"By August 1975, 5,000 copies of the Altair 8800 had been sold. It had been more than half a year since the machine had gone on sale, initially as a niche product. But it soon gained popularity among enthusiasts of computers, which had until that point been contained in massive metal closets. The first personal computer had arrived, and at a competitive price point. Its success created the perfect breeding ground for the birth of companies that would bring computing into the home."
"In 1971, a processor arrived that heralded winds of change. That was the Intel 4004, which became the market's first microprocessor. Its technological feat consisted of containing an entire CPU in a single integrated circuit, one chip. Until then the component, which is considered the brain of the computer, was composed of dozens of integrated circuits. The advance opened the door to the miniaturization of the basic components of a computer."
"But the chip was designed only for electronic calculations. Three years later, another leap forward took place with the introduction of the Intel 8008 chip. It was created with new architecture and had much more memory, was faster and already designed with the personal computer in mind. It didn't take long for electronics enthusiasts of the time to make use of it. The fastest of them, and the one who launched the most compelling product of the time, was Henry Edward Roberts."
By August 1975, 5,000 Altair 8800 units had been sold, marking the emergence of the first accessible personal computer. Prior machines remained room-sized, expensive, and reserved for large companies. The Intel 4004 of 1971 introduced a CPU on a single integrated circuit, enabling component miniaturization. The Intel 8008 in 1974 provided greater speed, memory, and architecture aimed at personal computing. Electronics enthusiasts quickly adopted the new chips. Henry Edward Roberts of MITS produced a compelling product built on these advances, accelerating the transition of computing from institutional closets into homes and small businesses.
Read at english.elpais.com
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