Computer geeks know the Apple II was revealed to the world in 1977, complete with floppy disc drives.
Most of the devices now live in trash dumps, buried in decades of debris.
But imagine being able to sit behind the keyboard of an Apple II or III that actually works.
Welcome to the ultimate gift for computer geeks: a visit to the Living Computer Museum + Labs, located in Seattle, Washington.
The museum claims it is the world’s largest collection of fully restored—and usable—supercomputers, mainframes, minicomputers, and microcomputers.
And we believe it because Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen created this museum.
Think about seeing working vintage computers, such as these:
Radio Shack TRS-80 Computer (nice monitor!)
The Atari 400 computer and gaming console
The IBM "Personal Computer"
The Tandy 1000 Computer (that monitor has several colors!)
And who doesn't love a flashback to the Commodore 64 computer?
Paul Allen posted a personal note on the computer museum's website, explaining why he is so passionate about this project:
"It is possible that no other technology on earth has so continually renewed itself as computer technology. Advances in this field arrive in such swift succession that even the software and hardware of a few seasons ago are considered obsolete. The decades-old computers and software in this collection, therefore, are truly worthy of our preservation and study—both for the cutting-edge innovations of their day as well as for their historical significance."
And while parents geek out on the past, the kids will love what is new.
The museum's main gallery offers "direct experiences with robotics, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, big data, the Internet of Things, video-game making, and digital art."
This really does sound like the ultimate gift for a computer geek, does it not?
And here are two other things to check out during your visit to Seattle.
The Space Needle re-opened in 2018 with glass floors and walls that are perfect for selfies.
And if you work in cybersecurity, join your peers at Seattle's largest annual cybersecurity conference, SecureWorld Seattle.