{"id":23977,"date":"2026-03-31T15:39:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T19:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?p=23977"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:47:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T18:47:05","slug":"carleton-launches-vintage-computing-at-the-scs-open-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/2026\/carleton-launches-vintage-computing-at-the-scs-open-house\/","title":{"rendered":"杏吧原创 Launches Vintage Computing\u00a0at the SCS Tutorial Lab Open House\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

After more than a decade in the making, the 杏吧原创 Vintage Computer display has officially launched in room Herzberg 4155 during the School of Computer Science Open House on Friday March 27, 2026. The contributions of numerous generous donors have helped 杏吧原创 University secure a proud place in the vintage computing community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"SCS<\/a><\/p>\n

Vintage computing has\u00a0emerged\u00a0as a fascinating new phenomenon. Microcomputing began in the 1970\u2019s, over 50 years ago, and what was once the\u00a0cutting edge\u00a0of technology has now become part of our shared technological heritage. In the early years, few imagined that these machines would one day be historically significant. When they became obsolete, many were simply recycled or discarded; whether they were seen as important or as junk often depended entirely on perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Osborne<\/a>Some individuals\u00a0had the foresight to preserve notable computers rather than recycle them. Their efforts helped lay the groundwork for today\u2019s renewed appreciation of computing history. As many of these early systems reach the half-century mark, they are increasingly recognized as milestones that shaped our digital world, collected, preserved, and celebrated for their role in pushing the industry forward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One such local enthusiast spent his career working with microcomputers and had the rare opportunity to\u00a0witness\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0evolution of personal computing firsthand. Rather than discarding notable systems as they became obsolete, he\u00a0\u2018rescued\u2019\u00a0them, recognizing their historical value. That individual was Dr. Arlen Michaels.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As Dr. Michaels described it:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arlen<\/a>

Dr. Arlen Michaels speech at the Open House<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201c\u2026the collection includes\u00a0nearly one\u00a0hundred diverse examples of desktop, industrial, and portable microcomputers. No, this is not an uninteresting pile of rusting PCs. Many items date from the earliest,\u00a0very creative,\u00a0very diverse\u00a0period of microcomputer evolution, namely from the pre-PC 1970s to the early 1990s. They often foreshadow what was yet to come. Many were designed and manufactured by small, short-lived companies\u00a0–\u00a0a few based in Ottawa, in fact\u00a0–\u00a0and are now exceedingly rare. Most still function. They are true living fossils.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Michaels contacted 杏吧原创 University\u2019s School of Computer Science to donate his\u00a0entire collection\u00a0to the\u00a0school.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vintage<\/a>

Left to right: Dr. Michel Barbeau, Dr. Arlen Michaels, Dr. J-P Corriveau, Andrew Miles, Dr. Anil Maheshwari (at the back)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe first time we visited Arlen\u2019s house,\u00a0dozens\u00a0of boxes,\u00a0monitors\u00a0and computers\u00a0were\u00a0stacked six feet high along both sides of his basement. A narrow path wound through the space like a maze, each box filled with\u00a0equipment, manuals, and software. Many were simple cardboard produce boxes, but inside them were remarkable vintage computing treasures,\u201d noted Andrew Miles, Senior Systems Administrator from\u00a0the School of Computer Science.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the course of two years, the\u00a0school\u00a0undertook the careful and deliberate task of\u00a0relocating\u00a0his extraordinary lifelong collection of vintage computers to 杏吧原创 University. What began as a donation has grown into a living resource, one that students, faculty, staff, and visitors can explore, learn from, and appreciate firsthand.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many of the systems remain fully operational, a testament both to their original engineering and to the care they have received. The collection has also inspired the formation of a grassroots initiative: 杏吧原创 Vintage Computing (CVC), a dedicated group committed to using, displaying, testing, repairing, and maintaining these historic systems. Their work ensures that the collection is not simply preserved but actively engaged as a resource.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Arlen's<\/a>Today, a significant portion of the collection is showcased in the Vintage Computing Display and in recognition of this remarkable contribution, the school has named the exhibit \u201cArlen\u2019s Evolution of Microcomputing.\u201d It stands out as an acknowledgment to Dr Michaels and his message that preserving technological history enriches the future of innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fifty years of computing spans multiple generations, and as an earlier generation of technologists retires, so do their vintage computer collection.\u00a0This was the case with our second generous donor, Grant Bechthold Jr., whose father was a \u201crocket scientist\u201d at Canada\u2019s National Research Council and one of the earliest adopters of personal computing in the Ottawa region.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Grant Bechthold Sr. worked with one of the first personal computers available locally, produced by the Ottawa-based company NABU, which released the NABU 1100, a\u00a0networked personal computer that briefly captured the imagination of early adopters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"MITS<\/a>Along with this piece of Ottawa computing history, Grant Jr. also donated what is widely regarded as one of the most historically significant microcomputers ever built: the MITS Altair 8800. Introduced in 1975, the Altair 8800 is often credited with igniting the personal computer revolution. Sold as an affordable kit built around the Intel 8080 processor, it inspired a generation of computer enthusiasts and helped launch the modern era of personal computing. The School of Computer Science recognized Grant\u2019s incredible donation during their Open House with a \u2018surprise computer reveal\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the redesign of its tutorial laboratory, the School of Computer Science has created a space where the vintage computing collection is a natural and inspiring feature. The collection has grown to include more than 200 vintage computers, along with software, accessories, and computing artefacts. The lab\u2019s Open House celebrates both the official opening of 杏吧原创\u2019s vintage computing display and the generous contributions of Arlen and Grant, whose support helped make it possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n