Intel introduces its 4-bit bus, 108-KHz
4004 chip - the first microprocessor. Initial price is US$200. Speed is
60,000 operations per second. It uses 2300 transistors. It can address
640 bytes. Documentation manuals were written by Adam Osborne.
(summer) Steve Wozniak and Bill Fernandez build a computer with lights
and switches, from parts rejected by local companies. They call it the
Cream Soda Computer.
(month unknown)
(fall) Electronic News publishes an ad from Intel
promoting the 4004 chip.
(month unknown)
Intel renegotiates its contract with
ETI, gaining Intel the right to market
the 4004 microprocessor openly.
(month unknown)
The National Radio Institute introduces the first computer kit, for US$503.
(month unknown)
The Kenbak Corporation introduces the Kenbak-1 computer, for US$750. Designed
by John V. Blankenbaker It uses a 1KB MOS memory made by Intel.
Texas Instruments unveils its first line
of electronic calculators, the TI-2500, TI-3000, and TI-3500.
October
The first issue of People's Computer Company is released.
November
Intel releases its 108-KHz 8008 chip,
the first 8-bit microprocessor. It accesses 16KB of memory. The processor
was originally developed for Computer Terminal Corporation (later called
DataPoint). It uses 3500 transistors.
Atari is founded by Nolan Bushnell, and ships Pong, the first commercial
video game.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen form the Traf-O-Data company. They had developed
an 8008-based computer hardware/software system for recording automobile
traffic flow on a highway.
(month unknown)
Wang Laboratories introduces its first small business computers, the 2200
series.
(month unknown)
5.25 inch diskettes first appear.
(month unknown)
Xerox decides to build a personal computer
to be used for research. The result is the Alto computer.
Hewlett-Packard introduces the HP-35, the
first scientific hand-held calcuator.
1973
May
Design work is completed on the Micral, the first non-kit computer based
on a microprocessor (the Intel 8008).
Built in France, the Micral is advertised in the U.S., but is not successful
there.
The term "microcomputer" first appears in print, in reference to the Micral.
(month unknown)
(late) Gary Kildall writes a simple operating system in his PL/M language.
He calls it CP/M (Control Program/Monitor). (Control Program for Microcomputer
)
Gary Kildall creates PL/M for the Intel
8008, based on PL/I.
(month unknown)
IBM introduces the IBM
3340 hard disk unit, known as the Winchester, IBM's
internal development code name. The recording head rides on a layer of
air 18 millionths of an inch thick.
(month unknown)
David Ahl protests Digital Equipment cutbacks
of educational products, and is fired. He is soon rehired.
(month unknown)
Texas Instruments enters the pocket calculator
field with the introduction of the Texas Instruments
SR-50 Slide Rule Calculator. It sells for about US$75.
Scelbi Computer Consulting Company offers the first computer kit in the
U.S. using a microprocessor, the Intel
8008-based Scelbi-8H, for US$565, with 1KB programmable memory. An additional
15KB is available for US$2760.
Bob Metcalfe invents the Ethernet connectivity system.
(month unknown)
The Alto workstation computer is built at Xerox'
Palo Alto Research Center. It
uses the advanced Smalltalk language, a mouse input device, and the Ethernet
technique of linking Alto computers to each other. Less than 2000 are built
in total.
Popular Electronics publishes an article by MITS announcing the Altair
8800 computer for US$439 in kit form. It uses the Intel
8080 processor. The Altair pictured on the cover of the magazine is actually
a mock-up, as an actual computer was not available.
Les Solomon, publisher of Popular Electronics, receives Altair number 0001.
(month unknown)
(spring) In a desperate act to save his failing calculator company, MITS
company owner Ed Roberts begins building a small computer based on Intel's
new 8080 chip, with plans to sell it for the unheardof price of US$500.
(month unknown)
Southwest Technical Products Company introduces the TVT-11 kit for US$180,
and ASCII keyboard kit for US$40.
Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie develop the C programming language.
(month unknown)
The RCA 1802, running at a blazing 6.4 MHz appears, considered one of the
first RISC chips.
(month unknown)
Engineer David Ahl suggests Digital Equipment
produce an inexpensive version of its PDP-8 minicomputer, for US$5000.
Top management call the idea foolish.
Gary Kildall and John Torode begin selling a disk operating system for
microcomputers.
