I learned BASIC on an Altair the instructor had assembled -- before any of those 1977 computers came out. In fact, when the first Radio Shack computer catalog came out at the end summer 1977, I was astounded that it was now possible to buy a computer from the store.
The name "Altair" came from the Star Trek episode "Amok Time". Ed Roberts' daughter was watching Star Trek and heard that the Enterprise was supposed to go to Altair VI to attend an inauguration ceremony, but decided to go to Vulcan instead because Spock was suffering from the Pon Far and needed to go back for a marriage ceremony or Spock would die. When Roberts asked his daughter what they should call the new computer he was building she responded with "Altair".
I learned BASIC on an Altair the instructor had assembled -- before any of those 1977 computers came out. In fact, when the first Radio Shack computer catalog came out at the end summer 1977, I was astounded that it was now possible to buy a computer from the store.
The name Altair came from the reference to "Altair VI" in the episode Amok Time from the original Star Trek series.
Olivetti P101 (1965) https://www.fondazioneadrianolivetti.it/en/p101-cecam/
Neat!
The name "Altair" came from the Star Trek episode "Amok Time". Ed Roberts' daughter was watching Star Trek and heard that the Enterprise was supposed to go to Altair VI to attend an inauguration ceremony, but decided to go to Vulcan instead because Spock was suffering from the Pon Far and needed to go back for a marriage ceremony or Spock would die. When Roberts asked his daughter what they should call the new computer he was building she responded with "Altair".
Thanks for sharing that!
Ha, I'm just in the middle of writing an Altair related post. You've expressed most of what I'm trying to say much more succinctly!
Thanks! I can’t wait to see your article.
Oooh the vector graphics, had on on board the Eisenhower in the early80s for supply parts within electronics group. Aldo used a Sinclair in late 70s
Happy Birthday Altair :: Here a ChronoLink to a marketing flyer from 1976 https://mprove.de/chrono?iiif-content=https://iiif.archive.org/iiif/thealtairsystems/manifest.json
I remain faithful to my Timex Sinclair 1000.