For all their coolness as killer apps, Bravo and Gypsy only scratched the surface of the Alto’s vast capabilities. Although it was not the first machine small enough to be used by an individual—the LINC had been there before—the Alto was the first one deliberately designed as a general-purpose “personal” appliance: individualistic and infinitely customizable. The computer was no longer a machine to which man had to adapt, but one endlessly adaptable to every user’s needs.
