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
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-
Video Game Cartridge, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1982
- maker
- Atari, Inc.
- ID Number
- 2014.0190.01
- serial number
- COA / 08073
- catalog number
- 2014.0190.01
- accession number
- 2014.0190
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Commodore VIC-20 Microcomputer
- 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
- 1979
- maker
- Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1987.0249.02
- accession number
- 1987.0249
- catalog number
- 1987.0249.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Apple II Microcomputer, "Black Apple"
- Description
- This Black Apple, model number A2S1048B, was a version of the Apple II Plus made by Apple Computer, Inc. and sold only to educational institutions by Bell & Howell, at that time a company specializing in audiovisual equipment. It earned the nicknames "Black Apple" and "Darth Vader" because its case was black instead of the usual beige color of the Apple II Plus. To make the computer more versatile, Bell & Howell added audio and video slots onto the Apple II Plus and also made it UL-compliant. By allowing Bell & Howell to sell their modified product, Apple was able to succeed in the educational market.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1980s
- maker
- Bell & Howell
- Apple Computer
- ID Number
- 2002.0153.01
- accession number
- 2002.0153
- catalog number
- 2002.0153.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Software, KeyEdit
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1980
- ID Number
- 2012.3098.084
- catalog number
- 2012.3098.084
- nonaccession number
- 2012.3098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Software, Boss 2.1
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1980
- ID Number
- 2012.3098.085
- catalog number
- 2012.3098.085
- nonaccession number
- 2012.3098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Software, Typing Tutor
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1980
- maker
- Microsoft Corporation
- ID Number
- 2012.3098.088
- catalog number
- 2012.3098.088
- nonaccession number
- 2012.3098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, Amdahl 470 V/7, V/8 Field Engineering Reference Manual
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1982-02
- user
- Page, Brian R.
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.01
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.01
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation for the Amdahl 580, Vol. I
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1980s
- user
- Page, Brian R.
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.02
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.02
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation for the Amdahl 580, Vol. II
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1980s
- user
- Page, Brian R.
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.03
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.03
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation for the Amdahl 5890
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1985
- user
- Page, Brian R.
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.04
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.04
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Identification Badge of Brian Page of Amdahl
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1980s
- depicted (sitter)
- Page, Brian R.
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.05
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.05
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Paperweight, Model of Amdahl 5890 Computer
- Description
- An lucite paperweight in the shape of a cube, containing a model of the Amdahl 5890 computer. The cube commemorates Amdahl's first 5890 shipment in June 1986. The bottom solid white.
- The donor worked for Amdahl Corporation from 1980 to 1988. He served primarily as a software systems engineer in Customer Support & Services but was also trained in use of hardware.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1986
- ID Number
- 2014.3099.06
- catalog number
- 2014.3099.06
- nonaccession number
- 2014.3099
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Maxell Two-Minute Warning Edition of John Madden Football computer game for IBM PC/XT/AT, PS/2 30, Tandy 4000.3000.1000 and Compaq
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1989
- ca 1988
- maker
- Electronic Arts
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.02
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.02
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Thief Computer Software Box for Apple II Microcomputer
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1980
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.06
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.06
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, GRiD Case 1530 System MS-DOS Reference
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1986
- August 1986
- maker
- GRiD Systems
- ID Number
- 2015.3168.01
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3168
- catalog number
- 2015.3168.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, FORTRAN Reference Guide
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1981
- maker
- Microsoft Corporation
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.12
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.12
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, PlusPC User's Guide
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1985
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.13
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.13
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, MS-DOS 2.1 Reference for the PlusPC
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1985
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.14
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.14
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, VBASICA for the PlusPC
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1985
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.15
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.15
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, Hard Disk Tool Kit
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1983
- ID Number
- 2015.3167.16
- catalog number
- 2015.3167.16
- nonaccession number
- 2015.3167
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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