Re: [OT] First computer
I learned programming in 1963 (now that's OLD). My first computer was the IBM 1620. The first desktop, or should I say, desk (the whole thing). No OS. Used punched cards (OOO). Had a crippled FORTRAN compiler, assembler, little else, but had a unique variable word-length architecture and did arithmetic by table look-up so could do some funny math. Debugging by turning a dial and seeing what lights were lit (register bits on). Did some linear algebra with the FORTRAN but that was no fun. I had this thing translating Spanish to English, programmed in assembler. Program had overlaid subroutines (made by making a deck without the boot- loader cards) to handle language-specific processing, i.e. grammar. Had two dictionaries, one with word-endings and one with plain words and word-roots. I stored just enough into the very limited memory for proof of concept. Brute force look-up, hadn't learned of anything better yet. 1963. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/201006201654.07889.d_ba...@012.net.il
Re: [OT] First computer
David Barron writes: I learned programming in 1963 (now that's OLD). You've got me beat by several years. -- John Hasler -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/877hltsqik@thumper.dhh.gt.org
Re: [OT] First computer
Dne, 19. 06. 2010 06:32:04 je Gerald napisal(a): Those were the days when men were men and systems were built by men.! Gerald Yep. As opposed to the Internet Age, in which not only men are men, but most of the women are men as well, while little girls are actually FBI agents ... -- Regards, Klistvud Certifiable Loonix User #481801 http://bufferoverflow.tiddlyspot.com -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/1276936520.2560...@compax
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/19/2010 12:00 AM, Miles Fidelman wrote: Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/18/2010 11:05 PM, Miles Fidelman wrote: Right after that, started hacking on MIT's PDP-1 (of Tech Model Railroad Club and Spacewar fame, but at that point free-standing). The really neat thing about the machine was that hackers were allowed, even encouraged, to make HARDWARE changes (e.g., wire-wrapping new instruction codes into the thing). Lots of fun. That sure plays hell on binary compatibility... Hmmm... isn't compatability why we have compilers? :-) But if the opcodes constantly change, you need to modify your compiler every time someone makes a h/w change. And you're screwed if someone replaces the opcode your spiffy program replies on. Well yeah... but we tried very hard to only add new instructions, not change ones once created. As I recall, there was a family of extended op codes where all the new instructions went. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer true high level languages. If you want serious compatability, use Common Lisp :-) Nah, COBOL is where it's at for compatibility. You're probably right. -- In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. Infnord practice, there is. Yogi Berra -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c80b1.4080...@meetinghouse.net
Re: [OT] First computer
On 06/19/2010 03:35 AM, Klistvud wrote: Dne, 19. 06. 2010 06:32:04 je Gerald napisal(a): Those were the days when men were men and systems were built by men.! Gerald Yep. As opposed to the Internet Age, in which not only men are men, but most of the women are men as well, while little girls are actually FBI agents ... My daughter wants to be a Marine, not a Fed... -- Seek truth from facts. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c8964.9060...@cox.net
Re: [OT] First computer
I wrote: Go out and run a mile or so. Andrew Sackville-West writes: that'll *really* make him feel old! Odd. It has the opposite effect on me. -- John Hasler -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/87d3vntfw9@thumper.dhh.gt.org
Re: [OT] First computer
Miles Fidelman writes: It continually amazes me that the [Z80 is] still in production and widespread use. I've got a pile of them upstairs. If I had an EPROM eraser (a programmer is easy to build) I'd use them instead of Atmel chips. It could well be the most popular chip ever made for embedded applications. That would be the Intel MCS48 family and/or the 8051. The latter is still in production as an ASIC core. -- John Hasler -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/878w6btf2b@thumper.dhh.gt.org
Re: [OT] First computer
* On 2010 19 Jun 07:10 -0500, John Hasler wrote: Miles Fidelman writes: It continually amazes me that the [Z80 is] still in production and widespread use. I've got a pile of them upstairs. If I had an EPROM eraser (a programmer is easy to build) I'd use them instead of Atmel chips. Needham's Electronics used to offer them, assuming they're still in business. I have one laying around here someplace should I ever need to burn an EPROM for an amatuer radio application. As for the first computer, I guess I was a Johnny Come Lately with my TRS-80 Color Computer 2 with 16k Extended Color BASIC in late 1983. Over time I upgraded it to 64k, added a 5.25 floppy disk drive, and a dot matrix printer. I used it for packet radio for about two years as well as composing the local radio club's newsletter until I got a PX ZT clone in 1989 with TWO floppy drives and 640k of memory! Unfortunately, for most of that time I had a black an white TV hooked to it. :-/ I no longer have the machine as I gave it to a friend a number of years back. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years ago and it probably found its way to a dump in Oklahoma. :-( - Nate -- The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true. Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://n0nb.us/index.html -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100619130421.gh2...@n0nb.us
Re: [OT] First computer
