KIM-1 and Apple I

If you haven't read the previously un-published Chapter 1.5 of Brian Bagnall's Commodore history, take a look here - http://www.commodorebook.com/contents/ch001.5%20TIM-KIM.pdf . No doubt the KIM was a significant and capable system but, IMHO, the real difference was intent - Chuck Peddle saw the KIM as a way to entice engineers into trying and buying his processor; Woz saw the Apple I as a true personal computer, though obviously that had a different meaning in 1976 than it did in 1981 or 2006. The KIM-1 had a tremendous impact (relatively speaking) because it provided a working system (or subsystem) with a common and reliable hardware configuration to 100s/1000s of people. The result was an early critical mass encouraging third party vendors (hardware and software) and the development of an enthusiastic user community. The Apple I never sold in any appreciable volume and may have been most important as an "enabler", validating Woz - to himself! - as a capable designer and validating Jobs - to himself! - as a visionary, though it would seem that Paul Terrell (and certainly Mike Markula) shared that vision as well. Terrell's financial commitment to Apple allowed Woz to build something much closer to his view of what he wanted - the Apple ][. My ][ cents - Jack -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.15/580 - Release Date: 12/8/2006 12:53 PM