KIM-1 and Apple I

This is very true. If you hear Woz speak, he talks about how the Apple I was the stepping stone and the II was what he really wanted to build form the beginning. In fact, He said that he designed the ][ from scratch in comparison to the I so he could achieve his goal. Rich Rich Cini Collector of classic computers Lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator Web site: http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ Web site: http://www.altair32.com/ /***************************************************/ -----Original Message----- From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Jack Rubin Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 1:36 PM To: Classic Computer List Subject: 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