I wrote: I've got a pile of them upstairs. If I had an EPROM eraser (a programmer is easy to build) I'd use them instead of Atmel chips. Nate Bargmann writes: Needham's Electronics used to offer them, assuming they're still in business. Oh, I know I could _buy_ one. However, while I have piles of microprocessors and EPROMs upstairs, I have yet to locate the piles of money. Everything I build must use only scrap and junk. Fortunately, I have an adequate supply. -- John Hasler -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/87zkyrrucp@thumper.dhh.gt.org
Re: [OT] First computer
On 6/19/2010 4:09 AM, Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/19/2010 03:35 AM, Klistvud wrote: Dne, 19. 06. 2010 06:32:04 je Gerald napisal(a): Those were the days when men were men and systems were built by men.! Gerald Yep. As opposed to the Internet Age, in which not only men are men, but most of the women are men as well, while little girls are actually FBI agents ... My daughter wants to be a Marine, not a Fed... I think he means G-men posing as little girls in chat rooms. But, yeah... -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1d9893.4060...@allums.com
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
Eric Gerlach put forth on 6/17/2010 1:46 PM: On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 12:15:37PM -0400, Vince Vielhaber wrote: There was also a TI something back then. TI-99/4A represent! (I will also accept props from TI-99/4 users... begrudgingly) I had a /4A but didn't bother mentioning it as I never coded on it. I just played Alpiner and a couple of other nonsense games. ;) I didn't start coding until we got a TRS-80 model 4 at the elementary school (grammar school, etc, grades 1-6). I coded on model IIIs at the local college before I got my Kaypro in 10th grade. I never messed with the TRS-80 Color Computer even though the school got a couple in the late 80s. I guess I considered them a downgrade from a PC. ;) -- Stan -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1b7e9e.7010...@hardwarefreak.com
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On 06/18/2010 09:11 AM, Stan Hoeppner wrote: Eric Gerlach put forth on 6/17/2010 1:46 PM: On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 12:15:37PM -0400, Vince Vielhaber wrote: There was also a TI something back then. TI-99/4A represent! (I will also accept props from TI-99/4 users... begrudgingly) I had a /4A but didn't bother mentioning it as I never coded on it. I just played Alpiner and a couple of other nonsense games. ;) I didn't start coding until we got a TRS-80 model 4 at the elementary school In HS, we actually had a *network* of Model 1 Level 2 machines plus a handful of shared floppy drives and (IIRC) printer. I didn't realize how snazzy it was until years later... (grammar school, etc, grades 1-6). I coded on model IIIs at the local college before I got my Kaypro in 10th grade. I never messed with the TRS-80 Color Computer even though the school got a couple in the late 80s. I guess I considered them a downgrade from a PC. ;) With OS-9, they'd have been an upgrade, but there's little chance your school was that clueful. -- Seek truth from facts. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1b855d.2070...@cox.net
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On Thursday 17 June 2010 15:03:52 Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote: What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. I had a Vic-20, but that was 1980 I think. Tape cassette, hooked to TV... I'm feeling old. My neighboor had the Commador64 with a Floppy drive, MUCH better set-up. She got the modem, then I did. Chatting sucked as I recall. What was that online service that was available then... was it Compuserve? -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/aanlktilf1tpqkvlz2omwgdfpn8ammrwjgbp4wzyxx...@mail.gmail.com
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On 06/18/2010 05:58 PM, ABS Doug wrote: On Thursday 17 June 2010 15:03:52 Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote: What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. I had a Vic-20, but that was 1980 I think. Tape cassette, hooked to TV... I'm feeling old. My neighboor had the Commador64 with a Floppy drive, MUCH better set-up. She got the modem, then I did. Chatting sucked as I recall. What was that online service that was available then... was it Compuserve? That was the Big Dog in the early 1980s. -- Seek truth from facts. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1bffcc.1020...@cox.net
Re: [OT] First computer
ABS Doug writes: I had a Vic-20, but that was 1980 I think. Tape cassette, hooked to TV... I'm feeling old. I had a homebrew system built around a Zilog Z80-MCB in the late seventies. Tape storage (I never did get the head-per-track 1MB drives from Newman Computer working right), a surplus OCLC terminal, and a Selectric printer with homebrew electronics. The first computer I programmed was an IBM 1620 in the mid sixties, though. An odd machine. I'm feeling old. Go out and run a mile or so. -- John Hasler -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/87hbl0szek@thumper.dhh.gt.org
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On 6/18/2010 15:58, ABS Doug wrote: On Thursday 17 June 2010 15:03:52 Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote: What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. I had a Vic-20, but that was 1980 I think. Tape cassette, hooked to TV... I'm feeling old. My neighboor had the Commador64 with a Floppy drive, MUCH better set-up. She got the modem, then I did. Chatting sucked as I recall. What was that online service that was available then... was it Compuserve? As others have said, Compuserve was a big player. I seem to recall Genie as well. *still has a working VIC-20 in the garage, next to the Amiga 500, think the 128 is still in there as well* -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c1559.7070...@penguinness.org
Re: [OT] First computer
