Great vintage computer article.
The only downside is the writer must be British so it mentions a few machines that weren't common here in the states. http://www.denofgeek.com/us/games/pc-gaming/263581/21-things-we-miss-about-o... corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
Looks to me to be an article about vintage GAMES, not vintage computers. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA On April 11, 2017 10:06:49 PM corey cohen via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
The only downside is the writer must be British so it mentions a few machines that weren't common here in the states.
http://www.denofgeek.com/us/games/pc-gaming/263581/21-things-we-miss-about-o...
corey cohen uǝɥoɔ ʎǝɹoɔ
I stopped reading halfway through point 7 on the author's list: "Old computers typically presented you with a command prompt as soon as you switched them on"... he's teaching people that ALL "old computers" booted to BASIC. The prior 30 years of approx. 1945-1975 never happened?
On Apr 11, 2017, at 11:19 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
I stopped reading halfway through point 7 on the author's list: "Old computers typically presented you with a command prompt as soon as you switched them on"... he's teaching people that ALL "old computers" booted to BASIC. The prior 30 years of approx. 1945-1975 never happened?
I don't think the article pretends it never happened, it was not an article about the history of ALL computing since ENIAC. From the first paragraph of the article: "Today, we look back the classic era of home computing that existed alongside the dreariness of business computing and the heart-pounding noise and colour of the arcades" It clearly sets the context in the first sentence and then pretty much stays on focus throughout. However, I agree with Dan it's more about vintage computers as relates to gaming than computers in general. Tony
I don't think the article pretends it never happened, it was not an article about the history of ALL computing since ENIAC.
From the first paragraph of the article:
"Today, we look back the classic era of home computing that existed alongside the dreariness of business computing and the heart-pounding noise and colour of the arcades"
It clearly sets the context in the first sentence and then pretty much stays on focus throughout. However, I agree with Dan it's more about vintage computers as relates to gaming than computers in general.
Tony
Exactly. I thought it was a very thoughtful reflection on the 80s experience. Yes a good bit about games, but that was a big part of that experience, But also there is a lot written in there on the machines, specs, capabilities that all played into the charm of the times. Some musings on demo scene, music, BBS, the publications too. The guy pretty much nailed it. DC
From the first paragraph of the article:
"Today, we look back the classic era of home computing that existed alongside the dreariness of business computing and the heart-pounding noise and colour of the arcades"
It clearly sets the context in the first sentence and then pretty much stays on focus throughout. However, I agree with Dan it's more about vintage computers as relates to gaming than computers in general.
Tony
Never once has anyone made an article about vintage computing that did not immediately get someone upset about it. Can't please all of the people in this hobby, it's impossible. b
On 04/12/2017 10:55 AM, Ethan wrote:
Looks to me to be an article about vintage GAMES, not vintage computers.
Aka the killer app that helped drive computer technology, and still does :-)
Some computer technology, from some perspectives, yes. But if you want to use that logic, it's also the killer app that killed the housing market...by causing grown men to live in their parents' basements. ;) Games are a big driver of some types of technology, yes. But they're not the only driver, and they're certainly not the only reason this stuff exists, as much as we'd likely all be more comfortable living in toyland without the realities and responsibilities of grownup life. (I know I sure would, the way this day has been so far) -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
Games are a big driver of some types of technology, yes. But they're not the only driver, and they're certainly not the only reason this stuff exists, as much as we'd likely all be more comfortable living in toyland without the realities and responsibilities of grownup life.
(I know I sure would, the way this day has been so far)
-Dave
-- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
You mean to tell me we don't live in Toyland?!? Great, another dream dashed against the rocks of despair!! Tony
Some computer technology, from some perspectives, yes. But if you want to use that logic, it's also the killer app that killed the housing market...by causing grown men to live in their parents' basements. ;)
Hah! The Federal Reserve, bankers, NAR, and homebuyers will have killed the housing market once the bubble finally pops!
Games are a big driver of some types of technology, yes. But they're not the only driver, and they're certainly not the only reason this stuff exists, as much as we'd likely all be more comfortable living in toyland without the realities and responsibilities of grownup life. (I know I sure would, the way this day has been so far) -Dave
We have seen the game toy GPUs migrate away from video games to physics computations and what not (CUDA) as well as helping to drive fascinating real-life experiments in internet funnymoney (Cryptocurrencies.) I don't do much gaming outside of arcade/pinball (I so wanted my initials on the Wizard of Oz machines at the Silverball Museum during VCFEast. Had one good run, hit 200,000... 300,000 required. Doh.) Everytime I see the modern games, I'm just amazed at what they're doing. Movie quality in high resolutions rendered real time, so beautiful. Most vintage systems have their merits, but it's easier to get the public interested in things outside of business tasks. They can relate to games I guess. - Ethan
On 04/12/2017 11:46 AM, Ethan wrote:
Games are a big driver of some types of technology, yes. But they're not the only driver, and they're certainly not the only reason this stuff exists, as much as we'd likely all be more comfortable living in toyland without the realities and responsibilities of grownup life. (I know I sure would, the way this day has been so far)
We have seen the game toy GPUs migrate away from video games to physics computations and what not (CUDA) as well as helping to drive fascinating real-life experiments in internet funnymoney (Cryptocurrencies.)
Of course, I acknowledge this, and I think it's great. I use a few CUDA arrays here, in fact. I did not say that games play no role in driving technology.
I don't do much gaming outside of arcade/pinball (I so wanted my initials on the Wizard of Oz machines at the Silverball Museum during VCFEast. Had one good run, hit 200,000... 300,000 required. Doh.) Everytime I see the modern games, I'm just amazed at what they're doing. Movie quality in high resolutions rendered real time, so beautiful.
I agree.
Most vintage systems have their merits, but it's easier to get the public interested in things outside of business tasks. They can relate to games I guess.
I'm sure some people can. But there's also more to computing than games and business. It's a big world. The point I'm trying to make is that many times, we (the community) belittle the history by labeling it all as playtoy games or boring business stuff. Yes, it is those things too, but as we all know, there's a lot more to it than that. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA
I'm on the side of games here at least in the area of computers and at least over the last maybe 30 or so years. Games should be expanded to "entertainment" I think that's a more precise word. While productivity has pushed some innovation, I don't think it pushed as much as entertainment. I think the argument that because people wanted to use computers to be platform for entertainment, this drove a lot of innovation is valid.
Games are a big driver of some types of technology, yes. But they're not the only driver, and they're certainly not the only reason this stuff exists, as much as we'd likely all be more comfortable living in toyland without the realities and responsibilities of grownup life.
participants (8)
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Christian Liendo -
corey cohen -
Dave McGuire -
Douglas Crawford -
Ethan -
Evan Koblentz -
Tony Bogan -
william degnan