Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

ACCESS

Date Range From

1980

Date Range To

1985

Materials

PLASTIC, GLASS, RUBBER

No. Pieces

1

Height

26.0

Length

41.0

Width

27.6

Description

COMPUTER IS CREAM COLOURED AND DARK BROWN. KEYBOARD IS HINGED TO FRONT OF COMPUTER AND CAN BE FOLDED UP FOR STORAGE, OR FLIPPED DOWN FOR USE. A LABEL ON KEYBOARD READS "ACCESS". ABOVE KEYBOARD IS A SMALL SCREEN AND 2 FLOPPY DISK DRIVES. ABOVE SCREEN READS "ACCESS" BESIDE A HEXAGONAL SHAPE. ON TOP OF COMPUTER IS A PRINTER WITH A TRANSLUCENT BROWN COVER, AS WELL AS 2 ROUND SPEAKERS?, BESIDE WHICH IS THE IMAGE OF A TELEPHONE HANDSET AND "J17 PHONE / J16 WALL". THERE IS ALSO A HANDLE MOUNTED TO TOP SIDES OF COMPUTER. ON SIDE OF COMPUTER, IN BLACK VINYL, IS "4". BACK OF COMPUTER HAS A RED ON/OFF SWITCH, AS WELL AS 2 TELEPHONE JACKS, A MALE OUTLET, AND 4 PORTS. THERE IS A LABEL ON BACK THAT READS "ACCESS MATRIX CORP. 2159 BERING DRIVE SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95131 U.S.A. S/N AC 1120".

Subjects

DATA PROCESSING T&E

Historical Association

LEISURE

EDUCATION

History

AN EXAMPLE OF AN EARLY PORTABLE COMPUTER, WITH A BUILT-IN PRINTER AND MODEM; THIS CONCEPT LATER LED TO LAPTOP COMPUTERS. THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST COMPUTERS USED BY THE FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AT THE U OF L. WAS ONCE USED FOR STUDENT LABS WHEN FACULTY WERE, IN CONTRAST, ON THE MAINFRAME. BY THE TIME DONOR STARTED WORKING AT U OF L THIS COMPUTER WAS NO LONGER IN USE. DONOR TOOK COMPUTER FROM A ROOM OF OBSOLETE ITEMS, LOCATED ON THE 7TH FLOOR OF THE UNIVERSITY. DONOR HAS COLLECTED, IN GENERAL, ALL HIS LIFE. HE SAW COLLECTING AS A WAY TO WORK WITH HIS SONS, DAVID (B. 1975) AND COLIN (B. 1980). COMPUTER COLLECTION WAS BEGAN IN 1988 WHEN THE DONOR WAS WORKING AT THE U OF L. PRIOR TO THAT, SYSTEMS WERE TOO EXPENSIVE. FOR 10 YEARS MOST OF THE MATERIAL WAS IN DONOR'S GARAGE. HE USED IT TO TRY AND HELP PEOPLE TO DO FAMILY HISTORY/GENEALOGY. MOST OF HIS COLLECTION WAS OFFERED TO HIM BY PEOPLE WHO WERE AWARE OF THE DONOR'S INTEREST. DONOR DIDN'T WANT TO DISPOSE OF COLLECTION BY SELLING IT WHEN HE LEFT THE U OF L, BECAUSE HE FELT IT COULD BE USED IN AN EDUCATIONAL VENUE, SO IT WAS OFFERED TO THE MUSEUM. DONOR WAS BORN AND RAISED IN STIRLING/RAYMOND; GRADUATED FROM RAYMOND HIGH SCHOOL IN 1970. HE WORKED FOR THE TREASURY BRANCH, WHICH SENT DONOR TO N.A.I.T. FOR TRAINING AS A PROGRAMMER, SO THAT HE COULD MODIFY PROGRAMS AND WORK AS AN ACCOUNT OFFICE MANAGER. HE LEFT THE BANK IN 1979. DONOR WENT ON TO PURSUE A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE DURING WHICH TIME HE WORKED WITH THE UNIVERSITY'S CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM IN HOME COMPUTER COURSES (STUDENTS TOOK COMPUTERS HOME). HE COMPLETED HIS B. ED. IN 1983. DONOR THEREAFTER BECAME A COMPUTING BUSINESS INSTRUCTOR IN MARWAYNE, ALBERTA AND WAS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR ALBERTA'S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAVELLING TO SCHOOLS TO TALK TO TEACHERS ABOUT THE USE OF COMPUTERS IN CLASSROOMS. IN 1988, THE DONOR RETURNED TO THE U OF L TO TEACH FOR 10 YEARS WITH THE FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT. HE TAUGHT HARDWARE MAINTENANCE & MULTI-MEDIA. U OF L WAS THE FIRST TO USE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO TEACH LABS. DONOR LEFT FACULTY TO WORK AS AN ASSOCIATE REGISTRAR (1998-99) AFTER WHICH HE WENT TO ARIZONA TO BE AN INSTRUCTOR WITH THE NORTHLAND PIONEER COLLEGE. DONOR CURRENTLY TRAVELS TO ARIZONA COLLEGE'S DISTANCE CENTERS TEACHING CLASSES.

Catalogue Number

P19990101003

Acquisition Date

2003-07

Collection

Museum

Less detail