The Making of the MCM/70 - Inventing the PC - page 38

but life goes on.' That's what we had, right? But otherwise, it
was a marvelous chip. And Gord asked me if I was interested [in
joining KSI ]. And I said 'sure.'”
The design and development group at KSI was small but
enthusiastic. Together they shaped and formed what would
become the first personal desktop microcomputer designed
specifically for individual use. Laraya and his hardware group,
assisted by Rea, came up with a number of prototypes of the
MCM /70 before the production model of the computer was
ready. Arpin, Genner, Ramer, and Smyth created and docu-
mented the software. Reg Rea assumed the overall engineering
and, later, manufacturing responsibilities. Kutt oversaw and
coordinated the project, hunting for potential investors with a
cardboard mock-up of the computer of the future.
In the early months of 1972, the young company operated in
something of a virtual mode, with core personnel keeping their
day jobs elsewhere and commuting between Ottawa, Kingston,
and Toronto for meetings. KSI 's first research and development
lab was in the basement of Laraya's house, while the software
was created on the University of Ottawa's IBM \360 computer.
The company was headquartered in Kutt's house. But that was
soon to change as more and more people joined KSI as full-
time employees. The company's headquarters soon moved into
a rented space in Willowdale, on the outskirts of Toronto. KSI 's
research and development facility was relocated to a rented
facility in Kingston. By early 1974, MCM had twenty-six full-
time employees as well as a number of part-time personnel and
consultants.
From the key-cassette to the M/C prototype
Kutt's 1972 design notes disclose an urgent need to prepare a
viable demonstration of the APL computer. Such demonstra-
tions were considered vital for attracting funding and poten-