Comments on: November, 1975 Portable Computer

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:22:51 +0000

I used one of these in the late 70’s to program some queueing theory routines in APL. Yep, it was heavy. It the time I worked for a large state government computing center and IBM loaned me one for four weeks so I could learn APL (”A” “P”robramming “L”anguage = APL). We then installed APL on one of our mainframe computers, and I used an Anderson Jacobson typewriter terminal equipped with an APL typeball (think “Selectric”) and APL keyboard to actually do the calculations.

I didn’t get my first PC at home until December of 77 … it had assembly language, a variant of Basic, and later had Microsoft Basic and Microsoft Fortran (once I added two floppy disk drives @ $550/each). But the 5100 was a class act. But I was stronger then and didn’t have much problem lifting things. An altogether neat experience.

By: Bob Lee

Bob Lee — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:25:49 +0000

Too funny. I learned to program on a Compaq “Portable” 286 which was the same size and released in 1986: http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=870&st=1

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:48:18 +0000

I used to love Scientific American in the 70’s. I was in high school and had a subscription. It was great back then. It’s a shadow of its former self now, IMHO (or maybe I’ve changed).

By: Smitty

Smitty — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:08:37 +0000

I actually worked on the HP competitor to this model in an Engineering firm in 1977-1978. If you stack two of those on top of each other, you’ll have the correct size. And the screen was the same size. Reverse Polish Notation, numbers in scientific notation (9.36 * 10^4), green text on black…. Ah, memories.

Much prefer my MacBookPro.

By: Pseudorant

Pseudorant — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:21:24 +0000

“it features detailed descriptions of ancient catapults with lots of diagrams showing their construction”

That computer looks like it was designed to be launched from a catapult! I bet you could do some major damage with that thing. ^_^

By: Kim

Kim — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:46:39 +0000

That’s not a computer… it’s a calculator! The “Over 100 often-used analytical routines in mathematical, statistical and financial calculations” is a dead givaway. Also, that guy looks like he’s wearing a dress!