Matchbook with matches - Wang
YEAR: 1980
ITEM: Paraphernalia
COMPANY: Wang
COUNTRY: USA
IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes
This plain dark blue matchbook with matches simply read "WANG" on the front in silver colored print. The back said "The Office Automation Computer Company" which was a phrase used by Wang in their advertising during the 1980's.
Programmers were notorious smokers...by the 1980's smoking had decreased to about 1/3 of all the adult population in the USA.1 So it wouldn't be surprising to see an ashtray and book of matches next to most computers of that time. In fact, the famous "Sage Weapons Director" which was used to locate and, hopefully, intercept missile attacks, had a built in ashtray and lighter right next to the screen.
1https://news.gallup.com/poll/109048/us-smoking-rate-still-coming-down.aspx
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Documents
Documents for this item have not yet been scanned or not yet posted. There are a lot of pages...contact us if you have an immediate need. (Although there are not a lot of "immediate needs" for a 70+ year old computer!)
If you know the location of any other of these items, please let us know by contacting us at Director@TheComputerChurch.com .
OUR DEFINITIONS OF RARITY
One of a Kind: Only known existing item.
Exceedingly Rare: Only 2 to 10 known to exist.
Very Rare: Only 11 to 25 are known to exist.
Rare: Only 26 to 50 are known to exist.
Difficult: Difficult to find.
Available:Can be commonly be purchased.
Unknown: We cannot make a determination.
(For comparison: Many people consider the Apple-1 computer to be rare. As of 2025 there are 92 confirmed and probable Apple-1 computers.)
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