When I was a Young Chap
8 April 2001
I've been a geek for many years. This is the remains of my first computer which I built when I was 12, and is circa 1977/78.
The version here has 1k RAM, 512 bytes PROM.
It's based on a General Instrument LP8000. In those days, because of the large (48 byte) register set, there wasn't enough space on the chip for a program counter too: so you needed an LP1000 chip to do that work.
No printed circuit board: all hand wired small scale integration 74 series TTL.
Hex keypad, 16 LEDs, and four toggle switches. No UART. No non volatile storage except a boot hex monitor.
Unfortunately my construction techniques haven't improved much since then.