Firsts

From: Joe <rigdonj_at_intellistar.net>
Date: Sun Jan 11 13:40:44 1998

At 11:31 AM 1/11/98 -0500, you wrote:
>
><first personal computer (I think I know that one)
>
>If you mean PC (as in the IBM PC) then the answer is IBM. However if you
>man pc as in personally owned computer, then you go back by maybe 10-20
>years to things like old surplus missle computers, homebrewed systems and
>PDP-8s and the like. Prior to the IBM abortion pc meant personally owned
>and was not based on what it was but who owned it. Personally owned
>computers was a new thing starting in the late 60s to early 70s. Around
>72-73 it was possible to buy a used PDP-8 or CM2000 for a few thousand
>dollars. I know in December of 72 I almost bought a Cincinati Millicron
>CM2000 for the offered price of $2000(big bucks then) with 8k of core,
>serial line card and 6port muxed serial card.
>
    I don't think a Cincinati Millicron would hardly be considered a
"Personal Computer" no matter what the number of owners.

><first portable computer
>
>Define portable as I'd seen totables in the late 70s. One very nice one
>was an expanded EVK68 board in a classy wood case with a small crt and
>keyboard.
>
>One that comes to mind was the HP(5100?) complete packaged system with
>tape for storage and basic and GPIB for external interface.

    The 5100 was IBM's first "Personal Computer" (their words). It had
BASIC or APL or both!
>

Joe
Received on Sun Jan 11 1998 - 13:40:44 GMT