A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 1
A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 2
A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 3
A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 4
A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 5
A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 6
A XEROX ALTO II XM - photo 7

A XEROX ALTO II XM

Lot 30
10.09.2024 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
$ 252 000
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1279125
Lot 30 | A XEROX ALTO II XM
Estimate value
$ 10 000 – 15 000
A XEROX ALTO II XM
XEROX, 1973
Including a Xerox Alto II display, Xerox Alto II three button mouse and Xerox Alto II keyboard, a Diablo disk drive terminator model 30 and Diablo disk drive model 31 G5

The origins of GUI.

The Xerox Alto, developed in 1973 at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), is a pioneering computer notable for its advanced graphical user interface (GUI) that included windows, icons, and menus, operated with a mouse. The Alto's design influenced many later systems, including Apple's Macintosh and Microsoft's Windows. Key features included a bitmapped display, Ethernet networking, and a mouse, making it a groundbreaking machine in the evolution of personal computing and user interface design. Despite its limited initial distribution primarily within Xerox and to a few universities, the Alto was instrumental in the development of modern computing concepts and technologies.

This Alto was acquired from Al Kossow, a notable figure in the field of computer history, particularly known for his work with the Xerox Alto. He worked extensively on preserving Alto software archives and transferring original source code to modern media formats. His efforts are crucial in maintaining the historical legacy and accessibility of the Xerox Alto.
The cabinet: 20 in. (50.8 cm.) high, 20 in. (50.8 cm.) wide, 28 in. (71.1 cm.) deep (approximately)




Provenance

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
LCM Collection.



Further details

This lot is subject to additional disclaimers. Please carefully review Section E(2), subsection (m) “Vintage Computers and Machines”.
Auction house category:All other types of objects, Instruments
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
10.09.2024 – 10.09.2024
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
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