My First Computer: The Geniac, 1958

While poking about the web I located my first computer, The Geniac. See also this entry in the Old Computer Museum web site: Geniac picture

I can recall building most of the circuits, especially the one that played tic-tac-toe.

There is was a Geniac for sale on ebay: Geniac Vintage Computer Edmund Berkeley Simon.

I just bought it!

It turns out the buyer lives nearby and I hope to pick it up in person.

I had a lot of fun with that computer — back around 1958 — over fifty years ago.

I’m still having lots of fun with computers — except when I have to use Microsoft software.

My first Geniac cost less than $20. My second Geniac just cost me $320.

That is less than $100 more than the cost of a copy of Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 – Retail from Newegg.

The Geniac boots up much more quickly. Just flip the switch on the battery, and away you go.

And you don’t even need the Internet to install new updates every other day…