Mark-8
{{Short description|Computer}}
Image:Radio Electronics Cover July 1974.jpg
The Mark-8 is a microcomputer design from 1974, based on the Intel 8008 CPU (which was the world's first 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.{{cite journal |last = Titus |first = Jonathan |title = Build the Mark 8 Computer |journal = Radio Electronics |volume = 45 |issue = 7 |pages =29–33 |date = July 1974}}[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Electronics/70s/1974/Radio-Electronics-1974-07.pdf Radio-Electronics; July 1974 issue.]
Project kit
{{stack|Image:KL_Intel_C8008-1.jpg}}
The Mark-8 was introduced as a 'build it yourself' project in Radio-Electronics's July 1974 cover article, offering a US$5 ({{Inflation|US|5|1974|fmt=eq|r=-1}}) booklet containing circuit board layouts and DIY construction project descriptions, with Titus himself arranging for US$50 ({{Inflation|US|50|1974|fmt=eq|r=-2}}) 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.bytecollector.com/mark_8.htm |title=Mark-8 Minicomputer |work=Bryan's Old Computers |accessdate=2009-02-11 }} A couple of thousand booklets and some one hundred circuit board sets were eventually sold.{{fact|date=April 2024}}
The Mark-8 was introduced in Radio-Electronics 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."{{cite web |url=https://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/core2duo/pdf/microprocessor_timeline.pdf |title=Intel Microprocessor Timeline }}
Influences
Although not very successful commercially, 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.forrestmims.org/biography.html |title=About Forrest M. Mims III |first=Harry L. |last=Helms |accessdate=2009-02-24 }}
According to a 1998 Virginia Tech University article, Titus' Mark-8 microcomputer now resides in the Smithsonian Institution's "Information Age" display {{cite web |url=https://www.archive.vtmag.vt.edu/sum98/feature2.html |title=Pioneers in microprocessor technology |work=Virginia Tech. Magazine |date=1998 |first=Su |last=Clauson-Wicker }}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190102191715/http://www.bytecollector.com/mark_8.htm Mark-8 Minicomputer] – an original Mark-8, restored to working condition
- [http://www.ciphersbyritter.com/MARK8/MARK8.HTM A Mark-8 Experience] – Terry Ritter's detailed memoir of building and running a Mark-8 in 1974.
- [http://www.oldcomputermuseum.com/ Collection of old analog and digital computers at www.oldcomputermuseum.com]
- [http://chc61.fgcu.edu/ Jonathan A. Titus, Microcomputer Pioneer]
- [http://bugbookmuseum.blogspot.com/2014/04/vintage-computers-mark-8-computer-most.html A look at 5 very different MARK-8 computers]
- [http://ds-wordpress.haverford.edu/bitbybit/bit-by-bit-contents/chapter-9/9-6-titus-and-the-mark-8/ Titus and the Mark-8, Bit-by-Bit, a Haverford College Publication]