(Personal computing). Scientific American -- QST -- Radio Electronics --Popular Electronics -- Byte Magazine -- Altair Users Group (Computer Notes)
1971. Various publishers and places: 1971-1976.
9 groups of material in original format, as issued and generally in very good condition. See below for details.
§ A fascinating collection of magazines and newsletters assembled for the advertisements and announcements which document the birth of Microsoft and the personal computer. The collection includes:
(1) Scientific American Sept. 1971, first advertisement for a personal computer on p. 194.
(2) QST March 1974 the first ad for the first minicomputer on p. 154.
(3) Radio-Electronics July 1974 pp.29-33: Titus, Build the Mark 8 Minicomputer.
(4) Popular Electronics Jan. 1975 pp. 33-38 Roberts and Yates: Altair 8800 Minicomputer part 1
and
(5) (the same) Feb. 1975 pp. 56-58 Altair 8800 Minicomputer part 2
These two issues feature a two-part article titled "Build a Minicomputer" by Ed Roberts and William Yates. This was the first time an affordable personal computer had ever been described in a magazine. The January edition provided detailed diagrams of the Altair 8800 and the February issue discusses programming possibilities. The news galvanized hobbyists around the country, inspiring groups such as the Homebrew Computer club to form. Famously, Bill Gates cited these articles as his inspiration for dropping out of Harvard and launching Microsoft.
(6) Byte Magazine Sept. 1975--Jan. 1976. The revolution begins.
(7) Computer Notes (Altair Users Group) Nov.- Dec. 1975. P. 19 Bill Gates on the status of BASIC, originally on paper tape, first revealed in March 1975 one month before Gates and Allen founded Microsoft.
(8) Computer Notes (Altair Users Group) Jan. 1976 announces the first Altair Convention. P. 13 Gates on programming and p. 14 Gates on software.
(9) Computer Notes (Altair Users Group) Feb. 1976. P. 3 Gates: An Open Letter to Hobbyists, outlining the Microsoft business model and clarifying the distinction between proprietary and open-source software. Altair licensed Microsoft BASIC.
Foundational documents heralding the birth of one of the most important scientific achievements of humankind. In July 1975 the first computer store opened (in L.A.). In March 1976 Albuquerque hosted the first World Altair Computer Conference (see #8)." John Doerr, a Silicon Valley investor from the earliest days, once opined that, with Apple and Microsoft opening with months of each other, "it was the greatest legal creation of wealth in the history of the planet" Item #124626
Price: $9,750.00