[OT] Altair

[Christopher Reimer]

> On Aug 30, 2016, at 11:51 AM, Joe <test at joepgen.com> wrote:
> 
>> Am 30.08.2016 um 17:52 schrieb D'Arcy J.M. Cain:
>> On Tue, 30 Aug 2016 15:56:07 +0200
>> Joe <test at joepgen.com> wrote:
>>> Am 30.08.2016 um 13:01 schrieb D'Arcy J.M. Cain:
>>>> On Mon, 29 Aug 2016 21:21:05 -0700
>>>> Larry Hudson via Python-list <python-list at python.org> wrote:
>>>>> I remember it well.  It's what I used to initially learn C.  I'm a
>>>>> completely self-taught, hobby programmer.  Been around since the
>>>>> MITS Altair.  How many remember that beast??
>>>> 
>>>> Remember it and still have it in the basement.
>>> I read a lot about the Altair in Byte in those days, but never had a
>>> chance to touch it. Wasn't it horrible expensive?
>> 
>> I can't remember what is was going for but I bought mine used for
>> $1,000.  It had a number of add-ons including a keyboard and floppy
>> drives.  The power supply was also beefed up.
>> 
>> It also had a replacement bezel.  It seems that the original Altair's
>> silk screened front panel was crappy and rubbed off easily.  Some
>> company sold one but it says "Cycloid" instead of "Altair" on it.
> 
> I think the first BASIC Interpreter ever sold by Gates & Friend was for this machine? How did you use your floppy drives on this machine (Open-Write-Close)?

Paper tape reader. The first time I came across a paper tape reader when I visited the university as a teenager in 1984. A CNC machine read the paper tape to drill six holes in a piece of metal.

Chris R.