Object Details
- Description
- The IMSAI 8080, a copy of the Altair 8800, was released in August 1975, as a kit, and later sold as a fully assembled system. It is a S-100 based device, consisting of metal case with a power supply, and numerous slots for inserting expansion cards. A keyboard, monitor, printer, data storage, and other peripherals can all easily be added to make this a very useful system. This unit is its simplest configuration with only a CPU (Central Processing Unit) card. The operator entered the program using the front panel switches, while reading the results on the LED indicator lights. No keyboard or other display is necessary. This type of programming was very slow and tedious - any mistake could corrupt the system and you'd have to start over again. Only true hackers were successful at efficiently operating an IMSAI 8080. This was the true beginning of the microcomputer age. In September 1975, the very first issue of Byte magazine was issued. On the cover it proudly states: "Computers: The world’s greatest toy!"
- According to a 2002 interview, programmer (and donor) Barry S. Berg owned and used this IMSAI 8080 from September 1976 until he acquired an IBM PC in 1980. He named the machine “Nomad” after a character (a computer with artificial intelligence) that appeared in Star Trek. In 1977, Berg programmed the computer in BASIC for use in a hog farm management system. The program tracked the hogs from birth until the babies weighed 120 pounds and were shipped out. Berg also experimented with using the IMSAI to translate speech into text. He estimated that he spent about $10,000 on the microcomputer, additions to it, and documentation.
- For the disk drive for the machines, see 2010.0239.02. For documentation, see 2012.3060.
- References:
- Website oldcomputers.net, accessed November 2022.
- NMAH accession file 2010.0239, which includes an interview with the donor.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Berry S. Berg
- 1976
- ID Number
- 2010.0239.01
- catalog number
- 2010.0239.01
- accession number
- 2010.0239
- Object Name
- microcomputer
- Measurements
- overall: 18.2 cm x 44 cm x 50.5 cm; 7 5/32 in x 17 5/16 in x 19 7/8 in
- place made
- United States: California, San Leandro
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Computers
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_1422364
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-911c-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
