Kenbak-1 discoveries

From: The Design Fort DTP <design.fort_at_ns.sympatico.ca>
Date: Fri Sep 26 11:14:29 2003

Hi all,

I finally have more news from the Kenbak-1 front. Earlier this year I posted
a message on this list that I discovered a Kenbak-1. Well as it turned out
the source I had the machine from had 7 (!) more Kenbak-1s. After long
negotiations we finally agreed on a price for the collection of 6 machines
and incredible paperwork. (The seller wanted to keep one machine) After some
more struggle to get the money together I finally purchased what I consider
the "find of my life". Here is what I could acquire:
- 6 Kenbak-1 computers
- the original schematics (a big folder!)
- original training films from 1974 and the early eighties.
- an original sales flyer from CTI, a company that tried to market the
Kenbak-1.
- programming manuals, flow charts etc.

I drove all from Nova Scotia, Canada to Charleston, South Carolina to pick
the lot up. (3000 miles)
More information about the computers, where they are from and most
importantly photos of the Kenbaks are on my website:
http://www.computermuseum.20m.com/kenbak.htm

I currently try to convert the original training films. I'm also in the
process of taking photos from the insides of all the machines. Those photos
will be online within the next days.

Four of the seven Computers have the original Kenbak-1 logo, the others the
CTI logo.

You will see that al of the computers have six holes drilled on the top
cover. It turned out that the Kenbak-1s had overheating problems and the
hole were the cure for that.

One of the Kenbaks is slightly modified and has toggle switches instead of
the push-button switches. This machine is the only one I have tested so far.
It works perfectly. All I can say is that the Kenbak-1 is fun to work with!

Greetings
Herbert
Computer Museum of Nova Scotia

 
Received on Fri Sep 26 2003 - 11:14:29 BST

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