Vintage Computers Gain New Respect Amid AI Dominance
A growing community of vintage computer collectors is preserving the classic machines that helped launch the digital revolution. Software engineer Josh Dersch, who owns over 200 vintage computers and devices in his Seattle home, estimates that the enthusiasm for computer history is increasing.
Dersch and other enthusiasts are intent on saving the Atari, Commodore, and IBM machines that are ancestors to today's laptops, wearable devices, and smartphones. These collectors delight in hearing the beeps and chimes of their childhood and firing up low-def games like 'Pong' or 'Space Invaders.'
The Vintage Computer Federation, which organizes an annual festival at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, has seen a surge in attendance since its inception. This year's 50th-anniversary celebration of Apple drew over 3,500 people and featured a panel with co-founders Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne reminiscing about the company's early days.
The festival also showcased restored vintage computers, including Dersch's prized Xerox Alto, which is considered 'the grandfather of the modern computer.' The Alto was one of the earliest computers to use the mouse and graphical user interface, inspiring Jobs and Bill Gates to incorporate these technologies in their early products.