than 1% error rate.
Date made
ca 1984
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
2006.0132.28.01
catalog number
2006.0132.28.01
accession number
2006.0132

Educational Software for Use with the Commodore 64 Microcomputer, Sky Travel

This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s.
Description
This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s. Each program has its original box, the 5 ¼” software diskettes, and the user manual.
Word Shuttle
This word processing program was released in 1985 and included a 42-page user guide and two keyboard overlays. Word Shuttle was the official word processor of the Young Astronaut Program which operated between 1984 and 2004. The objective of this international educational curriculum was to promote greater interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through space-themed activities, experiments, and conferences.
Sky Travel
This astronomy program, designed for persons ages 12 and up, was released in 1984 and included a 138-page manual. It provided an interactive guided tour of the universe—in the past, present, and future. The universe model could show the location of more than 1,200 stars, 88 constellations, 8 planets, deep sky objects, and the (then) future appearance (1986) of Halley’s comet. The program had four basic modes: map, set, sky, and chart. Map was used to select the location on Earth; month, day, year, and time were determined in set; optional displays were chosen in sky; and chart was used to project the sky on a celestial sphere with coordinate lines for creating, viewing, and printing your own star charts.
JUST IMAGINE…
This creative writing program, released in 1984 for individuals of all ages, included a 20-page manual. The user could create colorful animated stories by selecting up to three animated characters from the twenty-five provided, choosing one of nine backgrounds, and a few of the 48 stationary objects. The author then wrote a story to match the selected graphics. While different parts of the program loaded it displayed random trivia facts from the 300 stored on the diskette. The story could be played back and saved to diskette. The introduction in the manual states that “JUST IMAGINE… is another example of Commodore’s commitment to excellence-in-education through technology.”
Reading Professor
This reading program, released in 1984, was designed to teach reading skills to high school-age students as well as adults. Included with the two software diskettes was a 40-page user guide. The program provided a series of ten 20-minute lessons to increase reading speed and improve comprehension by presenting specific techniques for eliminating bad reading habits and developing new skills. It has a library of reading materials with three reading levels--High School, College and Adult, and Professional. Each level contains thirty-two reading selections. The program used seven types of exercises to monitor and log progress and success.
Typing Professor
This typing program, released in 1984 for individuals ages 12 and up, included a 20-page manual, two cassettes for use with a Commodore 16, and a diskette for use with either a Commodore 64 or Commodore Plus/4.
Students could learn the basics of touch typing or learn to improve their typing speed. The program had 19 exercises which increased in difficulty. Each exercise contained a score chart that calculated and recorded the number of errors, error rate, and typing speed. The exercises were timed and the student could not exceed the acceptable error rate before beginning the next exercise. The allowed error rate started at 4% for lesson 1 and decreased to 1% for lessons 16-19. The goal for lesson 19 was 35 words per minute with a less than 1% error rate.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1984
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
2006.0132.28.04
catalog number
2006.0132.28.04
accession number
2006.0132

IBM PCjr Microcomputer

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

Educational Software for Use with the Commodore 64 Microcomputer, Reading Professor

This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s.
Description
This group of five educational computer programs was developed for the Commodore 64 during the 1980s. Each program has its original box, the 5 ¼” software diskettes, and the user manual.
Word Shuttle
This word processing program was released in 1985 and included a 42-page user guide and two keyboard overlays. Word Shuttle was the official word processor of the Young Astronaut Program which operated between 1984 and 2004. The objective of this international educational curriculum was to promote greater interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through space-themed activities, experiments, and conferences.
Sky Travel
This astronomy program, designed for persons ages 12 and up, was released in 1984 and included a 138-page manual. It provided an interactive guided tour of the universe—in the past, present, and future. The universe model could show the location of more than 1,200 stars, 88 constellations, 8 planets, deep sky objects, and the (then) future appearance (1986) of Halley’s comet. The program had four basic modes: map, set, sky, and chart. Map was used to select the location on Earth; month, day, year, and time were determined in set; optional displays were chosen in sky; and chart was used to project the sky on a celestial sphere with coordinate lines for creating, viewing, and printing your own star charts.
JUST IMAGINE…
This creative writing program, released in 1984 for individuals of all ages, included a 20-page manual. The user could create colorful animated stories by selecting up to three animated characters from the twenty-five provided, choosing one of nine backgrounds, and a few of the 48 stationary objects. The author then wrote a story to match the selected graphics. While different parts of the program loaded it displayed random trivia facts from the 300 stored on the diskette. The story could be played back and saved to diskette. The introduction in the manual states that “JUST IMAGINE… is another example of Commodore’s commitment to excellence-in-education through technology.”
Reading Professor
This reading program, released in 1984, was designed to teach reading skills to high school-age students as well as adults. Included with the two software diskettes was a 40-page user guide. The program provided a series of ten 20-minute lessons to increase reading speed and improve comprehension by presenting specific techniques for eliminating bad reading habits and developing new skills. It has a library of reading materials with three reading levels--High School, College and Adult, and Professional. Each level contains thirty-two reading selections. The program used seven types of exercises to monitor and log progress and success.
Typing Professor
This typing program, released in 1984 for individuals ages 12 and up, included a 20-page manual, two cassettes for use with a Commodore 16, and a diskette for use with either a Commodore 64 or Commodore Plus/4.
Students could learn the basics of touch typing or learn to improve their typing speed. The program had 19 exercises which increased in difficulty. Each exercise contained a score chart that calculated and recorded the number of errors, error rate, and typing speed. The exercises were timed and the student could not exceed the acceptable error rate before beginning the next exercise. The allowed error rate started at 4% for lesson 1 and decreased to 1% for lessons 16-19. The goal for lesson 19 was 35 words per minute with a less than 1% error rate.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1984
maker
Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
ID Number
2006.0132.28.05
catalog number
2006.0132.28.05
accession number
2006.0132

