The Altair 8800 is a microcomputer introduced in 1974 by MITS, Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, built around the Intel 8080 processor. It was operated via a front panel of toggle switches and LEDs and typically required external peripherals, such as a teletype, for practical use; it is widely regarded as the first commercially successful personal computer. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
SignificanceIts exposure on the January 1975 cover of Popular Electronics drove a surge in adoption credited with catalyzing the microcomputer revolution, and the demand for software for it led directly to the founding of Microsoft, formed to supply a BASIC interpreter for the machine. 1 Connections
Associated With
Source Wikipedia: Altair 8800
In Field
Source Wikipedia: Altair 8800
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Altair 8800
WikipediaOpening paragraph
It was the first commercially successful personal computer.
- History section, Popular Electronics cover
- Infobox, introduction date
- In Field: Computer Architecture
- Associated With: BASIC, History section, on Microsoft's BASIC interpreter
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