History of Computing exam question :

From: One Without Reason <vance_at_ikickass.org>
Date: Sat Dec 1 13:51:35 2001

You really like micros, don't you... what about systems like the
Sperry-Rand UNIVAC? It was one of the first computers you could just
order. It wasn't one-of-a-kind like a lot of earlier machines. The
Altair and the IMSAI weren't even close to being the first commercially
available, computer.

Peace... Sridhar

On Sat, 1 Dec 2001, David Vohs wrote:

> Okay, I think I can do that, in (more or less) chronological order no less!
>
> 1: Xerox Alto
> Reason: Because, after all, where would the GUI have come from without this
> thing?
>
> 2: IBM 5100
> Reason: To show that, just because it was IBM, & it was the frist
> intergrated computer (sans printer), the people will not always buy it. Also
> I think the $16,384 price tag may have had something to do with it, I don't
> know.
>
> 3 & 4: Altair 8800 & IMSAI 8080 (respectively)
> Reason: The first commercially available computers, & to illustrate that the
> clone wars did not start in the 80's, they started much earlier than that.
>
> 5. Apple I
> Reason: Pretty self explanitory.
>
> 6, 7, & 8. Apple ][, Commodore PET, TRS-80 Model I (respectively)
> Reason: After all, these were "The Big Three", weren't they?
>
> 9. Compucolor
> Reason: (Allegedly) The first computer to inexpensively offer color
> graphics.
>
> 10. CBM 4032
> Reason: Commodore's most famous (infamous?) business computer.
>
> 11. Apple ][+
> Reason: Finally, Apple's figuring out how to be a computer company!
>
> 12. TI-99/4
> Reason: TI's first foray in the computer market, as if anyone cared.
>
> 13. Commodore VIC-20
> Reason: "The friendly color computer that anyone can afford" --William
> Shatner.
>
> 14. TI-99/4A
> Reason: To show that it is not a good idea to hire a pitchman who sells
> Jell-o and (New) Coke.
>
> 15. Commodore 64
> Reason: Requires no explanation.
>
> 16. GRiD Compass 1100
> Reason: I would think that the first clamshell laptop should deserve a
> place in computer history!
>
> 17. Apple LISA
> Reason: Sometimes Apple can just way too ahead of themselves.
>
> 18. TRS-80 Model 100
> Reason: When these things came out, who didn't own one?
>
> 19. Otrona Attache
> Reason: Wow! A small "luggable", how about that!
>
> 20. Apple Macintosh
> Reason: "On January 24th, Apple will introduce Macintosh. And you will see
> why 1984 won't be like *1984*"
>
> 21. Commodore Amiga
> Reason: And you thought Macintosh pioneered multimedia!
>
> 22. NeXT Cube
> Reason: Who would have thought a black cube for a CPU would look so cool?
>
> 23. Apple Macintosh Portable
> Reason: Portable? Riiiiiiight!
>
> 24. Atari Portfolio
> Reason: Now you know where your PDA came from.
> ____________________________________________________________
> David Vohs, Digital Archaeologist & Computer Historian.
> Home page: http://www.geocities.com/netsurfer_x1/
>
> Computer Collection:
>
> "Triumph": Commodore 64C, 1802, 1541, FSD-1, GeoRAM 512, MPS-801.
> "Leela": Macintosh 128 (Plus upgrade), Nova SCSI HDD, Imagewriter II.
> "Delorean": TI-99/4A, TI Speech Synthesizer.
> "Monolith": Apple Macintosh Portable.
> "Spectrum": Tandy Color Computer 3, Disto 512K RAM board.
> "Boombox": Sharp PC-7000.
> "Butterfly": Tandy Model 200, PDD, CCR-82.
> "Shapeshifter": Epson QX-10, Titan graphics & MS-DOS board, Comrex HDD.
> "Scout": Otrona Attache.
> ____________________________________________________________
>
> _________________________________________________________________
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Received on Sat Dec 01 2001 - 13:51:35 GMT

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