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Gordon’s Personal View of Personal Computing: before the PC

Explore the fascinating history of personal computing before the PC era, from the Apple II to the Whirlwind console and DEC PDP-8. Discover milestones such as the birth of the first personal computer and the advent of real-time experiments, interactive editors, and more. Dive into the pioneering works of Gordon Bell and Wes Clark as they shaped the landscape of early personal computing. Uncover the origins of essential components like the 16-bit word and 4 KB memory, leading to the development of mini computers and timesharing. Join the journey through the evolution of personal computing from vintage gems to modern innovations.

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Gordon’s Personal View of Personal Computing: before the PC

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  1. Gordon’s Personal View ofPersonal Computing: before the PC Vintage Computer Society 27 September 1998 Gordon Bell gbell@microsoft.com http://www.research.microsoft.com/~gbell

  2. Apple II

  3. First personal computer

  4. Micral

  5. In the beginning: Manchester “Baby” ran the first program 22 June 1948

  6. English Electric Deuce Console 1955

  7. Whirlwind c1953 … 1st generation, 16-bit word; 4 KB memory; 8 K drum Whirlwind begot TX-O/TX-2 begot DEC PDP-1 Real time, first compiler, ECAD, text editor

  8. Whirlwind console, drum, 1 Kw core

  9. SAGE Control Room c 1962. Whirlwind used for first experiments.

  10. SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) Operator Console

  11. TX-0 Console c1959… one of the first transistorized personal computers Speech, handwriting recognition, neuro data analysis, etc. Interactive editors, debuggers, etc.

  12. MIT Speech group with TX-0, c1959.

  13. DEC Computer before PDP-11 1957 1961 1963

  14. DEC PDP-1 c1961

  15. Wes Clark & LINC c1962: Personal computers for bio-medical research

  16. PDP-5 c1964: PDP-8 predecessor Process control, real time experiments. Fortran ran in 4 K, 12 bit words

  17. Gbell with LINC and PDP-8 c1965

  18. PDP-8: first mini First OEM computer. OS/8 (from timesharing) begot RT-11 begot CPM

  19. PDP-8 Modules

  20. PDP-8/E

  21. PDP-8 and Linc Family Tree

  22. PDP-8 12 bit word price (t)

  23. PDP-8 prices (t)

  24. Timesharing: given everyone their own, low cost, personal computer

  25. PDP-6 c1965 : First commercial time shared computer. Gbell & Alan Kotok

  26. PDP-6 Development team c1965

  27. PDP-6/10/ DECsystem 10/20 family tree

  28. There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home. Ken OlsenPresident, Chairman and founder of Digital, 1977

  29. Equating yourself to the average“user/buyer” is risky . . . unless you’re an average user.

  30. Why didn’t Digital lead personal computers? That’s another talk…

  31. Minis and timesharing contributions • SpaceWar demonstrated the importance of interactive graphics • Editors, calculators, interactive debuggers, interpreters were in use • Mail and chat used timesharing • Minis established embedded computers

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