First Contact: How the World Met the Personal Computer – Jacob Komar, Marc Polansky "For most people, their first interaction with a computer wasn’t in a lab or a server room — it was in a classroom, a bedroom, or a family office. This interactive exhibit traces the machines that introduced computing to the public. Through a timeline of landmark systems — from the Apple I through the Lisa and Macintosh, alongside other iconic early PCs — visitors have the opportunity to see how personal computers evolved from hobbyist curiosities into everyday tools that reshaped work, education, and culture. Celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary, the centerpiece of our exhibit is an Apple I replica — with a modern twist! A Wi-Fi-enabled UART card allows visitors to interact with AI using a (replica) Apple I. Other demonstrations include a Bell & Howell Apple II as it would have appeared in a school classroom; a Woz Edition Apple IIgs with a LaserWriter II (take home a souvenir!); a Lisa 2/10 built to tackle some serious spreadsheet tasks; a Compaq Portable for some on-the-go gaming; a Mac Plus ready to unlock the inner artist of 1986; a Performa with a DOS Compatibility Card for some stealth gaming while the boss isn’t looking; a Macintosh TV complete with ’90s television content you might find in a dorm room; a Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh with a killer living-room music setup; and a “lampshade” iMac ready to record the next radio hit of 2002. Sponsored by the Retro Tech Foundation."