Mark-8

The Mark-8 is a

8-bit microprocessor). The Mark-8 was designed by Jonathan Titus, a Virginia Tech graduate student in chemistry. After building the machine, Titus decided to share its design with the community and reached out to Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics. He was turned down by Popular Electronics, but Radio-Electronics was interested and announced the Mark-8 as a 'loose kit' in the July 1974 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine.^[1]^[2]

Project kit

The Mark-8 was introduced as a 'build it yourself' project in Radio-Electronics's July 1974 cover article, offering a US$5 (equivalent to $30 in 2023) booklet containing

circuit board layouts and DIY construction project descriptions, with Titus himself arranging for US$50 (equivalent to $300 in 2023) circuit board sets to be made by a New Jersey company for delivery to hobbyists. Prospective Mark-8 builders had to gather the various electronics parts themselves from various sources.^[3] A couple of thousand booklets and some one hundred circuit board sets were eventually sold.^{[citation needed}

]

The Mark-8 was introduced in R-E as "Your Personal Minicomputer" as the word 'microcomputer' was still far from being commonly used for microprocessor-based computers. In their announcement of their computer kit, the editors placed the Mark-8 in the same category as the era's other 'minisize' computers. As quoted by an Intel official publication: "The Mark-8 is known as one of the first computers for the home."^[4]

Influences

Although not very commercially successful, the Mark-8 prompted the editors of Popular Electronics magazine to consider publishing a similar but more easily accessible microcomputer project, and just six months later, in January 1975, they went through with their plans announcing the Altair 8800.^[5]

According to a 1998 Virginia Tech University article, Titus' Mark-8 microcomputer now resides in the Smithsonian Institution's "Information Age" display ^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b Titus, Jonathan (July 1974). "Build the Mark 8 Computer". Radio Electronics. 45 (7): 29–33.
^ ^a ^b Radio-Electronics; July 1974 issue.
^ "Mark-8 Minicomputer". Bryan's Old Computers. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
^ "Intel Microprocessor Timeline" (PDF).
^ Helms, Harry L. "About Forrest M. Mims III". Retrieved 2009-02-24.
^ Clauson-Wicker, Su (1998). "Pioneers in microprocessor technology". Virginia Tech. Magazine.

External links

Mark-8 Minicomputer – an original Mark-8, restored to working condition
A Mark-8 Experience – Terry Ritter's detailed memoir of building and running a Mark-8 in 1974.
Collection of old analog and digital computers at www.oldcomputermuseum.com
Jonathan A. Titus, Microcomputer Pioneer
A look at 5 very different MARK-8 computers
Titus and the Mark-8, Bit-by-Bit, a Haverford College Publication

[RE-1974-07-J-1] Titus, Jonathan (July 1974). "Build the Mark 8 Computer". Radio Electronics. 45 (7): 29–33.

[RE-1974-07-PDF-2] Radio-Electronics; July 1974 issue.

[3] "Mark-8 Minicomputer". Bryan's Old Computers. Retrieved 2009-02-11.

[4] "Intel Microprocessor Timeline" (PDF).

[5] Helms, Harry L. "About Forrest M. Mims III". Retrieved 2009-02-24.

[6] Clauson-Wicker, Su (1998). "Pioneers in microprocessor technology". Virginia Tech. Magazine.

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Project kit

Influences

See also

References

External links