2025 was the 50th Anniversary of the Altair Computer: Should It Be Considered the First Personal Computer?

In the early 1970s, computers were enormous, costly machines reserved for corporations, universities, and research labs. The idea of owning one seemed impossible, until late 1974. That’s when the MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer appeared on the cover of the January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics magazine and changed everything. First sold as a kit and later fully assembled, the Altair didn’t just…