- Early desktop computers discovered
- Q1 computers’ historical significance
- Exhibition at Kingston University
Even if you consider your desktop computer ancient, these relics are no less remarkable.
Two of the earliest desktop computers ever created were discovered in London during a house clearance.
This fortuitous discovery brought to light two of the three remaining Q1 computers in existence worldwide.
Launched over half a century ago, the Q1 paved the way for today’s computers, despite often being forgotten.
Brendan O’Shea, the leader of Just Clear, who found the items, said, “I never imagined we would discover something so significant to the history of computing and the field of technology.”
Just Clear employees were decluttering a London home when they stumbled upon these extraordinary artefacts hidden beneath a stack of crates.
The organisation asserts it strives to salvage or repurpose as many items as possible, despite having no prior knowledge of their significance.
According to Mr. O’Shea, the team attempted to find more information online but were unsuccessful until he contacted a computer specialist.
He said the computers were buried beneath a mountain of crates, and at first, they were considered just two interesting artefacts from the computing era of the 1970s.
Unearthing Forgotten Computing Pioneers
‘However, after consulting with our advisers and conducting extensive research, we realised we had, in fact, found two exceedingly rare items, of which only three are known to exist at this time.’
These extraordinary artefacts of computer history will now be displayed in an exhibition at Kingston University’s computer science department, rather than being recycled.
It’s understandable that Mr. O’Shea did not recognise the Q1, given that the device has since been virtually forgotten.
Nevertheless, upon its introduction in 1972, the Q1 marked a paradigm shift.
Featuring Intel’s brand-new 8008 processor, the Q1 was the first fully integrated personal computer despite its typewriter-like appearance.
This meant the entire computing hardware system, including the monitor, keyboard, and printer, was contained within a single unit.
It was also the first “personal computer” to use a single-chip microprocessor.
Paul Neve, co-curator of the exhibition, asserts, “Without the Q1 Corporation, there would be no personal computers, Macs, Apple products, or Android devices.”
The Q1 even predated the earliest fully integrated IBM and Apple computers.
The IBM Model 5100, launched and marketed in 1977, was among the world’s first “portable computers”.
Historical Computing Milestones Unearthed
In a now-famous full-page advertisement, IBM claimed the Model 5100 was portable at just 50 pounds (23 kilograms).
Similarly, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak did not build the first 200 Apple 1 computers until precisely five years after the Q1’s release.
However, upon its initial release, the Q1 was primarily aimed at professional and office use and was exorbitantly priced.
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In 1979, the Q1 was priced at $20,500 (£16,295), according to the ‘Benchmark Report’ of the Association of Computer Users. This is equivalent to $90,000 (£71,542) today.
The IBM 5100 was priced between £7,217 ($8,975) and £16,000 ($19,975), while the Apple 1 was available for under £450.00.
Nevertheless, the Q1 was described as “approachable and simple to operate for a beginner” by the reviewer.
Finally, Mr. Neve says, “Pioneers in the 1970s and 1980s built the contemporary computer, a ‘everything’ gadget. The computer is so pervasive in daily life.”
These devices will be on display at an exhibition until Saturday, February 17th.
