Dell Retro Computer

Last week, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History added to its growing collection of computers a 1985 Dell Limited computer, owned by Clint Johnson, which cost $960 back in the day. Johnson said "he became a Dell customer in 1985 because IBM's and Apple's computers were more expensive."

Johnson owned seven Dells throughout the years, but kept this old model because he figured it was a piece of PC history. Michael Dell, who was on hand to give the computer to the Smithsonian, didn't try to turn it on to see if it still worked. Heck, that's the first thing I'd try! The new Dell collection will be on temporary display in the museum's "Treasures of American History" exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum.

The Smithsonian also has an Altair computer, a TRS-80 Model 1, a first-generation IBM PC, an Apple Lisa Computer, and an original Apple Macintosh on display.

[via Washington Post]