What was your first computer?
Wednesday, June 26, 2002 by mormegil | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
This came up in another thread, and I thought is would be fun to carry over.
I still own, and it still works, my Timex Sinclair 2068. Remember being so prod that it came with 72k of memory, that was so much more then the Commodore 64, and when I got the 16 K expansion pack I thought I was a god among 12year olds.
I still think it had the easiest version of basic built in to that ever was. Each key had 4 commands on it, so when programming with it you could white “if then goto” in 3 key stokes. I spent an entire summer righting my very own version of “The Last Straighter” Video game. I found the thermal print of that lately and had quite a laugh.
I even wrote my very own version of “Turtle” a very primitive graphics program. I Remember thinking, “I sure wish there was some way to work on computers and be an artist”. What do ya know it turned out there was.
I still own, and it still works, my Timex Sinclair 2068. Remember being so prod that it came with 72k of memory, that was so much more then the Commodore 64, and when I got the 16 K expansion pack I thought I was a god among 12year olds.
I still think it had the easiest version of basic built in to that ever was. Each key had 4 commands on it, so when programming with it you could white “if then goto” in 3 key stokes. I spent an entire summer righting my very own version of “The Last Straighter” Video game. I found the thermal print of that lately and had quite a laugh.
I even wrote my very own version of “Turtle” a very primitive graphics program. I Remember thinking, “I sure wish there was some way to work on computers and be an artist”. What do ya know it turned out there was.
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Grog
Reply #42 Wednesday, June 26, 2002 8:40 PM
Reply #42 Wednesday, June 26, 2002 8:40 PM
Had the Sinclair with the whopping 8K module that plugged into the back and was the size of 2 packs of smokes. I remember typing in I think it was call "Wumpus" at least 3 times before I managed to get it on tape. Then a C64 with the real computer only tape drive. Then a long while later a Apple IIc and then one of the very very first Mac's. Then I got that super powered PC with 486 33mhz with 8Meg and a 540Hd, ooops almost for got the 1200 baud modem 
Does anyone else remember playing "House" or "Zork" on a PDP-11? Or the first time you accidentally dropped a box of (Shudder) punch cards.
Does anyone else remember playing "House" or "Zork" on a PDP-11? Or the first time you accidentally dropped a box of (Shudder) punch cards.
migellito
Reply #45 Wednesday, June 26, 2002 11:40 PM
Reply #45 Wednesday, June 26, 2002 11:40 PM
zork was already on apple ][ when i played it first you can dl it now and play it in a dos window. there is also a ton of great history about zork and its predecessor online. hmm.. where'd that link go..
you can dl it now and play it in a dos window. there is also a ton of great history about zork and its predecessor online. hmm.. where'd that link go..
darksmiler
Reply #46 Thursday, June 27, 2002 12:08 AM
Reply #46 Thursday, June 27, 2002 12:08 AM
BBC Micro. (You probably have to have been in the UK to remember this)!
6502 8 bit CPU, 32k RAM, cassette deck for storage, later updated to 5 1/4 100k floppy. True luxury. The game? Elite... One of the best games of all time!
6502 8 bit CPU, 32k RAM, cassette deck for storage, later updated to 5 1/4 100k floppy. True luxury. The game? Elite... One of the best games of all time!
Jafo
Reply #48 Thursday, June 27, 2002 2:43 AM
Reply #48 Thursday, June 27, 2002 2:43 AM
I DO still have a shuffle-stick...that was our computer when I started secondary school....well before Calculators were available...
Bangkokboy
Reply #49 Thursday, June 27, 2002 2:47 PM
Reply #49 Thursday, June 27, 2002 2:47 PM
Re Grog's Q on punch cards: I still twitch in card games when someone says "shuffle the deck". Am I the only one here who has coded with the original FORTRAN compiler? 
Haven't seen anyone yet claiming Univac for their first computer. ( I want to see someone in this thread who makes me feel young)!
Haven't seen anyone yet claiming Univac for their first computer. ( I want to see someone in this thread who makes me feel young)!
Jafo
Reply #50 Thursday, June 27, 2002 9:03 PM
Reply #50 Thursday, June 27, 2002 9:03 PM
Bankokboy....I believe the 'thing' we were working with when I was in 4th form....[1969] was a FORTRAN...belonging to Melbourne University......punch cards...little perforations you had to pop out with a paper clip...
That make you feel 'younger'?...
That make you feel 'younger'?...
