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Comment by deater | Hacker News Reader

Commodore people love to claim "first" for the PET because it was announced in January 1977, but they didn't ship until much later, like in October or later

So if you actually wanted an 8-bit computer in the Summer of 1977 you would have been stuck getting an Apple II which you could actually purchase

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Adn let's not forget the TRS-80, also available around the same time.

Jimmy Maher has some excellent articles on the history of early computers (with focus on videogames) in his blog.

https://www.filfre.net/2011/06/the-trash-80-part-1/

There's also a story that Chuck Peddle helped Steve Wozniak get the Apple II working. That's what Chuck said anyway, not sure if it was true.

The Altair 8800 was released in December 1974, so the definition of “personal computer” would have to exclude that somehow.

The Altair didn’t come with a keyboard or screen. Just a front panel with lights and switches (like a PDP-11, to be fair). So, the fact that it wasn’t an integrated system in one box all from the same manufacturer distinguishes it as a Mini/Micro Computer rather than a Personal Computer.

Yup. That's why you hear of the Apple II as one of the first personal computers, and not of the Apple I, which was a more advanced kit than most, but still required owners to supply their own case, power supply and keyboard.

I bought a TRS-80 as a 14-year old in 1979. Commodore Pet, Apple II, and TRS-80 were the only real options. The Altair was an entirely different beast. Take a look at the Altair advertisement in the wikipedia entry and you'll get the idea: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altair_8800

Ironically that Wikipedia page states:

"It was the first commercially successful personal computer."

The PET was the first personable computer.

I mean it's gotta at least have a keyboard…

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