Rare Discovery: Cleaners Unearth World’s First Microcomputers in Barn
The Byte Attic
Two of the earliest desktop computers have been discovered in storage boxes at Kingston University in London. A significant milestone in technological advancement, the Q1 microprocessor computer was introduced over fifty years ago, with only one other known to exist.
The evolution of computers, particularly the emergence of personal computing, is a complex subject. With the advent of the silicon chip, computer technology experienced rapid growth, transitioning from major universities and corporations like IBM to small businesses, hobbyists, and a new generation of engineers.
The Quest for the First Desktop Computer
The story of identifying the first true desktop computer is both captivating and somewhat frustrating due to the inherent difficulty in definitively determining its origins.
The challenge lies in establishing precise criteria for what constitutes a desktop computer and acknowledging the abundance of obscure contenders from the 1970s, complicating the quest for a clear answer.
The unexpected discovery of the Q1 adds to this intrigue. Dating back to 1972, this relatively obscure machine is a rarity, with few surviving examples, particularly outside the United States. Its unanticipated appearance at Kingston University in Britain, uncovered by environmental clean-up company Just Clear during routine work, adds to its mystique.
Pioneering Features of the Q1 Microcomputer
Manufacturers at the Q1 Corporation in New York produced the Q1, regarded as one of the earliest fully independent microcomputers. Despite its impressive features for its time, including its Intel 8008 processor CPU, it pales in comparison to modern standards, with a mere 16 kilobytes of memory and processing speed of 800 kilohertz. Nonetheless, its pioneering status as the world’s first true microcomputer, preceding the better-known MITS Altair 8800 by two years, remains noteworthy.
to conclude, Paul Neve, senior lecturer and course leader of the undergraduate computer science program at Kingston University, expressed his enthusiasm about featuring two Q1s, recognized as the world’s earliest microcomputers. He emphasized the significant contributions of early pioneers in the 1970s and 1980s, whose groundwork laid the foundation for the ubiquitous modern computer. Neve highlighted the essential role of computers in work, communication, productivity, and entertainment, crediting trailblazers like the Q1 Corporation, Sinclair, and Acorn for paving the way for the development of PCs, Macs, and Apple or Android phones.
Read the original article: New Atlas
