[vcf-midatlantic] Revised, My take on "what is vintage computing"

[Neil Cherry]

On 12/21/20 10:59 AM, Alexander Jacocks via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> Nicely written and very much agreed, Bill!
> 
> On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 10:09 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
> 
>> I revised an article I wrote the other day to further define my take on
>> "what is vintage computing" from the hobbyist perspective.
>>
>>
>> https://www.kennettclassic.com/the-new-generation-of-classic-computing-hobbyists/

Computers the invisible menace in every thing. ;-)

I'd love to see more about things like the 4 bit computers and bit slicers. What is a bit slice
computer?

One of the interesting things about the x86 era is that as IBM patents expired we'd suddenly
find that technology in the x86 computers. One of the bad things is that x86 has been everywhere
since 1986. Almost the exact same software, the same CPU, the same drives. Networking was starting
and an interesting subject (I supported them all, XNS, PUP, etc.). Graphics cards got interesting.
Palmtops, some laptops, video game?, early cell phones?

The problem with the x86 era is that we're still kind of in it. That doesn't mean I haven't kept
my 6386sx. :-) It was running Linux 1.2 (might be running as high as 2.4). I wonder what a vintage
computer will look like in 20 years. I have several tinyML edge computers (limited AI in the small
arm computer). I guess the cell phones will be the new vintage computer.

BTW, I think one of the reasons for rejecting all but the most interesting x86 (original PC,
Compag lunch box, etc.) was that folks were dumping their old (last generation) PC. And now
I am selling the old PC clones motherboards, really need to clean out the attic better. ;-)

-- 
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