At Kingston University in London, two of the world’s first microcomputers stored in depot boxes were discovered. Released over half a century ago and known to have only one other existing counterpart, the Q1 microprocessor-based microcomputer is considered a milestone in human achievement.
A Major Discovery in Microcomputer History Made During Cleaning
This microcomputer, dated back to 1972, is a rather obscure machine that had very few surviving examples and was rarely exported outside of the USA. The discovery of the Q1 came as a big surprise. It wasn’t found in a dusty exhibition case; instead, the environmental cleaning company Just Clear stumbled upon the two computers in old boxes while conducting routine work at the school.
The history of computers, especially their evolution into personal computers, is a complex topic to pinpoint to a specific moment. With the development of the silicon chip, the already rapidly evolving field of computers exploded, and technology spread from major universities and companies like IBM to smaller firms, hobbyists, and young engineers.
Technical Features and Impacts of the Q1
Built by the Q1 Corporation in New York, the Q1 can be considered one of the first fully autonomous microcomputers, featuring a built-in orange screen and keyboard. It had functionalities like networking with other Q1s, interfacing with printers, and hard disk memories.
This was a result of having an Intel 8008 processor CPU, which predated the MITS Altair 8800 by two years, making the Q1 a contender for the world’s first true microcomputer.
Paul Neve from Kingston University said, “Having two of the world’s first microcomputers, the Q1s, is a real bonus. Without these early pioneers, we would not have today’s PCs, Macs, and Apple or Android phones.”
What are your thoughts on this discovery? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below.
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