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Homebrew Computer Club

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Paul Terrell, partner in Repco who was the exclusive sales rep company for MITS in Northern California, was a member of the club and would provide information at the meetings about the progress of the Altair 8800 in the factory and provide copies of the MITS Newsletter to members. He later started
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An anecdote from member Thomas "Todd" Fischer relates that after the more-or-less "formal" meetings the participants often reconvened for an informal, late night "swap meet" in the parking lot of the Safeway store down the road, as SLAC campus rules prohibited such activity on campus property.
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The first issue of the newsletter was published on March 15, 1975, and continued through several designs, ending after 21 issues in December 1977. The newsletter was published from a variety of addresses in the early days, but later submissions went to a P.O. box address in
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Piling into wooden booths with tables deeply etched with the initials of generations of Stanford students, Garland and Melen and Marsh and Felsenstein and Dompier and French and whoever else felt like showing up would get emboldened by the meeting's energy and pitchers of
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Piling into wooden booths with tables deeply etched with the initials of generations of Stanford students, Garland and Melen and Marsh and Felsenstein and Dompier and French and whoever else felt like showing up would get emboldened by the meeting's energy and pitchers of
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The second volume began on January 31, 1976, and included sections for A LETTER FROM MITS, CASSETTE UPDATE, TINY BASIC, MEETING FACILITIES, SOFTWARE, PROBLEMS, MEETING-1, and ALTAIR 680.
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The Oasis closed on March 7, 2018, due to unaffordable rent. Its Menlo Park building is a historical landmark; in 2019 the building became home to a venture capital firm,
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was moderator of the club meetings. Steve Inness was a primary designer of one of the early cell phone touch screens as well as a business partner with John Draper.
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Many of the original members of the Homebrew Computer Club continue to meet (as of 2009), having formed the 6800 Club, named after the Motorola (now
253:. They both were interested in maintaining a regular, open forum for people to get together to work on making computers more accessible to everyone. 1104: 1351: 1331: 638: 261: 1346: 1326: 600: 1263: 902: 89: 1167: 473: 61: 42: 1016: 500:, and helped its members build the original kit computers, like the Altair. One such influential event was the publication of 68: 1080: 965: 938: 805: 1142: 812:
After my first meeting, I started designing the computer that would later be known as the Apple I. It was that inspiring.
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background. They came to the meetings to talk about the Altair 8800, to review other technical topics, and to exchange
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Byte Shop, an affordable computer store in Mountain View, California, and bought the first 50 Apple I Computers from
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The Homebrew Computer Club's newsletter was one of the most influential forces in the formation of the culture of
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The Beginning of the Apple Corps of Dallas (January 1978) Thru the Eyes of a Founding Member
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The first meeting of the club was held on March 5, 1975, in French's garage in Menlo Park,
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Invitation to first Homebrew Computer Club meeting, sent by Fred Moore to Steve Dompier
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and Steve Wozniak after they did a demonstration of the Apple I at a meeting at SLAC.
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Balin, Fred. "Homebrew's 26th Birthday Commemoration." Email dated March 20, 2001
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in 2013. He hosted the first meeting of the club in his garage, in March 1975.
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enthusiasts and technically minded hobbyists who gathered to trade parts,
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Rocket Dreams: How the Space Age Shaped Our Vision of a World Beyond
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would frequent the Oasis following the formal meetings of the club.
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Transforming America: Politics and Culture During the Reagan Years
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and computer entrepreneurs emerged from its ranks, including
