Triumph of the Nerds Part 1

The Evolution of Computers and the Invention of the Microprocessor

• Mainframe computers processed numerical data and required special binary code for data and instructions
• Grace Hopper invented COBOL, a computer language that translated English words into binary code, making computing more user-friendly
• Steve Wozniak fell in love with computers after reading a book about the PDP 8 computer
• Steve Jobs found it thrilling to write programs in Basic or Fortran and see the machine execute his ideas
• The microprocessor allowed mainframe computers to be miniaturized, leading to the development of personal computers
• Intel, founded by a few individuals, invented the microprocessor and powered 85% of the world's computers
• Intel's microprocessors kept getting more powerful, with the 8080 having enough horsepower to run a whole computer
• Intel failed to appreciate the potential of their microprocessors for personal computers
• Intel's working style was laid-back, with no reserved parking places, offices, only cubicles, and a first-name basis culture
• Gordon Moore, Intel co-founder, emphasized the importance of knowledge in making decisions within the company
• The text highlights the evolution of computers from mainframes tended by engineers to the invention of the microprocessor, paving the way for personal computers
• The narrative also sheds light on the laid-back working culture at Intel and the crucial role of knowledge in decision-making within the company

The Birth of Silicon Valley and Apple Computer

• The Home Brew Computer Club fostered a community spirit that encouraged sharing and problem-solving, contributing to Silicon Valley's rapid technological development.
• Apple Computer, the first mass market PC company, emerged from the Home Brew Computer Club, with founders Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs as regular attendees.
• Wozniak and Jobs had previously built a "blue box" device to cheat the phone company, demonstrating their early technical prowess.
• The blue box could manipulate the phone system to make free calls worldwide, a discovery that was validated through an AT&T technical journal found at Stanford Linear Accelerator Centre.
• The founders used the blue box to prank call international numbers, showcasing their technical capabilities to others.
• The experience with the blue box taught Jobs and Wozniak that they could create a device to control significant infrastructure, laying the foundation for their future endeavors.
• The first Apple computer, the Apple 1, was initially a primitive creation by Wozniak, showcased at Home Brew meetings to impress fellow enthusiasts.
• The interest in Wozniak's computer at the club led Jobs to propose selling it and starting a company, which eventually became Apple.
• Apple Computer was initially a "funky" company, founded by teenage hackers who had previously worked as characters in a shopping mall and started in a garage.
• Steve Jobs offered to pay an employee in company shares due to a shortage of funds, an offer that was declined in favor of cash.
• The Apple 1, a single circuit board without a case or keyboard, was sold in limited quantities, but this experience showed Jobs the market potential for real computers, leading to the development of the Apple II.
• The Apple II, with its market potential, marked a significant step in Apple's evolution from a small garage operation to a major player in the tech industry.