A Joosr Guide to... The Innovators by Walter Isaacson: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution

Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Bokish Ltd
Published: 2015-06-04T16:00:00+00:00

Hippies and hackers brought the computer to individuals

It was not until the 1970s that the personal computer became a mass product. Up until that time computers had mostly been used for research. But thanks to the concerted efforts of technology enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, they were put into the hands of the public in general. These “hippies and hackers” congregated in the southern San Francisco Bay Area and began developing hands-on experience and understanding of computers from the inside out. This is the region that has come to be known as Silicon Valley, a leading hub for high-tech innovation and development.

These technology enthusiasts felt passionately that personal computers would empower individuals and change the way people learned, connected, and communicated. Among them was Ed Roberts, who joined forces with his friend Forrest Mims to form Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS). In 1974 MITS designed the first kit for a basic home computer, the Altair 8800.

This computer needed to be assembled by the buyer, and had no input devices like keyboards or mice. It was incredibly rudimentary by today’s standards, but any technology geek with the patience to learn could use it. Technology enthusiasts now had a way to directly interact with computers, which were no longer exclusively controlled by the military or by business. In the first month alone the Altair 8800 was bought by hundreds of individuals, and some were shared socially in tech clubs and circles.

One of these technology social groups was called the Homebrew Computer Club, which was a place where “tech nerds” could collaborate about computer technology, philosophy, and culture. It was here that many techies were inspired by their first experience of the Altair 8800, including two young future programmers, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. This basic computer taught Wozniak about the microprocessor, which he used to design a new computer that would come preassembled and would include a screen and keyboard. It was called the Apple II.

As the components for computers shrank in size, the possibilities for what computers could do grew exponentially. The hippie and hacker counterculture was based on the fundamental principle of the free sharing of ideas and technology in the hope of inspiring and empowering others to take technology into the future. By building on the work of previous innovators, these “tech nerds” made computers personal and brought the technological revolution into our homes.

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