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credits that first meeting as the inspiration to design the
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The Code : Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America
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Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer
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Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer
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From the ranks of this club came the founders of many
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Homebrew Computer Club Newsletters as searchable PDFs
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The Homebrew Computer Club was an informal group of
981:"Interview: Jerry Lawson, Black Video Game Pioneer" 49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 1254:Life Outside the Mainframe: Remembering Fred Moore 983:. Vintage Computing and Gaming, February 24, 2009. 920: 832: 789: 679:(First ed.). Anchor press/Doubleday. p.  953: 927:Lawrence Gitman; Carl McDaniel (March 23, 2007). 465:was an early member and the first woman to join. 1318: 823: 1200:"Homebrew Computer Club Newsletters, 1975–1977" 292:(SLAC), until 1978, when meetings moved to the 1259:Homebrew Computer Club on Jolitz Heritage site 368:Most of the members were hobbyists but had an 960:. Columbia University Press. pp. 104–. 249:who met at the Community Computer Center in 16:Computer hobbyist users' group in California 995:"Memoir of a Homebrew Computer Club Member" 947: 262:Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems 154:information technology industrial complex. 1234:The Netherlands Home Computer Club website 1103:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 1065: 900: 894: 601:Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution 468:Others went on to other pursuits, such as 1165: 858: 856: 666: 664: 636: 361:("Captain Crunch"), Lee Felsenstein, and 268:microcomputer, a unit sent for review by 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 1117: 901:Goldfisher, Alastair (August 29, 2019). 751: 483: 474:search for extraterrestrial intelligence 352: 208: 192: 184: 142:was an early computer hobbyist group in 122: 1278:The Homebrew Computer Club 2013 Reunion 862: 787: 709:"Homebrew And How The Apple Came To Be" 1319: 1156:2008, CHM Reference number: X4653.2008 1014: 974: 930:The Future of Business: The Essentials 853: 661: 637:McCracken, Harry (November 12, 2013). 954:Robert M. Collins (August 22, 2009). 796:. W.W. Norton & Company. p.  584:, a large and influential German club 530: 1352:Organizations disestablished in 1986 1332:1986 disestablishments in California 1166:McCracken, Harry (August 23, 2007). 1017:"The Twilight Years of Cap'n Crunch" 863:Farivar, Cyrus (February 24, 2018). 670: 415:Division, Fischer-Freitas Company), 330:(and the book on which it is based, 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 1269:, A History of Free Hardware Design 1122:. Simon and Schuster. p. 156. 933:. Cengage Learning. pp. 139–. 324:The 1999 made-for-television movie 237:construction of personal computing 150:and the rise of that aspect of the 13: 1244:Homebrew Computer Club Newsletters 1015:Rhoads, Chris (January 13, 2007). 535:The club is depicted in the films 308:wrote about the Oasis gatherings: 290:Stanford Linear Accelerator Center 14: 1363: 1347:Organizations established in 1975 1327:1975 establishments in California 1222: 752:Ganapati, Priya (March 5, 2009). 439:was a member of the club, as was 1304: 1292: 1168:"The Man Who Jump-Started Apple" 992: 233:, and information pertaining to 23: 1192: 1159: 1143:Oral History of Lee Felsenstein 1136: 1111: 1059: 1034: 1008: 986: 488:Club newsletter, September 1976 34:needs additional citations for 883: 817: 781: 745: 719: 701: 630: 280:. The second meeting was held 213:The former site of the Oasis, 1: 1152:. Interviewed by Kip Crosby. 624: 572:Berkeley Macintosh User Group 479: 472:, who is a researcher in the 300:Others, at the suggestion of 214: 258:San Mateo County, California 7: 560: 217:2024, which became home to 10: 1370: 1148:December 27, 2014, at the 547:(2013), as well as in the 411:), Thomas "Todd" Fischer ( 348: 180: 1229:Steve Wozniak's home page 1118:Benjamin, Marina (2003). 1075:. New York. p. 139. 619:West Coast Computer Faire 538:Pirates of Silicon Valley 522:Mountain View, California 457:, was a club member, and 327:Pirates of Silicon Valley 270:People's Computer Company 1264:Lee Felsenstein and the 1205:DigiBarn Computer Museum 506:Open Letter to Hobbyists 148:microcomputer revolution 58:"Homebrew Computer Club" 1154:Computer History Museum 907:Venture Capital Journal 788:Wozniak, Steve (2006). 613:Kilobaud Microcomputing 588:Computer History Museum 577:Boston Computer Society 294:Stanford Medical School 1299:San Francisco Bay Area 1266:Homebrew Computer Club 1042:"Steve Inness – Davis" 731:What the Dormouse Said 489: 380:and programming tips. 370:electronic engineering 365: 315: 222: 206: 190: 144:Menlo Park, California 140:Homebrew Computer Club 135: 132:Living Computer Museum 1067:O'Mara, Margaret Pugh 671:Levy, Steven (1984). 