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Little Computer People
The context of home computing
Computers, as an invention
have been around for a lot
longer than people think. With
Babbages ‘Difference Engine’
and the concept of using binary
(open/shut, or zero and one)
being created as far back as
the 1820s computing as a idea
have been around longer than
cars, planes and even
telephones.
However much as people like William Gibson and
Bruce Sterling would have loved the idea that
computing carried on after Babbage’s idea (see
their book, surprisingly called ‘The Difference
Engine’ for more details) the concept of binary
processing was ‘lost’ as far as research and
development went and it wasn’t until over 100
years later that these ideas were picked up again.
It wasn’t until the 1950s that computing,
thanks to the likes of IBM and UNIVAC
building on the valve and vacuum tube
concepts of Babbgage’s initial idea.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that research in
electrical binary processing by the likes of
Konrad Zuse and his Z1 and Professor John
Vincent Atanasoff’s ‘ABC’ machines became a
significant area of research and development.
With the development of the transistor as a far
more effective way of processing electrical signals
computers slowly became a viable form of
processing data using the newly developed Silicon
Chip and magnetic core RAM for storage.
The TX-O (Transistorized Experimental computer)
was demonstrated back in 1956 at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology was one of the first
machines to use these technologies.
The Micro-Chip
The invention of the microprocessor, a
machine which combines the equivalent of
thousands of transistors on a single, tiny
silicon chip, was developed by Ted Hoff at Intel
Corporation in the Santa Clara Valley south of
San Francisco, California, an area that was
destined to become known to the world as
Silicon Valley.
Corporate mainframe Computers ran on
digital tapes and were coded in rudimentary
languages such as Fortran.
Developers and researchers like Steve
Russell and the team at MIT saw the potential
for other areas for computing creating the first
‘computer game’ in 1962 – which was called
Space-War
(http://spacewar.oversigma.com/)
A Hobby for the home
It was not really until the 1970s that
computing moved away from mainframes
systems into rudimentary home based kit
form for hobbyists and enthusiasts, sitting
comfortably next to CB radios and self
assembly separates for Hi-Fi systems
The Altiar
The MITS Altair was the first 8080 based kit
microcomputer. It was first introduced in the
January, 1975 issue of Popular Electronics
magazine as a construction project. Although
not the first available microcomputer, it was
the start of the industry
Apple
The Apple II was the first
true PC. Factory built the
Apple II was also the first
personal computer capable of colour
graphics and easy modem operation.
The Apple II was based on the Apple I
created by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs
in 1976
Apple II
Early in 1977, Jobs and Wozniak founded
Apple Computer, Inc., and in April of that year
introduced the Apple II, the world’s first
personal computer. Based on a board of their
Apple I design, the Apple II, complete with
keyboard and color graphics capability,
retailed for $1290. (now about £800)
IBM
In 1981, IBM introduced its own home system
the ‘IBM PC’. The PC was a milestone as it
proved that the computer industry was more
than a current hobby fad, and that the
computer industry was in fact a necessary
tool for the business community.
The first languages
Pioneers of computing for a home market
cobbled together operating systems and hard
coded games and applications on machines
such as Mark 8- Altiars, Apple 1, IBM 5100 or
Commodore Pets.
Using rudimentary programming languages
such as ‘BASIC’ these hobbyists created the
first ‘file-sharing’ and open source language –
basically allowing other users and coders to
add and amend the code that was developed.
Languages such as ‘Tiny-BASIC’ became
‘Jersey-BASIC’ as coders adapted the initial
programming languages to their own ends.
While many where happy to share and build up
this community there were some who saw
these hobbyist coders as ‘thieves’ one such
person was a Mr William Gates who saw his
fledgling company ‘Microsoft’ not doing as well
as it should as his initial code for his own
‘flavour’ of BASIC was being adapted and
shared amongst these developers without his
company getting acknowledgement and more
importantly money for their idea.
Other more notable
milestones
1971 - Nolan Bushnell
and Ted Dabney create
the first arcade game
called ‘Computer Space’
http://www.computerspacefan.com/
Atari releases Pong,
the first commercial
video game to be
releases in the
arcades and at home
on November 29,
1972.
The game Tetris is
first released in the
USSR June 6, 1984.
Designed and
programmed by Alexey
Pajitnov the game ran
on nearly every home
system and was one of
the first ‘ports’