Kim-1 Computer

From: Paul Braun <nerdware_at_laidbak.com>
Date: Thu Jan 7 21:35:15 1999

Date sent: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 06:57:41 -0600 (CST)
Send reply to: classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu
From: Doug Yowza <yowza_at_yowza.com>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Subject: RE: Kim-1 Computer
Originally to: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>

> Mine is a late model S/N 6176, postage cancled on May 18, 1977.
> >From the few data points so far, I'd say we've got monotonically
> increasing serial numbers starting with 1. (Of course, if they were C
> programmers, then the first one is S/N 0.)
>
> -- Doug

OK. I had to look. My second KIM is #1051 with a Rev. A board. It has the
white ceramic MOS chips. This one shows plenty of wear, however. It's
mounted on a piece of masonite with a socket for the one edge connector, a
little bracket for a couple of 1/8" phone plugs (tape connections), an expansion
port (Centronics-type, I assume this is where it was cabled up to a modified
Selectric) and a terminal strip for power.

The LED's have had sockets installed under them, since I assume the originals
burned out. The 6502 also is socketed. This KIM was used by Stan Ockers
and Jim Butterfield while writing the "First Book of KIM". Stan would take it, in
the little briefcase he gave me along with it, to a computer club meeting in
Chicago where a guy had an IBM Selectric that he had modified to work as a
printer. Stan would load the programs he, Jim, and their partner (sorry -- don't
have my FBOK in front of me and the other name escapes me) had written, and
then print them out on the Selectric. These printouts were then cut and pasted
into the layout for the book.
 
Is the bottom numbe on the die cover the date code? If so, my 6502 is dated
1576.

The thing is, regardless of how much they sell for on e-pay, it means so much
more to me that Stan sat down and talked to me for an hour and a half about
the book and computing in those days and then gave me his KIM that I couldn't
think about selling it.





Paul Braun
NerdWare -- The History of the PC and the Nerds who brought it to you.
nerdware_at_laidbak.com
www.laidbak.com/nerdware
Received on Thu Jan 07 1999 - 21:35:15 GMT