Here are most of my vintage computer posters that I have collected since 2015. The first one I bought was the Homebound print by Datamost. It was part of the late Bob Bishop’s estate. He was a pioneer in the early computer software scene and I was fortunate enough to talk to him once later in his life. Even then, he was passionate about programming and empowering young people to take an interest in it.
Each poster seemed unique and appealing to me. Some may well be the only copies in existence. I decided to finally go to scan them at FedEx to preserve them and share them with the community. It was done at the highest quality of 600dpi in case someone wants to print them.
Year: 1975 Size: 8.5 x 11
Company: Microkit
Description: The Microkit 8/16 Development System. It could be used to develop software for both the Intel 8080 and the Motorola 6800 microprocessors.
These two chips powered almost all personal computers of the time.
Year: 1976 Size: 24 x 36
Company: Lear Siegler
Description: Features the USS Enterprise flying out of an ADM-3A Terminal while playing Lynn Cochran’s Star Trek BASIC game for the Altair 8800.
The exact image was also used in the June 1976 issue of Interface Magazine. It’s likely the first poster in history to feature a computer game.
Year: 1976 Size: 26 x 20
Company: SWTPC
Description: The company logo double printed, resembling an alien bar code.
The same style poster was famously displayed at the 1976 Personal Computer Conference in Atlantic City with Gary Kay (designer of the computer) holding a shirt with “Altairs Suck” written on it.
Year: 1976 Size: 25.5 x 20
Company: SWTPC
Description: Displays SWTPC products from that era, including the GT-6144 graphics terminal kit, designed for text-only computers to produce graphics.
SWTPC sold most of their computers and parts in kit format, a carryover business model from their days of selling audio equipment.
Year: 1977 Size: 20 x 30
Company: Soroc
Description: An old west style wanted poster showing the Soroc IQ-120.
Terminals like this and the ADM-3A were the gold standard in in the late 1970s. It was a luxury to have lower-case text and cursor addressing facilities. And all on a monochrome 80×24 text-only screen. Joy!
Year: 1977 Size: 16 x 22
Company: Hayden
Description: Features popular books on BASIC programming. Hayden also sold software on cassette tapes for early personal computers, like the Apple II.
Year: 1978 Size: 26 x 20
Company: Novation
Description: Features a cheetah that represents their CAT-series of modems. The Apple-CAT II could perform many innovative features through its Apple II host computer and could achieve 1,200 bits per second in one direction.
Year: 1979 Size: 23 x 29
Company: Intel
Description: The poster shows a gaijin about to slash some computers with a samurai sword. Intel was promoting their Intellic MDS II Series, a development system for the 8086-series of chips.
The text translates to: “In terms of sharpness, Series II chops up the competition.”
Year: 1979 Size: 8.5 x 11
Company: Softape
Description: One of the very first software publishers for the Apple II computer. The folded poster features many of their games and utilities and was sent in the mail to subscribers to promote their 1979 fall catalogue.
Year: 1982 Size: 16 x 24
Company: Leading Edge
Description: These guys knew how to promote a product, so much so, that their iconic Prowriter image is still sold on novelty t-shirts online.
“The Prowriter Cometh, And It Cometh Like Gangbusters.”
Year: 1982 Size: 17 x 23
Company: Southwest Data Systems
Description: This is an arcade action game called “Bezare”, published by Roger Wagner’s software company.
It’s notable for being the first to feature the boss key, which would bring up a Visicalc-style spreadsheet when pressed to fool your boss while you were getting your game on.
Year: 1982 Size: 30 x 20
Company: VisiCorp
Description: VisiCorp is best known as the publisher of Visicalc, the first spreadsheet program. Here they were promoting a buy 3, get 1 free special.
The company was first started in 1977 as Personal Software and was initially used to sell MicroChess by Peter R. Jennings.
Year: 1983 Size: 24 x 16
Company: Datamost
Description: Lady Android was part of a 6 poster set made by Art Huff and sold only via mail order.
This one features a female android sitting awkwardly on a vintage apple with the classic Apple II era colors.
Year: 1983 Size: 24 x 16
Company: Datamost
Description: Homeboard features a space pilot approaching an Apple world with some moons circling it.
Year: 1983 Size: 24 x 16
Company: Datamost
Description: Stardate 6502 is a Moon Patrol-inspired print with aliens attacking from every direction.
Year: 1983 Size: 12 x 17.5
Company: Comserv
Description: AMAPS stood for Advanced Manufacturing and Production System. It offered a suite of resource and purchase control systems for minicomputers like the HP3000.
I like the Jetson’s style robot maid working on the assembly line.
Year: 1983 Size: 22 x 20
Company: 3M
Description: The Scotch brand of 3M has been around since 1930 and their first mascot was a kilt-wearing boy named Scotty McTape. In the 1980s, they created the Black Watch brand for their computer and audio recording tape division.
The real Black Watch are a mighty group of fighters representing the royal regiment of Scotland.
Year: 1985 Size: 16 x 24
Company: Game Arts
Description: This poster was first sold soon after the original release of Thexder on the NEC PC-8801 computer. Then, in 2017, it was re-released by a used retro gaming shop in Tokyo called BEEP Akihabara as part of a 1/48 resin kit they sold.
Thexder holds a very special place in my heart as it was the first side-scrolling arcade game I ever saw on a computer.
Year: 1986 Size: 12 x 17.5
Company: Comserv
Description: This second AMAPS poster came bundled with the first one. The conference took place in my home town, in fact, several of the posters have local ties.
Year: 1989 Size: 24 x 36
Company: Apple
Description: While the Macintosh was slow to get traction in the marketplace, by the late 80s, their sales had grown substantially.
This western-themed poster shows a drifter entering a saloon with lots of clever computer references.