487: 387:companies, including 356: 343:Cupertino, California 310: 212: 196: 188: 157:Several high-profile 126: 554:Triumph of the Nerds 433:Processor Technology 374:computer programming 43:improve this article 1021:Wall Street Journal 607:Hobby Computer Club 582:Chaos Computer Club 551:documentary series 445:Fairchild Channel F 282:at Peninsula School 594:Dr. Dobb's Journal 531:In popular culture 490: 431:), and Bob Marsh ( 419:(Morrow Designs), 366: 241:It was started by 223: 207: 191: 175:personal computing 169:, the founders of 136: 1082:978-0-399-56218-1 967:978-0-231-12401-0 940:978-0-324-54279-0 807:978-0-393-33043-4 713:atariarchives.org 498:personal computer 119: 118: 111: 93: 1359: 1309: 1308: 1297: 1296: 1295: 1288: 1217: 1216: 1214: 1212: 1196: 1190: 1189: 1187: 1185: 1176:. Archived from 1163: 1157: 1140: 1134: 1133: 1115: 1109: 1108: 1102: 1094: 1063: 1057: 1056: 1054: 1052: 1038: 1032: 1028: 1027:on May 27, 2015. 1023:. Archived from 1012: 1006: 1005: 1003: 1001: 990: 984: 978: 972: 971: 951: 945: 944: 924: 918: 917: 915: 913: 898: 892: 887: 881: 880: 878: 876: 860: 851: 850: 838: 825:Freiberger, Paul 821: 815: 814: 795: 785: 779: 778: 776: 774: 749: 743: 723: 717: 716: 705: 699: 698: 678: 668: 659: 658: 653: 651: 634: 455:Cromemco Dazzler 429:Osborne Computer 216: 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1369: 1368: 1362: 1361: 1360: 1358: 1357: 1356: 1317: 1316: 1315: 1303: 1293: 1291: 1283: 1225: 1220: 1210: 1208: 1198: 1197: 1193: 1183: 1181: 1180:on May 11, 2011 1164: 1160: 1150:Wayback Machine 1141: 1137: 1130: 1116: 1112: 1096: 1095: 1083: 1064: 1060: 1050: 1048: 1040: 1039: 1035: 1013: 1009: 999: 997: 991: 987: 979: 975: 968: 952: 948: 941: 925: 921: 911: 909: 899: 895: 888: 884: 874: 872: 861: 854: 847: 839:. McGraw-Hill. 829:Swaine, Michael 822: 818: 808: 786: 782: 772: 770: 750: 746: 724: 720: 707: 706: 702: 691: 669: 662: 649: 647: 635: 631: 627: 563: 533: 482: 459:Lee Felsenstein 351: 284:in Menlo Park, 199:Lee Felsenstein 197:Gordon French, 183: 115: 104: 98: 95: 52: 50: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1367: 1366: 1355: 1354: 1349: 1344: 1342:Hacker culture 1339: 1337:Computer clubs 1334: 1329: 1314: 1313: 1301: 1281: 1280: 1275: 1270: 1261: 1256: 1251: 1246: 1241: 1231: 1224: 1223:External links 1221: 1219: 1218: 1191: 1158: 1135: 1128: 1110: 1081: 1058: 1033: 1007: 985: 973: 966: 946: 939: 919: 893: 882: 852: 845: 816: 806: 780: 744: 718: 700: 689: 660: 628: 626: 623: 622: 621: 616: 609: 604: 597: 590: 585: 579: 574: 569: 562: 559: 532: 529: 494:Silicon Valley 481: 478: 397:Apple Computer 350: 347: 182: 179: 171:Apple Computer 152:Silicon Valley 117: 116: 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1365: 1364: 1353: 1350: 1348: 1345: 1343: 1340: 1338: 1335: 1333: 1330: 1328: 1325: 1324: 1322: 1312: 1307: 1302: 1300: 1290: 1289: 1286: 1279: 1276: 1274: 1271: 1268: 1267: 1262: 1260: 1257: 1255: 1252: 1250: 1247: 1245: 1242: 1239: 1235: 1232: 1230: 1227: 1226: 1207: 1206: 1201: 1195: 1179: 1175: 1174: 1169: 1162: 1155: 1151: 1147: 1144: 1139: 1131: 1125: 1121: 1114: 1106: 1100: 1092: 1088: 1084: 1078: 1074: 1073: 1068: 1062: 1047: 1043: 1037: 1031: 1026: 1022: 1018: 1011: 996: 989: 982: 977: 969: 963: 959: 958: 950: 942: 936: 932: 931: 923: 908: 904: 897: 891: 886: 870: 866: 859: 857: 848: 846:9780071358927 842: 837: 836: 830: 826: 820: 813: 809: 803: 799: 794: 793: 784: 769: 765: 761: 760: 755: 748: 741: 740:0-670-03382-0 737: 733: 732: 727: 722: 714: 710: 704: 697: 692: 690:0-385-19195-2 686: 682: 677: 676: 667: 665: 657: 646: 645: 640: 633: 629: 620: 617: 615: 614: 610: 608: 605: 603: 602: 598: 596: 595: 591: 589: 586: 583: 580: 578: 575: 573: 570: 568: 565: 564: 558: 556: 555: 550: 546: 545: 540: 539: 528: 525: 523: 517: 515: 509: 507: 503: 499: 495: 486: 477: 475: 471: 470:Dan Werthimer 466: 464: 460: 456: 452: 448: 446: 442: 438: 434: 430: 426: 423:(Byte Shop), 422: 418: 417:George Morrow 414: 410: 406: 402: 401:Harry Garland 398: 394: 390: 389:Steve Wozniak 386: 385:microcomputer 381: 379: 375: 371: 364: 360: 357:Club members 355: 346: 344: 340: 335: 333: 329: 328: 322: 320: 314: 309: 307: 303: 297: 295: 291: 287: 283: 279: 275: 274:Steve Wozniak 271: 267: 263: 259: 254: 252: 248: 244: 243:Gordon French 240: 236: 232: 228: 220: 211: 204: 203:Harry Garland 200: 195: 187: 178: 176: 172: 168: 167:Steve Wozniak 164: 160: 155: 153: 149: 145: 141: 133: 129: 128:Gordon French 125: 121: 113: 110: 102: 91: 88: 84: 81: 77: 74: 70: 67: 63: 60: β€“  59: 55: 54:Find sources: 48: 44: 38: 37: 32:This article 30: 26: 21: 20: 1265: 1211:February 25, 1209:. 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Index


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"Homebrew Computer Club"
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Gordon French
Living Computer Museum
Menlo Park, California
microcomputer revolution
Silicon Valley
hackers
Steve Jobs
Steve Wozniak
Apple Computer
personal computing


Lee Felsenstein
Harry Garland

Pear VC
electronic
circuits

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