Tech history in photos: Heroes of the PC revolution
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Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs
Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and Ronald Wayne co-founded Apple Computer in the 1970s. Wozniak designed and built the Apple II, which was released in 1977, and became one of the most popular mass-produced personal computers.
Ed Roberts, creator of Altair
Ed Roberts, creator of Altair
Roberts founded Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS) and later developed the Altair 8800 personal computer. Roberts later contracted Bill Gates and Paul Allen to develop Altair BASIC.
Douglas Engelbart, inventor of computer mouse
Douglas Engelbart, inventor of computer mouse
Engelbart is credited as the inventor of the computer mouse. His work at Xerox PARC led to the development of the Xerox Alto, the first personal computer with a mouse and a GUI, among other things.
John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert
John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert
John Mauchly (far left) and Presper Eckert (far right) are pictured here with Major General Gladeon Barnes. Mauchly and Eckert are responsible for the creation of the ENIAC, the first general purpose computer, and the UNIVAC I, one of the first computers available to the public.
Edmund Berkeley, developer of Simon
Edmund Berkeley, developer of Simon
Edmund Berkeley was a computer scientist who helped co-found the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) in 1947 and who developed the plans for Simon, one of the first personal computers. For about $600 in 1950, you could have built a Simon of your own.
John Lentz, inventor of IBM 610
John Lentz, inventor of IBM 610
During his time at the Watson Lab at Columbia University, Lentz is credited with the development of the IBM 610, which is commonly referred to as IBM’s first personal computer.
Nolan Bushnell of Atari
Nolan Bushnell of Atari
Bushnell is the founder of Atari, Inc., which produced early video games and personal computers. The Atari 400 and the Atari 800 are regarded as Atari’s entrance into personal computing. Bushnell is also the founder of Chuck E. Cheese’s.
Sir Clive Sinclair
Sir Clive Sinclair
Sinclair is the founder of Sinclair Radionics, where he produced pocket calculators and computers. The Sinclair ZX80 was one of the first low-price mass-market personal computers to be sold in the UK.
Gordon French and the Homebrew Computer Club
Gordon French and the Homebrew Computer Club
Early computer hobbyists in Silicon Valley often attended meetings of the Homebrew Computer Club. The first meeting was held in French’s garage, and the meetings would eventually draw the likes of future industry leaders such as Steve Wozniak.
