Joseph Killian Oral History; 2007-01-25
Oral History of Joseph Killian Interviewed by: Bob Fraley Edited by: Dag Spicer Recorded: January 26, 2007 Mountain View, California CHM Reference number: X3879.2007 © 2007 Computer History Museum Oral History of Joseph Killian START TAPE 1 Bob Fraley: Hi. This is Bob Fraley for the Computer History Museum. We’re here today interviewing Joe Killian and this is January— Joseph Killian: 26th. Fraley: Thank you, January 26th, 2007. Joe was the chief engineer for the company IMSAI, one of the instrumental companies in creating the home computer, personal computer, type industry. And so we’ll be hearing about how the history took place from the point of view of IMSAI and how it contributed to a number of other companies over time. So, welcome, Joe. Killian: Thank you. Fraley: First, we’ve got a few just sort of routine questions. So your name is Joe Killian and where did you grow up? Killian: That’s right. Grew up all over. My dad was in the military, army engineers. So West Coast, Texas, East Coast, Paris for a while. Fraley: Quite exciting times. Killian: Well, advantages and disadvantages but I appreciate the advantages. Fraley: And so we’ve heard what your father did. Did your mother have an occupation, too? Killian: Raising eight kids was an occupation for quite awhile. Later, when we were finally out of the house, she took languages for awhile. Fraley: Oh, great. And what was your first exposure to computers? Killian: In college, Harvey Mudd. In freshman first semester they had a basic course. And that was the first time I had my hands anywhere near a computer.
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