How a squat aluminum box with two floppy drives and CP/M changed software habits, community norms, and the early craft of programming. Through archival sources and interviews with former Kaypro developers and historians, we trace the machine's outsized role in shaping software culture in the 1980s.
The Kaypro II - a slab of metal, a 9" CRT, and two 5.25" floppies - is enjoying a second life. This piece explores why collectors and hobbyists are drawn to this iconic 1980s 'luggable', what owning one actually means today, and how the machine embodies the broader retro computing revival.
A deep dive into the Kaypro II - the rugged 'luggable' that brought CP/M software to the road, anticipated many laptop design ideas, and helped shape the portable computing we use today.