Inside the oldest mint-condition microcomputer

[Quaaludedude714]

WoW , this is one of the best youtube video I ver watched , a very rare look at an unused Altair :) QC

[kdc43]

My first computer was a a year or two older than this and came assembled. It was not electronic but electric powered by batteries. All it had was 3 slide bars and patch cords which was used for programming.

[selenite1]

 This is great. When I was taught some computer history they seemed to leave out kits and homebrewing, making it seem as if IBM and Apple were the pioneers of microcomputers. I never even heard of Altair before I stumbled on briel computers.

[rudeydudey05]

What a fantastic machine.

[TheSteelLasagna]

Colorful screwdriver.

[Robbob9933]

If that is as early of a serial number, that should be a Smithonian piece.

[ZmajSnoshaj]

It could run DOS! :D

[Roflcopter4b]

@ZmajSnoshaj Its not NEARLY powerful enough for that.

[majcherek128]

@Roflcopter4b Wrong. An 8080 can run DOS. Check wikipedia, for specifications.

[Roflcopter4b]

@majcherek128 Impossible, it barely ran BASIC.

[majcherek128]

@Roflcopter4b Lol.. I just hit the thumbs up, when I wanted to hit reply.

It could indeed run DOS, it would be slow, no doubt about that. But it could indeed.

And no, we're not talking about a straight-out-of-box MS-DOS 6!

I mean, of course that wouldn't work :/

[majcherek128]

@Roflcopter4b Try thinking FreeDOS ported to the 8080. That is not impossible.

[Roflcopter4b]

@majcherek128 It seems unlikely to me is all. This computer was worthless until Bill Gates wrote a BASIC interperator for it years after release.

[doritostheking]

@Roflcopter4b Go jump up your own ass. If it was really useless, nobody would have bought it.

[Roflcopter4b]

@doritostheking Dude, not only is that ridiculous ad hominem, but you're wrong. It really did next to nothing, all you could do was input byte by byte on the front panel. People bought it mostly for the novelty of having their own computer. Thus, it didn't sell too massively until Microsoft released their BASIC interperator.

[gruntlover2]

@Roflcopter4b it is not "wothless" , it was a very good computer

[p20]

I saw a video published a few years before opening the samecomputer (he gives the same computer) and turns it on.. So im not sure why this is being rehashed

[TheSnowballEarth]

"How do you know it's the first?" "Well the guy what sold it to me for $20K said so." What he meant say.

[dadburnde]

I have seen from another video that Robert Cringley supposedly has the oldest one serial number 2 or something . the first one was shipped off to get photographed for a magazine and got lost in the mail

[lcfgroup]

Hi I posted a comment but don't see it . I have serial number 9 or 10 have to look. Also it has some cards in it with serial number 001. I purchased it from a fellow who camped out in the parking lot a few days to get the first ones produced. I will do a video on it soon. Thanks -- I know you have a really nice collection. Dave

[lcfgroup]

Hi Good video -- I don't think you have the oldest Altair . I have one as i remember is #9 or 10 and some cards inside have serial # 001 . I purchased it from a fellow who camped in the parking lot a few days waiting for the first ones available. I will do video on it soon. I do have one of my Apple ones on here and one of John Titus's Mark 8's. I know you have a great collection out there. I have not had the opportunity to visit your place. Thanks Dave