Dell Announces Winner of Nationwide 'Search for the Oldest PC' Contest; Old PC Retired to Museum and Replaced with New Dell Equipment.LA MESA La Mesa (lə mā`sə), city (1990 pop. 52,931), San Diego co., S Calif., a suburb of San Diego; inc. 1912. It is a retail center and a popular residence for upper- and middle-income professionals in the San Diego area. , CALIF.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1999-- While today's fast, affordable PCs have forced the computers of yesteryear yes·ter·year n. 1. The year before the present year. 2. Time past; yore. yes onto technology's endangered species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. list, they haven't driven the computing dinosaurs into total extinction. One enduring machine, an Illinois lawyer's 22-year-old PC, retired in style today when Dell Computer Corporation (company) Dell Computer Corporation - One of the biggest US manufacturers of IBM PC compatibles. "From notebooks to networks", their slogan says. http://us.dell.com. (Nasdaq:DELL) named it the winner of the company's 'Search for the Oldest PC' contest. Patent lawyer John C. Shepard, who runs a small business from his Winnetka, Ill., home, bought the winning PC for $1,300 in October 1976. Dell declared his MITS MITS - Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems Altair 8800b the oldest of the 209 machines entered in the contest, and today donated it to The Computer Museum of America in La Mesa, Calif., a suburb of San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . Dell, the world's leading direct computer systems company, invited small businesses to enter the 'Search for the Oldest PC' contest in May to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the PC. In exchange for the old system, Shepard received a Dell server and a combination of built-to-order Dell desktop and notebook PCs -- a total prize package valued at $15,000. "It became a bottomless pit A bottomless pit, as its name implies, is a pit that has no identifiable bottom. Such pits are known by a large variety of names, and are a common hazard in many computer games and video games. because of constant upgrades," Shepard wrote of the Altair in his entering essay. "It's a dear old friend with many memories and it will be missed, but it's going to a museum for others to enjoy." Shepard has used the Altair for almost 23 years to create wills and other legal documents. "We hope this new computer equipment will expand Mr. Shepard's business opportunities and make his daily tasks more convenient and efficient," said Frank Muehleman, vice president and general manager of Dell's small business division. "We aim to help all small businesses take advantage of some of the latest, most relevant technology that best meets their computing needs." Most PCs entered in the contest were used for accounting, word processing word processing, use of a computer program or a dedicated hardware and software package to write, edit, format, and print a document. Text is most commonly entered using a keyboard similar to a typewriter's, although handwritten input (see pen-based computer) and and mailings/labels, and their owners listed lack of speed, insufficient memory and the lack of a hard drive as their most frustrating traits. "Old Faithful Old Faithful, geyser: see Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful well-known geyser in Yellowstone Park; erupts every 64.5 minutes. [Am. Hist.: NCE, 3023] See : Punctuality " was the most common nickname for the diehard machines; others included Reboot Bobby, The Relic, Tug Boat, and FRED (Friendly Reliable Electronic Device). According to Muehleman, the first PC was marketed as a kit through Popular Electronics magazine in December 1974. The kit included a 2 MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. processor, 256 bytes of memory, and cost approximately $400. Shepard's entry was selected as the winner based on the following criteria: submission of the entry form; proof of the old PC's date of purchase; and a 100-word summary that completed the phrase, "My computer is so old it belongs in a museum because..." As the No. 1 computer systems vendor to U.S. small and medium businesses with less than 500 employees, according to International Data Corporation, Dell understands the technology needs of small businesses, and is an industry-leader in major awards for its products, services and reliability. Ranked No. 78 among the Fortune 500 companies and No. 210 in the Fortune Global 500, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct computer systems company, based on revenues of $21.7 billion for the past four quarters. Dell designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number 800/388-8542 or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web site at www.dell.com. Dell is a registered trademark and DellWare is a registered service mark of Dell Computer Corporation. Fortune 500 is a registered trademark of Time Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion