[Rex Malik] didn’t need an alarm clock. That’s because he had one of two “home computer terminals” next to his bed and, as you can see in the video below, it made quite a racket. The terminal looks like an ASR33 with some modifications. In 1967, it was quite a novelty and, of course, it didn’t have any real processing power. It connected to an “invisible brain” ten miles away.
What do you do with a computer in 1967? Well, it looks like you could trade stocks. It also apparently managed his shopping list and calendar. His young son also learned some letters and numbers. We’d love to hear from the young [Mr. Malik] today to find out what kind of computer he’s using now.
The BBC announcer made some fair predictions. One day, they supposed, every home would have a computer “point” to plug in a rented terminal. They were saying the rent was, at that time, £30 a week. That was relatively steep in those days. Especially considering it couldn’t play Doom or download cat memes.
We couldn’t help but notice that [Malik’s] bedroom had a single bed. With the TeleType going off at all hours, we aren’t really surprised. While it might not be able to download cat memes, the old TeleTypes could download a text-based web page. Well, once there was a web, anyway. This beats the kitchen computer, although we have to admit that at least the kitchen device was really a computer in your home.
There’s no tape reader/punch, so it’s a modified KSR33.
The ASR33 didn’t have any processing power: it was purely mechanical.
When I go to The National Museum of Computing to see the world’s oldest operating computer (the WITCH) and Colossus replica etc, I try to have a quick go on an ASR33. The clunk of the key depressing followed by a 100ms delay before the character is thumped onto paper brings back my youth :)
Touch typing? In your dreams! Two fingered at best. The keys need a lot of force and the travel is surprisingly long.
BTW, if you haven’t been to TNMoC, just go. Sometimes the people there will whip out the >A0 blueprint schematics and discuss them with you :)
£30 a week in 1967 is £480 today, that’s ~25k a year which is above minimum wage – more than a little pricey!