25 May
2024
25 May
'24
4:09 p.m.
On 5/25/24 08:14, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote:
Yes, the Bendix G-15 was said to be the first personal
computer. It was
as big as a refrigerator, and weighed a LOT more, and drew much more
power. (300 vacuum tubes, 3000 Germanium diodes, drum memory.) but,
one guy could program it and run it.
The LINC comes in a close second.
Offhand, if I were King of the World, I'd immediately eliminate from
competition those computers that cannot be run from a US 120 volt 15 amp
wall receptacle. The rationale being that anything that requires
special power wiring cannot be "personal"
So, for example, the PB-250 qualifies; the IBM 1130 does not. The
Honeywell H316 "Kitchen computer" probably does, in the sense of intent,
but it was never produced for mass consumption.
I recall a short-lived 60's attempt at a personal data retrieval device
(cassette tape storage)--I don't think it had any computational
capabilities, so probably not a computer per se. Anyone remember the name?
--Chuck