[vcf-midatlantic] Great vintage computer article.

[Herb Johnson]

The referenced article was fine. It was the author's recollection of an 
era he/she experienced. It's interesting to me as an American, to see a 
British representation of 80's gaming-driven personal computing. 
surprisingly similar experiences.

I refuse to be drawn into the argument that "gaming drove computing". 
It's one of a number of causal agents. I don't care today, to rank those 
agents, or to arbitrate their merits. Reasons not to, will become 
apparent in a moment.

But what about neglecting pre-1980 or pre-"gaming" vintage computing? 
Simply put: the author very likely entered personal computing at that 
point in time with that class of hardware and software. He/she didn't 
know what happened before that.

It's really that simple. We remember fondly our early days of discovery; 
we each start at some point in time. The article is a personal 
recollection of a time and place in personal computing. Many others 
share that set of experiences. The brands of software and hardware 
establish the bounds of that set.

Most with interests in vintage computing, represent their own 
experiences, of their own era.

An additional consideration. Many tens of millions played 1980's video 
gaming computing, because there were that many systems. The audience for 
1970's computing was on the order of a few million; many from business, 
academic, industrial activity. And of course, some of us aren't around 
to report about it. Circumstances account for the differences between 
the decades.

And so, any "vote" for "what drove computing" will skew accordingly, by 
count and by circumstances. I didn't take a vote, for my interests. 
Another reason I work at preserving MY computing era, is that before 
long there will be one less vote for it. I'm busy enough with that, not 
to argue the merits with others.

Herb

-- 
Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA
http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net
preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing
email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com
or try later herbjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT info