Claims of the first personal computer

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Maury Markowitz
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Claims of the first personal computer

Post by Maury Markowitz »

Hello all,

I sent an email to Ian Matthews about some questionable claims I found on the commodore.ca web page. To avoid broadening the discussion too far, I'll focus on one in particular:

https://www.commodore.ca/commodore-prod ... -computer/
Commodore PET – The Worlds First Personal Computer

After a brief exchange with Ian, I reiterate my claim that this statement is false. However, Ian did not offer a definition of "personal computer", and the page above doesn't either. So let us start with an actual definition from a 3rd party source. Looking through Google Books, the Wiki's definition is fairly typical: "Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or technician". So in that light...

Can anyone offer a cogent argument about why the PET can be considered a personal computer, whereas, for example, the Sol-20 cannot?

Both were sold in completely assembled form. Both included a keyboard for input and used a monitor for output. Both included an operating system analog in ROM, which in the case of the PET was Commodore BASIC and the Sol was the user's choice of a monitor program, terminal program or BASIC. Both were used simply by taking them out of the box, plugging them in, and turning them on. Both initially used cassettes for program storage and later added floppy disk and other devices. Both were sold directly to end-users, specifically for personal use. The Sol, however, pre-dates the PET by about a year.

I cannot find any definition where the PET is a personal computer and the Sol is not. I would like to hear of any you might suggest.

At that point, can anyone offer a cogent argument about why the MCM/70 is not the first personal computer?

This little-known machine, built right here in Canada, pre-dates the PET by three years. It used the Intel 8008 CPU, had a built-in keyboard and display, and had an operating system in ROM that booted directly into the APL programming language. It came with one build-in cassette drive and had a slot for a second - IIRC later models came with two pre-installed. Like both of the machines mentioned above, it was intended to be sold to end-users for their personal use, was delivered completely assembled, and was set up simply by plugging it in and turning it on.

Again, if someone can come up with a definition found in the literature that includes the PET but not the MCM/70, I'd love to hear it.
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snuci
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Re: Claims of the first personal computer

Post by snuci »

There are various definitions of "personal computer" so it is sort of in the "eye of the beholder". As I read your definition, I thought of the MCM/70 as well, to be honest. Many people don't know about this computer and how early it was but I am fortunate enough to own one.
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Re: Claims of the first personal computer

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To clarify. The response from www.Commodore.ca was:

RESPONSE 1:
• The KIM1 was the first single board computer. The devices you refer to require external devices, like keyboards and a display to make then remotely usable
• The first PERSONAL Computer was the Commodore PET, not the KIM1, not the Apple, not the SOL, not the TRS80… and yes, much depends on the definition of personal, but I think our statement stands the test
RESPONSE 2:
We fundamentally disagree with the definition of Personal Computer including the Micral. It was awarded that 'honor' far too early when the definition of PC did not include a display or keyboard. It was a box of cards that was truly innovative but not what anyone (from about 1990 on) would call a PC. Chuck Peddle and Bill Gates refer to the PET as the first PC.

Again, the ELF and MMD did not have integrated keyboard or screen, so yes, they are lovely and impressive for their time but not a "single board computer"
and then we wrapped up with:
To be clear, in the late 1990's we started Commodore.ca as a DIRECT result of Apple's false claims of 'inventing' technologies. Apple continues to boldly make false claims. As you likely know Steve W even wrote a book titled "How I invented the Personal Computer" a few years ago and in the late 2000's I heard Steve Jobs talk about inventing the Smart Phone. The point here is not to pick on Apple but rather to correct the history and talk for those who no longer can. We take your points very seriously and do not want to twist the facts. We want to get it right so we thank you for your points.

If you want to continue the conversation, we suggest you use our forum at www.Commodore.ca/forum where your points will no doubt spark a robust and healthy debate.
Maury Markowitz
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Re: Claims of the first personal computer

Post by Maury Markowitz »

On further study, there appears to no definition by which the PET could possibly claim to be the first personal computer. Forget the MCM/70 for the moment, let's just look at the market at that time.

The PET was announced in January 1977, and the first units shipped in October. However, this consisted of a test run of 100 units shipped to what would today be known as "influencers". Shipments to end-users did not begin until December, and full production did not begin until the next year. Source: Byte Magazine, Feb 1978, page 190. https://archive.org/details/byte-magazi ... /page/n191

The Apple I was shown to Commodore in September 1976. The Apple II demo unit was running in January 1977, was shown publically at the WCCF in April, officially went on sale on 5 June, and the first units began shipping on 10 June 1977. In contrast to the PET, full volume production was underway that year.

The TRS-80 began as an internal project in December 1976 and had a running prototype in February 1977. It was announced on 3 August 1977 and began shipping in September. They had delivered 5,000 to end users by the end of November, of an order book of 10,000 (and tens of thousands by the end of the year).

Thus, of the "1977 trinity", the PET is actually the last to ship. This is ignoring any earlier machines which were equal in all ways. For instance, in the same Byte magazine linked above, one can find many shipping machines that came fully assembled. For instance, on page 43 you can see the IMSAI PCS-80/30, which is a complete all-in-one machine with a built-in CRT.

There appears to be no definition by which the PET is the first personal computer. If anyone has corrections to these dates, please post.
Maury Markowitz
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Re: Claims of the first personal computer

Post by Maury Markowitz »

snuci wrote: Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:39 pm There are various definitions of "personal computer" so it is sort of in the "eye of the beholder". As I read your definition, I thought of the MCM/70 as well, to be honest. Many people don't know about this computer and how early it was but I am fortunate enough to own one.
Wow, you still have that machine?

As to "eye of the beholder", I'm not sure which features one might include in a "real PC" that the MCM didn't have?

Or the Compucolor II, which started orders in December 1976, and shipped in early 1977 with a build-in color display, cassette storage, keyboard, BASIC in ROM, in a fully-assembled all-in-one box. It was essentially a color version of the PET, although it had a full travel keyboard too!
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snuci
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Re: Claims of the first personal computer

Post by snuci »

Maury Markowitz wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:03 pm Wow, you still have that machine?
Yes, and it is the only working example I know of. It's here.
Maury Markowitz wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:03 pm As to "eye of the beholder", I'm not sure which features one might include in a "real PC" that the MCM didn't have?

Or the Compucolor II, which started orders in December 1976, and shipped in early 1977 with a build-in color display, cassette storage, keyboard, BASIC in ROM, in a fully-assembled all-in-one box. It was essentially a color version of the PET, although it had a full travel keyboard too!
Compucolor II is not all-in-one. The keyboard is separate. The IMSAI PCS-80/30 is also not all-in-one as disk and keyboard is separate (I have one of these too).

You mentioned the first 100 PETs in a sebsequent post. I have a PET 2001 in the first 100 (10051) and the next 100 (10171). 10051 was owned by someone who worked with handicapped students at a school and he owned it personally. I think it may have been donated to him as it is almost prototype-like and likely made a few preview rounds. 10171 had an article written about it in a Kilobaud magazine article called "The First Report Card" so influencers got more than the first 100. Neither of these two are on my website yet.
Maury Markowitz
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Re: Claims of the first personal computer

Post by Maury Markowitz »

snuci wrote: Sun Jan 05, 2020 7:56 pm Compucolor II is not all-in-one. The keyboard is separate.
"All in one box", ie, complete and ready to go on delivery. I think your MCM wins.

BTW, thanks for uploading the images to the wiki, I just noticed that now.
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