-
Forrest Mims Publishes Paper on Transitorized Tracking Lights, leading to MITS formation
Forrest Mims published an article in Model Rocketry magazine, which led to him and others founding MITS, this would be one of their first products (Sun and Sky). -
MITS is Founded
Bob Zaller, Ed Roberts, and Forrest Mims III found Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (Mims 58) Photo Credit: https://sunandsky.net/MITS_History.php -
MITS Moves out of Garage
MITS Rented a small brick building to house their production and research that use to be a sandwich shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Mims). -
MITS is featured on Popular Electronics for their 816 Digital Calculator
Ed Roberts and MITS create a digital calculator, the 816 Digital Calculator that is featured in an issue of Popular Electronics in November of 1971 (National Museum of American History). Image credit: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1030050 -
Texas Instruments Takes Over Calculator Game
Texas Instruments, a massive company began making calculators, forcing MITS to pivot (Levy 80). -
MITS Moves to Larger Office
MITS moved into a larger office and even expanded to neighboring storefronts (Mims). Image Credits: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2F8bitboyz.com%2F2020%2F09%2F11%2Fthe-original-microsoft-office%2F&psig=AOvVaw3C-nFu87Vl1PpQPROb__NF&ust=1744688928462000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBcQjhxqFwoTCPCFnvLO1owDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAh -
MITS is Deeply in Debt
MITS falls to around $200,000 of debt, and finds they need to pivot to a new product line, making computers (Mims). Image Credit: Proshare Graphics -
Altair 8800 Kit Appears in Popular Electronics
The first widely available computer kit from MITS appeared in Popular Electronics for the first time. This was MITS's star product and was one of the most advanced but still widely available at the time (Computer History Museum). -
Bill Gates is Hired to MIMS
Bill Gates was hired to program a BASIC language for the Altair 8800 (CPPDepend). Image Credit: https://www.gq.com/story/young-bill-gates-was-an-angry-office-bully -
Altair BASIC is Coppied
A beta version of Altair's BASIC was stolen from them, and distributed at a Homebrew Computer Club meeting. This was one of the first instances of computer piracy. (Levy 99). Photo Credit: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.computerhistory.org%2Fcollections%2Fcatalog%2FX507.84&psig=AOvVaw3SCwb7f-MKMBMNd7OZZrRa&ust=1744685752356000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBcQjhxqFwoTCLCy0YfD1owDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAQ -
Altair 680 Released
Altair releases a cheaper and easier to build computer that uses the Motorola 6800 chip (DigiBarn). -
Bill Gates of MITS Writes An Open Letter to Hobbyists
Bill Gates was upset that people were steeling the Altair BASIC software that MITS was paying him to write, so he wrote a letter saying that it isn't okay to steel software (Most of you Steal Your Software). -
Altair 8800b is Released
MITS releases another computer, the Altair 8800b which improved on the Altair 8800 (S-100 Computers). -
Altair 680b Released
Altair released an upgraded computer using the Motorola 6800 chip called the Altair 680 (S100 Computers). Image Credit: https://www.vintage-computer.com/machines.php?mitsaltair680b -
MITS is sold to Pertec
Ed Roberts felt like he couldn't keep up with MITS anymore and sold to Pertec which was a hard drive manufacturer (S-100 Computers). Image credit: https://logowik.com/pertec-computer-logo-vector-39933.html