Altair 8800

The Altair 8800 is a personal computer kit introduced by MITS in 1975. Its Intel 8080 processor and front-panel switches helped make hobbyist computing a commercial market.

Front panel (computer): A computer control panel with switches and indicator lights for direct interaction with hardware. The Altair’s front panel let users enter machine instructions and inspect data without a keyboard or screen.
MITS: An Albuquerque company that made electronics kits and introduced the Altair 8800. MITS designed, manufactured, and sold the Altair.
Bill Gates: An American software entrepreneur who co-founded Microsoft. Gates helped write Altair BASIC, Microsoft’s first product.
IMSAI 8080: A personal computer kit introduced by IMS Associates in 1975, compatible with the Altair’s S-100 bus. It competed directly with the Altair while offering a similar front-panel design.
S-100 bus: An early computer expansion bus standardized around a 100-pin connector. The Altair’s expansion connector became the S-100 bus used by compatible boards.
Popular Electronics: An American electronics hobbyist magazine published from 1954 to 1985. Its January 1975 cover story brought the Altair to national attention.
Paul Allen: An American software entrepreneur who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates. Allen recognized the 8080’s potential and helped develop Altair BASIC.
Kenbak-1: A small computer introduced in 1971, often cited as the first personal computer. It predates the Altair but used a different architecture and programming interface.
Altair BASIC: A version of the BASIC programming language written for the Altair 8800. It let Altair owners program in a high-level language instead of entering machine code.
Ed Roberts: An American engineer and entrepreneur who co-founded MITS and led the Altair project. Roberts directed the design and commercial launch of the computer.

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