The 1975 'Age of Altair' catalog from MITS, recently rediscovered, highlights the Altair 8800, a pivotal machine in the history of personal computing. Unlike modern devices, the Altair was a kit that required assembly, marking a shift from the bulky, expensive mainframes of the time. It was a symbol of the growing desire for personal computing, even if it lacked the practicality of today’s machines.
While the Altair wasn’t a fully functional computer on its own, it represented a significant leap forward. It featured a 2 MHz CPU, though its performance was limited by the need for multiple clock cycles for each instruction. The machine's design allowed for expansion via the S-100 bus, enabling users to add memory and peripherals, which was a novel concept at the time.
The catalog also showcased peripherals like the Comter 256 terminal and the TeleType Model 33, which were essential for interacting with the Altair. These devices, while primitive by today’s standards, were cutting-edge for their era. They provided the means to input commands and output results, albeit through paper tape or slow printers.
Software options included BASIC programming languages, which were crucial for developers. The catalog detailed the various memory configurations and their associated costs, reflecting the high price of early computing components. Despite its limitations, the Altair 8800 inspired a generation of hackers and programmers, laying the foundation for the personal computer revolution.
The Altair’s legacy is clear: it was a catalyst for change in the computing world. It demonstrated that personal computing was not just a dream but a tangible possibility, even if it came with significant challenges and costs.