PC'S Limited Microcomputer

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

Altair 8800 Microcomputer Monitor

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

Cromemco C-10 Microcomputer

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

Sanyo MBC-1000 Microcomputer

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

AUTODIN: A Brief Pictorial History of the Automatic Digital Network

AUTODIN (Automatic Digital Network), the Department of Defense's (DoD) first computerized message switching system, was implemented in stages in the 1960s. The system facilitated their communications needs for over thirty years.
Description
AUTODIN (Automatic Digital Network), the Department of Defense's (DoD) first computerized message switching system, was implemented in stages in the 1960s. The system facilitated their communications needs for over thirty years. AUTODIN provided a worldwide, high-speed, automatic, electronic, data communications system for the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and other government agencies. It handled sensitive and classified messages. In all, fourteen (14) AUTODIN Switching Centers (ASC) were installed around the world. In the mid-late 1990s DoD began converting AUTODIN to the Defense Message Service [DMS] and the Defense Information Systems Network.
This white binder contains a table of contents and approximately 100 pictures documenting the AUTODIN system. The 8 x 10 pictures are divided into sections, indexed, and include pictures of the AUTODIN in different locations around the world. The binder contains a photograph of the deactivation of one of the computers and a sample message.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2015-03
ID Number
2015.3091.01
catalog number
2015.3091.01
nonaccession number
2015.3091

Software on Paper Tape with Documentation, SPACEWAR

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

Documentation on Higgins Local Area Network Version 2.2 Software

This box contains a three-ring binder with a manual for Conetic Systems, Inc., Higgins Group Productivity Software, System Administrator Local Area Network Version 2.2. Also in the box are:1. a spiral-bound manual entitled Tutorial Guide Local Area Network2.
Description
This box contains a three-ring binder with a manual for Conetic Systems, Inc., Higgins Group Productivity Software, System Administrator Local Area Network Version 2.2. Also in the box are:
1. a spiral-bound manual entitled Tutorial Guide Local Area Network
2. a spiral-bound manual entitled Reference Manual Local Area Network
3. a March 1,1989 Product List of Enable Software
There is no actual software with this documentation.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1989
ID Number
2012.3060.08
catalog number
2012.3060.08
nonaccession number
2012.3060

Continental Specialties Corporation Test Clip

This yellow plastic and metal clip was designed to connect leads of an electrical component to test equipment. It was made by Continental Specialties Company of New Haven, Connecticut. The mark also refers to U.S. Patent 3914007.Reference:U.S. Patent 3914007.Currently not on view
Description
This yellow plastic and metal clip was designed to connect leads of an electrical component to test equipment. It was made by Continental Specialties Company of New Haven, Connecticut. The mark also refers to U.S. Patent 3914007.
Reference:
U.S. Patent 3914007.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2012.3060.03
catalog number
2012.3060.03
nonaccession number
2012.3060

Software with Documentation, DEBBI Disc Extended Basic by ICOM

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

Circuit Board for Use with Microcomputer, The PROM Setter

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

Monitor and Keyboard for an Alpha AM100 Microcomputer

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

Ohio Scientific Challenger 8P Microcomputer

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

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