Jafo
Reply #51 Thursday, June 27, 2002 9:08 PM
Reply #51 Thursday, June 27, 2002 9:08 PM
If you make it ever to the Melbourne Museum, you can see the ONLY first-generation computer still in existence....[still works, I believe]....tele-type print out....and one ten year old kid looking at it remarked 'but where's the screen?'...as I recall, called 'Sirax', built by the CSIRO in the 50's...
MichaelO
Reply #52 Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:19 PM
Reply #52 Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:19 PM
I started in the time sharing business so first home computer was a TI Silent 700 thermal printing terminal w/ accoustic coupler, attached to an IBM 370 mainframe (30 Meg of real memory (ouch)). Have you ever played StarTrek on a hardcopy terminal? In those days it was a wonder. 
MichaelO
Reply #53 Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:21 PM
Reply #53 Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:21 PM
You know - we really need a dinosaur icon/emoticon for people like me!!
Chef Garry
Reply #54 Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:25 PM
Reply #54 Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:25 PM
I remember working with Fortran 4, Cobol and time sharing on PDP1 computers. We did punchcard programing as well. I remember running the program through once to check for syntax errors - the operators really hated that. Finding logic errors bit big time (still does I imagine).
My first personal computer was a Tandy POS.
My first personal computer was a Tandy POS.
goodmorphing
Reply #55 Friday, June 28, 2002 2:52 AM
Reply #55 Friday, June 28, 2002 2:52 AM
THIS is my first computer! I spent my time working in ICUs and Emergency Rooms and got sidelined for a time with health and family problems. I got this thing on a gateway credit card and by the time I get it paid off (maybe) it will be worth $10000 but it is really one of their cheapos and already horribly outdated. I got it for my first birthday after my Mom and much of my family died and it has been a symbol of a new beginning for me (and an escape). All is not lost, though! Things are getting better every day!
Ruthven
Reply #56 Friday, June 28, 2002 10:15 AM
Reply #56 Friday, June 28, 2002 10:15 AM
Apple //e, with the fancy Apple III green-screen monitor (with built-in glare filter), two 5 1/4 floppy drives, joystick, and dot-matrix printer. Damn, I wasted a lot of time hacking away at that thing. What ever happened to Beagle Bros. software, anyway?
Of course, if it counts, my Odyssey2 game machine with the soft-touch keyboard and the "Computer Intro" cartridge predates the //e...
Of course, if it counts, my Odyssey2 game machine with the soft-touch keyboard and the "Computer Intro" cartridge predates the //e...
Third Eye
Reply #57 Friday, June 28, 2002 11:05 AM
Reply #57 Friday, June 28, 2002 11:05 AM
The best game ever http://www.classicgaming.com/vault/roms/appleiiroms.Bilestoad33395.shtml
GLen - You might have a look here http://www.classicgaming.com/vault/
http://www.classicgaming.com/vault/roms/appleiiroms.Bilestoad33395.shtmlGLen - You might have a look here
http://www.classicgaming.com/vault/
werewolf
Reply #58 Friday, June 28, 2002 11:12 AM
Reply #58 Friday, June 28, 2002 11:12 AM
Peff.... YES!!! Kaypro. Thanks. What a machine. Ran CPM iirc.
Kaypro. Thanks. What a machine. Ran CPM iirc.
Frogboy
Reply #59 Friday, June 28, 2002 11:53 AM
Reply #59 Friday, June 28, 2002 11:53 AM
My dad got an Apple II (original Apple II) back in what had to be around 1980. That's where I learned to program for the first time.
I got a Commodore 64 for Christmas a few years later.
I got a Commodore 64 for Christmas a few years later.
Ruthven
Reply #60 Friday, June 28, 2002 1:01 PM
Reply #60 Friday, June 28, 2002 1:01 PM
3dEye ... Actually, I used to have the O2E installed for nostalgia's sake, but I just got too bored of it to keep it around. Though I do still go back to the Apple II emu now and again.
Frogboy ... an Apple II in 1980? Hell, it was already out of date by then! There's a great outline of the history of the stuff on http://apple2history.org if you're interested....
Frogboy ... an Apple II in 1980? Hell, it was already out of date by then! There's a great outline of the history of the stuff on http://apple2history.org if you're interested....
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Reply #41 Wednesday, June 26, 2002 7:20 PM
Frogboy: What are the IP considerations for products that are no longer being used/marketed? In other words...would it still (after 20 years) be illegal for me to send Mig (for example) a copy of a game that was written for the C64? Just wondering.