Introduction
Welcome to the learning path about the cloud-connected Altair 8800 on Azure Sphere. You've come to the right place if you're interested in improved-security Internet of Things (IoT) devices and cloud computing. While you learn about device and cloud computing, you'll also get a taste of retro computing. You'll gain an understanding of the Altair 8800 personal computer, invented in the 1970s.
Scenario: Curiosity
You're reading an article on the internet about the Altair 8800 personal computer, and it captures your attention. The article says the Altair 8800 was invented nearly 50 years ago. It was the computer that ignited the personal computer revolution. Now you're curious how the Altair 8800 works, and how it can be programmed. You'd love to buy an Altair 8800, but they're expensive and hard to find.
The Altair 8800 emulator running on Azure Sphere brings together retro computing, the modern world of IoT and cloud computing, and the chance to step back in time and program one of the first personal computers invented.
The Altair 8800 emulator provides the perfect platform to learn about the Altair 8800, how it works, and how it can be programmed. You'll be able to program apps and games in Basic and C. If you're more adventurous, you can code applications in Assembly language. Or you can go deeper and program the Altair 8800 with Intel 8080 machine code.
What will you learn?
In this module, you'll learn about:
- Azure Sphere, a platform for improved-security IoT
- The history of the Altair 8800
- The open-source Altair 8800 emulator
The Altair 8800 was invented well before the Internet as we know it today. You'll learn techniques that you can apply to day-to-day IoT solutions.
What's the main goal?
This module will focus on the end-to-end solution architecture of the Altair 8800 emulator running on Azure Sphere and how the Altair 8800 emulator is connected to Azure.