(month unknown)
The first copy of CP/M is sold.
(month unknown)
Lauren Solomon, 12 year old daughter of Les Solomon, publisher of Popular
Electronics, suggests the name "Altair" for Ed Robert's new microcomputer.
Altair was the name of where Star Trek's Enterprise was going that night.
(month unknown)
Railway Express loses Ed Robert's only prototype Altair computer, en route
to New York for review and photography for publishing by Popular Electronics.
1975
January
Harry Garland and Roger Melen receive Altair number 0002. They had proposed
in December to attach their Cyclops camera to the Altair, for use as a
security camera.
February
Paul Allen meets with Ed Roberts to demonstrate the newly written BASIC
interpreter for the Altair. Despite never having touched an Altair before,
the BASIC works flawlessly.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen license their newly written BASIC to MITS, their
first customer. This is the first computer language program written for
a personal computer.
March
Fred Moore and Gordon French hold the first meeting of a new microcomputer
hobbyist's club in French's garage, in Menlo Park, California. 32 people
meet, including Bob Albrect, Steve Dompier, Lee Felsenstein, Bob Marsh,
Tom Pittman, Marty Spergel, Alan Baum, and Steven Wozniak. Bob Albrect
shows off an Altair, and Steve Dompier reports on MITS, and how they had
4000 orders for the Altair.
Ed Roberts hires Paul Allen as director of software at MITS.
April
The 3rd meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club is held.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Micro-Soft (the hyphen is later dropped).
Bob Marsh delivers the first Processor Technology 4KB memory boards for
the Altair.
The Southern California Computer Society is formed.
The National Computer Conference is held in Anaheim, California.
Paul Terrell signs a deal with MITS in which Terrell would receive a 5%
commission on every Altair sold in Northern California, for promoting and
selling the Altair.
July
Bill Gates and Paul Allen sign a licensing agreement with MITS, for their
implementation of the BASIC language. Bill Gates and Paul Allen ship 4K
and 8K version of BASIC v2.0.
Dick Heiser opens Arrow Head Computer Company, subtitled "The Computer
Store", in Los Angeles, selling assembled Altairs, boards, peripherals,
and magazines.
September
IBM's Entry Level Systems unit unveils
"Project Mercury", the IBM 5100 Portable
Computer. It is a briefcase-size minicomputer with BASIC, 16KB RAM, tape
storage, and built-in 5-inch screen. Price: US$9000. Weight: 55 pounds.
The second meeting of Fred Moore/Gordon French's computer hobbyists group
is held at the Stanford AI lab. 40 attend. The name for the group is chosen:
Bay Area Amateur Computer Users Group - Homebrew Computer Club.
(month unknown)
The 4th meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club is held at the Peninsula
School in Menlo Park. Steve Dompier plays the music "Fool on the Hill"
and "Daisy" using the Altair and a radio.
Sphere Corporation introduces its Sphere I computer kit, featuring a Motorola
6800 CPU, 4KB RAM, ROM monitor, keyboard, and video interface, for US$650.
(month unknown)
Cromemco is founded, by Harry Garland and Roger Melen. The company is named
after the Crowthers Memorial dorm at Stanford.
The Texas Instruments TMS 9900, one of
the first true 16-bit microprocessors, appears.
The Midwest Area Computer Club conference is held.
Processor Technology unveils the Sol-20 to the public at PC '76 at the
Shelbourne Hotel in Atlantic City. It is sold in kit form, using the Intel
8080 CPU.
MOS Technology Inc. announces the KIM-1 Microcomputer System, with 1-MHz
6502 CPU, 1KB RAM, 2KB ROM monitor, 23-key keypad, LED readout, cassette
and serial interfaces, for US$245.
(month unknown)
MITS unveils the Altair 680, based on the Motorola
6800 microprocessor.
(month unknown)
Steve Wozniak proposes that Hewlett-Packard
create a personal computer. Steve Jobs proposes the same to Atari. Both
are rejected.
(month unknown)
Warner Communications buys Atari from Nolan Bushnell for US$26 million.
(month unknown)
The Wang WPS word processor is updated, adding a CRT display, large disk
storage, and fast letter-quality printer.
(month unknown)
Lore Harp and Carole Ely form Vector Graphic Incorporated, selling memory
boards for S-100 bus systems.
