Photograph of the desktop console of the world's first microcomputer system. It utilized the Intel 8008 single-chip microprocessor.
The computer system was developed and manufactured by Q1 Corporation. They delivered the first microcomputer system to the Litcom Division of Litton Industries in Melville, Long Island on December 11, 1972 (and a second system in February, 1973). In April 1974 Intel introduced the second-generation, single-chip 8-bit microprocessor, the 8080. Until then, Q1 systems were the only self-contained, general-purpose microcomputer systems in the world.
In 1973, two limited-purpose products that utilized the 8008 were introduced: In May 1973 Micral, in France, introduced a special-purpose process controller; and in the fall, Jonathan Titus offered the Mark-8, an 8008 assembly-kit for the hobbyist market (Titus 1974). Neither product was, nor intended to be, a self-contained, general-purpose computer system.
In 1973, Q1 microcomputer systems were installed in Europe (Germany) and Asia (Hong Kong).
The Q1 System remained the world's only self-contained, general purpose microcomputer system until Intel introduced the 8080 second generation microprocessor.
Apparently, Q1 also delivered some of NASA's computers.
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@Roland (Germany): 40 years ago, I developed programs for the Q1/Lite. In order to do anything with your Q1/Lite, you need a diskette (or an attached hard disk drive) with the program(s) you need to run. You simply start the execution of a program by typing the name of the program and press the Return button. The Q1 then starts searching for the program on the drives 1, 2, 3 and 4 (8 inch floppy disk drives), followed by the drives 5 and 6 (5 1/4 inch floppy disk drives) and finally the disk drives 7 and 8 (hard disk drives). The configuration of your Q1/Lite may consist of only a few disk stations of this maximum possible disk configuration.
If you do not have any program disks, there is not much you can do with the computer, I''m afraid. Without documentation, you are also pretty lost. I do not have any documentation left, I''m afraid.
Sunday 24th July 2022
Gunnar Lilienberg (Sverige)
HI, I''ve got a Q1/Lite, dated 1979, together with a printer. The system starts up saying "Q1/Lite at Your Service" - that''s all. No response to the keyboard. Unfortunately I don''t have manuals/schematics - who can help and provide me with more information ?
Roland
Friday 3rd June 2022
Roland (Germany)
My first job in technology. Worked there from early 80s to nearly the end in 1989. Started in the Test department, did Field Service, and in the end did a little bit of everything. We went from around 500 employees to me, the receptionist, and the president (Glen Malm). Moved from Hauppauge, to Coram, to Medford, and after I left I think it moved to Glen''s garage.
