By The Way...

Wednesday, December 5, 2007
6:54:00 PM EST
Hearing New Year's Day -- U2


I recently bought myself an Archos 605, which is basically a palm-sized computer that allows me to surf the Internet, read files off my network, and carry every single song I've ever owned in one tiny package. And then I look at these pictures of computers from the 1970s, which have so little capability that I can't even come up with a modern-day example of something that has so little capability because no one could sell it, even as toy. And I think, yeah, I'm glad I live now.

Ever work on any of the computers in this collection? I played with the Apple ][ (but who my age didn't) and the TRS-80. Or as we called them back in the day "Trash 80s." I almost bought one on eBay once, but then Krissy gave me a look that said, in the words of Whitney Houston, hell to the no.


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This entry has 4 comments: (Add your own)

• #4 Comment from jabarett 
  12/5/07 9:52 PM | Permalink

  Heck, we still have some of those computers - and most of 'em still work!
  
  We're in the process of building a virtual tech museum over at our web site. It's still a bit rough around the edges, but if you don't mind that sort of thing, drop in and take a look.
  
  http://www.barrettmanor.com/tech/
  
  Julie
• #3 Comment from geekygirl602 
  12/5/07 8:50 PM | Permalink

  Okay John, I couldn't resist.  I did not have time to post the weekly assignment so here is my made up, by myself, what the hell assignment.
  
  I posted a broom.
  
  http://journals.aol.com/geekygirl602/Geekygirl602/
• #2 Comment from geekygirl602 
  12/5/07 8:05 PM | Permalink

  Oh yes, I remember those days quite fondly.  In 1980, I was 18 years old and got a job as a receptionist, bookkeeper-in-training at a typewriter sales and repair shop.  It was a quite successful store.  We were so excited about the TI99!  Now, I can't remember why it was so special?
  
  Gosh, that brings back memories.  I remember the old WordStar word processing program that came out in the mid 80's!  I couldn't believe the ability that thing had!  Looking back, I really don't know how I memorized all those damn dot commands.  lol The owner collected antique typewriters and just couldn't get into the computers.  Little did we know at the time that just a few years later, the PC would wipe out memory typewriters and typewriters in general.  
• #1 Comment from hewhocodes 
  12/5/07 7:04 PM | Permalink

  My first computer was a 16k Commodore Pet.  I loved that thing.  I took the very first computer class at my high school.  They had TRS-80s.  Some had 4k RAM, some a whole 16k RAM!