A Little Computer Nostalgia

[ProfessorHawthorne]

I wondered how many old people might be here that started with the early consumer computers (not pdp-11s or 360s). I started with a VIC-20 as soon as it was released here in the US. Those first ones were $300 in 1980 - still cheaper than Radio Shacks TRS Model 1. Of course there was the Apple I, the Atari 400 and 800 and The Commodore Pet - all MOS 6502 machines. Maybe you started sooner with the Altair and IMSAI S100 bus machines with the Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80.

So, what did you start with and when did you go over to the dark side (IBM PC/Clones)? I got my first PC clone in late 1983.

Cheers

 

[JoeMoma]

I remember those, but I was too poor to buy them at the time. I had a roommate in college that had his own Tandy form radio shack. 640 K RAM and 20 Meg Hard Drive. VGA moniter.

 

[Muhammed]

I wondered how many old people might be here that started with the early consumer computers (not pdp-11s or 360s). I started with a VIC-20 as soon as it was released here in the US. Those first ones were $300 in 1980 - still cheaper than Radio Shacks TRS Model 1. Of course there was the Apple I, the Atari 400 and 800 and The Commodore Pet - all MOS 6502 machines. Maybe you started sooner with the Altair and IMSAI S100 bus machines with the Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80.

So, what did you start with and when did you go over to the dark side (IBM PC/Clones)? I got my first PC clone in late 1983.

Cheers

My Radio Shack TRS-80. It cost over $500 and costed me another $600 to upgrade the RAM from a whopping 4k to 16k.

A bit pricey. But I must admit that it had an awesome and very durable keyboard.

 

[Indeependent]

I wondered how many old people might be here that started with the early consumer computers (not pdp-11s or 360s). I started with a VIC-20 as soon as it was released here in the US. Those first ones were $300 in 1980 - still cheaper than Radio Shacks TRS Model 1. Of course there was the Apple I, the Atari 400 and 800 and The Commodore Pet - all MOS 6502 machines. Maybe you started sooner with the Altair and IMSAI S100 bus machines with the Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80.

So, what did you start with and when did you go over to the dark side (IBM PC/Clones)? I got my first PC clone in late 1983.

Cheers

VAX-VMS 1981.

 

[Otis Mayfield]

I always wonder why radio shack didn't do better. They seemed to be among the front runners in a lot of technology.

If I needed to buy a diode or something like it, I could always find it at radio shack.

 

[Canon Shooter]

I didn't get my first computer until 1996. A buddy of mine built it for me and my wife before my ship deployed on WESTPAC. We were going to have satellite access through JPL, which meant we'd be able to get e-mail while on deployment. One member of each division would be allowed into the radio room at a time and he would download and print out the e-mail for every member of that division, and then disperse it as we would regular mail at "mail call"...

 

[Darkwind]

Mine was bleeding edge technology back in the day.

I think I have an old picture of it.


Ah yes, here it is.

 

[toobfreak]

I wondered how many old people might be here that started with the early consumer computers (not pdp-11s or 360s). I started with a VIC-20 as soon as it was released here in the US. Those first ones were $300 in 1980 - still cheaper than Radio Shacks TRS Model 1. Of course there was the Apple I, the Atari 400 and 800 and The Commodore Pet - all MOS 6502 machines. Maybe you started sooner with the Altair and IMSAI S100 bus machines with the Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80.

So, what did you start with and when did you go over to the dark side (IBM PC/Clones)? I got my first PC clone in late 1983.

Cheers

My instructor started by helping to build the ENIAC, and I started using a KIM II.

 

[BULLDOG]

My first computer filled an entire climate controlled room at college, and you had to go there to type out your programs on Hollerith machines, and drop them in the window so the people behind the glass could run them for you. I dropped my program at the wrong window, and got blamed for my program ending up in the library's records.

 

[Moonglow]

I wondered how many old people might be here that started with the early consumer computers (not pdp-11s or 360s). I started with a VIC-20 as soon as it was released here in the US. Those first ones were $300 in 1980 - still cheaper than Radio Shacks TRS Model 1. Of course there was the Apple I, the Atari 400 and 800 and The Commodore Pet - all MOS 6502 machines. Maybe you started sooner with the Altair and IMSAI S100 bus machines with the Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80.

So, what did you start with and when did you go over to the dark side (IBM PC/Clones)? I got my first PC clone in late 1983.

Cheers

I used my WANG every time I needed it.

 

[Moonglow]

My first computer filled an entire climate controlled room at college, and you had to go there to type out your programs on Hollerith machines, and drop them in the window so the people behind the glass could run them for you. I dropped my program at the wrong window, and got blamed for my program ending up in the library's records.

Just like my first portable, battery powered VHS video camera in college TV production had a camera and a cord running to a heavy case holding the VHS recorder that was 1980...

 

[BULLDOG]

Just like my first portable, battery powered VHS video camera in college TV production had a camera and a cord running to a heavy case holding the VHS recorder that was 1980...

1971 for me

 

[Moonglow]

1971 for me

I 1971 I was using the top notch new invention the cassette tape recorder to record skits on it..While jamming to that crystal diode transistor radio..

 

[BULLDOG]

I 1971 I was using the top notch new invention the cassette tape recorder to record skits on it..While jamming to that crystal diode transistor radio..

Technology had already advanced beyond anything I could imagine at the time.

 

[Moonglow]

Technology had already advanced beyond anything I could imagine at the time.

It was convenient not to have to type with triplicate carbon that was error free in the army reserve.

 

[Likkmee]

It was convenient not to have to type with triplicate carbon error free in the army reserve.

Speed reading disorder. I got triple carbon free out of your input ?

 

[Moonglow]

Speed reading disorder. I got triple carbon free out of your input ?

Make dirty airplanes with them or use them as a gag with yer next kidnap victim you take from the IRS office doing an audit.

 

[Likkmee]

Make dirty airplanes with them or use them as a gag with yer next kidnap victim you take from the IRS office doing an audit.

Thou shalt. Ya got some jinglez for me when I complete my mission(z) ?
I dunno. An iron on stripe or 2 would bee kewlness

 

[Moonglow]

Thou shalt. Ya got some jinglez for me when I complete my mission(z) ?
I dunno. An iron on stripe or 2 would bee kewlness

If you wear ripped nylons...

 

[Papageorgio]

I wondered how many old people might be here that started with the early consumer computers (not pdp-11s or 360s). I started with a VIC-20 as soon as it was released here in the US. Those first ones were $300 in 1980 - still cheaper than Radio Shacks TRS Model 1. Of course there was the Apple I, the Atari 400 and 800 and The Commodore Pet - all MOS 6502 machines. Maybe you started sooner with the Altair and IMSAI S100 bus machines with the Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80.

So, what did you start with and when did you go over to the dark side (IBM PC/Clones)? I got my first PC clone in late 1983.

Cheers

TSR-80, Atari, Commodore 64, Vendex and then went on to building them.