The Homebrew Computer Club where the Apple I got its start is deservedly famous—but it’s far from tech history’s only community gathering centered on CPUs. Throughout the 70s and into the 90s, groups around the world helped hapless users figure out their computer systems, learn about technology trends, and discover the latest whiz-bang applications. And these groups didn’t stick to Slacks, email threads, or forums; the meetings often happened IRL.
But to my dismay, many young technically-inclined whippersnappers are completely unaware of computer user groups’ existence and their importance in the personal computer’s development. That’s a damned shame. Our current reality may largely be isolated to screens, but these organizations helped countless enthusiasts find community because of them. Computer groups celebrated the industry’s fundamental values: a delight in technology’s capabilities, a willingness to share knowledge, and a tacit understanding that we’re all here to help one another.
And gosh, they were fun.
For example, David Intersimone began attending the Southern California Computer Society in 1975. At one meeting, he bought an early IMSAI 8080 kit and soldered it together at home. “The lights lit but the processor would not reset and stop,” Intersimone recalls.
So at the next meeting, he introduced himself to “the computer doctor,” who was recommended as someone willing to help kit newbies. The “doctor” was able to fix Intersimone’s soldering errors, and he also suggested that Intersimone buy a Godbout Electronics S-100 bus terminator card to quiet the non-solder-masked motherboard. “Finally, my IMSAI 8080 was working,” Intersimone says, “and it still works today!”
Old-school programmers may recall Intersimone’s long career at Borland; these days, he is VP of Developer Communities at Evans Data Corporation. And the computer doctor? He was George Tate—of Ashton Tate and dBase fame.
This collegial experience, often leading to careers in the growing PC industry, was typical during the heyday of computer user groups. So take a wander into the wayback machine with me to revisit what made them so special…
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