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Archival Collections
Computers and Electronic Games ➔ Archival Collection #200 - Woodrow Vanhouten Personal Computer
Identifier:
2005.83.1Description:
This archival collection consists of books, manuals, warranties, software, and documents relating to the ca. 1986 Commodore 64 Personal Computer system originally owned and used by Woodrow VanHouten. The books are textbooks for computer programming. The manuals relate to both hardware and software associated with this Commodore 64 Personal Computer. The warranties cover both the computer and diskettes. The software is in the format of floppy or flexible disks and includes games, word processing, and business programs. The documents are mostly printed inventories of stored files and a hand-drawn system diagram. These papers and the personal computer system they support represent a significant early breakthrough in the evolution of the personal computer. At its height, the Commodore 64 became the best selling personal computer brand of all time. Together, the papers, software, and hardware constitute a complete personal computer system. They will be useful for future researchers of technology, or as period-appropriate equipment for an exhibition. Mr. Van Houten purchased his Commodore 64 personal computer, accessories, software and manuals around 1986 to write his first book, The Poke of Peter Pike. His sister Carol J. Crawford also used this computer in 1997 to write her memoir, before dying of ALS.A full listing of the contents of this collection can be found in the Finding Aid that is attached to the media section of this catalog entry.