You might think your desktop computer is old, but that’s nothing compared to these ancient relics.
Two of the world’s first desktop computers were discovered during a house cleanup in London.
The chance discovery revealed two of only three surviving Q1 computers in the world.
Although often overlooked, the Q1 paved the way for the computers we have today when it was released more than 50 years ago.
Brendan O’Shea, director of Just Clear who discovered the objects, says: “I never imagined we would find something so important to the field of technology and the history of computing.”
Two of the world’s first personal computers, the Q1, were discovered by chance during a house cleaning in London.
Staff at Just Clear, a waste company, were cleaning a house in London when they discovered these incredible artifacts hidden under a pile of boxes.
The company says it tries to recover or reuse as many items as possible, but initially had no idea what they were.
O’Shea says the team tried searching for more information online, but were stumped until they contacted a computer expert.
He says: ‘The computers were buried under a pile of boxes and we initially thought they were two nice pieces of 1970s computing history.
“However, after consulting our advisors and conducting research over time, we realized that we had in fact discovered two ultra-rare objects, of which only three are known to exist in the world today. “.
Released in 1972, the Q1 is believed to be the first fully integrated desktop computer powered by a single-chip microprocessor.
Now, instead of being recycled, these incredible relics of computing history will be displayed in an exhibition at Kingston University’s computing department.
Mr O’Shea can be forgiven for not recognizing the Q1, as the device is now almost completely forgotten.
However, at the time of its launch in 1972, the Q1 was revolutionary.
Launched with the new Intel 8008 processor, the Q1 may have looked like a typewriter, but it was the first fully integrated personal computer.
This means that all the computer hardware, such as the screen, keyboard, and even the printer, were in a single unit.
This was also the first “personal computer” to be powered by a single-chip microprocessor.
Paul Neve, co-curator of the exhibition, says: “Without the Q1 Corporation there would be no PC, no Mac, no Apple or Android phones.”
These incredible artifacts will now be displayed in an exhibition at Kingston University’s computer science department.
The first quarter even preceded the first fully integrated computers from IBM and Apple.
In 1977, the IBM Model 5100 was launched and marketed as one of the world’s first “laptop computers.”
In a now hilarious full-page ad, IBM boasts that, at 50 pounds (23 kg), the Model 5100 was light enough to take anywhere.
Likewise, the first quarter occurred five years before Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built the first 200 Apple 1 computers.
However, at the time of its release, the Q1 was extremely expensive and was primarily marketed for use in professional and office environments.
In 1979, the Q1 sold for $20,500 (£16,295), the equivalent of $90,000 (£71,542) today. It appears to have been marketed primarily toward businesses.
According to a 1979 edition of the Computer Users Association’s ‘Benchmark Report’, the Q1 sold for $20,500 (£16,295) at the time, the equivalent of $90,000 (£71,542) today.
For comparison, the IBM 5100 costs between £7,217 ($8,975) and £16,000 ($19,975) and the Apple 1 costs less than $700 (£556).
However, the reviewer also noted that the Q1 was “accessible and easy to operate for the beginner.”
Mr. Neve concludes: “The early pioneers of the 1970s and 1980s laid the foundation for today’s ‘everything’ device: the modern computer, so ubiquitous in everyday life.”
The exhibition showing these computers continues until Saturday, February 17.
The exhibition features 60 different computers and gaming machines, including Atari, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Amstrad, Commodore and Dragon 32.
The Q1 computers will be auctioned or sold privately after the free exhibition.