On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 06:18:27PM -0500, John Hasler wrote: ABS Doug writes: I had a Vic-20, but that was 1980 I think. Tape cassette, hooked to TV... I'm feeling old. I had a homebrew system built around a Zilog Z80-MCB in the late seventies. Tape storage (I never did get the head-per-track 1MB drives from Newman Computer working right), a surplus OCLC terminal, and a Selectric printer with homebrew electronics. The first computer I programmed was an IBM 1620 in the mid sixties, though. An odd machine. I'm feeling old. Go out and run a mile or so. that'll *really* make him feel old! A signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
High school, Junior Senior year (1969-71) - DG Nova, single user configuration, had to toggle in a bootstrap loader, then read in a 2nd-stage off paper tape, final stage read in off of a hard drive (as I remember, but hard drives were pretty rare in those days, so I could be wrong). 1st year programming course at MIT: IBM 360 (punch cards), 360 TSO (time sharing), Multics (time sharing). Also played a lot with the AI Lab's PDP-10 (anybody remember ITS? :-) Right after that, started hacking on MIT's PDP-1 (of Tech Model Railroad Club and Spacewar fame, but at that point free-standing). The really neat thing about the machine was that hackers were allowed, even encouraged, to make HARDWARE changes (e.g., wire-wrapping new instruction codes into the thing). Lots of fun. Somewhere in there, set up a couple of TRS-80s to handle the books for my dad's business. Miles Fidelman -- In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. Infnord practice, there is. Yogi Berra -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c41ec.3080...@meetinghouse.net
Re: [OT] First computer
John Hasler wrote: I had a homebrew system built around a Zilog Z80-MCB in the late seventies. Tape storage (I never did get the head-per-track 1MB drives from Newman Computer working right), a surplus OCLC terminal, and a Selectric printer with homebrew electronics. The first computer I programmed was an IBM 1620 in the mid sixties, though. An odd machine. Ahh the Z80 - I remember that chip fondly - a buddy and I built a family of machine control boxes around it (for photo processors), back in the late 1970s. It continually amazes me that the devices are still in production and widespread use. It could well be the most popular chip ever made for embedded applications. Miles Fidelman -- In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. Infnord practice, there is. Yogi Berra -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c42a3.2050...@meetinghouse.net
Re: [OT] First computer
On Saturday, June 19, 2010 02:08:03 pm Miles Fidelman wrote: John Hasler wrote: I had a homebrew system built around a Zilog Z80-MCB in the late seventies. Tape storage (I never did get the head-per-track 1MB drives from Newman Computer working right), a surplus OCLC terminal, and a Selectric printer with homebrew electronics. The first computer I programmed was an IBM 1620 in the mid sixties, though. An odd machine. Ahh the Z80 - I remember that chip fondly - a buddy and I built a family of machine control boxes around it (for photo processors), back in the late 1970s. It continually amazes me that the devices are still in production and widespread use. It could well be the most popular chip ever made for embedded applications. Miles Fidelman Hi Guy's, My first computer built be me, was the Intel chip 8008. long before the 8080 and the Zilog z80. I did try the 4004, but it had too many problems. The 8008 was bootstrapped with switches at first, then I built a diode matrix to start up the system, much faster, then I interfasted a rom again from Intel. the memory was 8KB and was driven by the CPU and ana a unit I built to work with the dynamic memory. Those were the days when men were men and systems were built by men.! Gerald -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/201006191432.04776.gcsgcatl...@bigpond.com
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On 06/18/2010 11:05 PM, Miles Fidelman wrote: High school, Junior Senior year (1969-71) - DG Nova, single user configuration, had to toggle in a bootstrap loader, then read in a 2nd-stage off paper tape, final stage read in off of a hard drive (as I remember, but hard drives were pretty rare in those days, so I could be wrong). 1st year programming course at MIT: IBM 360 (punch cards), 360 TSO (time sharing), Multics (time sharing). Also played a lot with the AI Lab's PDP-10 (anybody remember ITS? :-) Right after that, started hacking on MIT's PDP-1 (of Tech Model Railroad Club and Spacewar fame, but at that point free-standing). The really neat thing about the machine was that hackers were allowed, even encouraged, to make HARDWARE changes (e.g., wire-wrapping new instruction codes into the thing). Lots of fun. That sure plays hell on binary compatibility... Somewhere in there, set up a couple of TRS-80s to handle the books for my dad's business. Miles Fidelman -- Seek truth from facts. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c4b76.6010...@cox.net
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/18/2010 11:05 PM, Miles Fidelman wrote: Right after that, started hacking on MIT's PDP-1 (of Tech Model Railroad Club and Spacewar fame, but at that point free-standing). The really neat thing about the machine was that hackers were allowed, even encouraged, to make HARDWARE changes (e.g., wire-wrapping new instruction codes into the thing). Lots of fun. That sure plays hell on binary compatibility... Hmmm... isn't compatability why we have compilers? :-) Call me old fashioned, but I prefer true high level languages. If you want serious compatability, use Common Lisp :-) -- In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. Infnord practice, there is. Yogi Berra -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c4ee9.7010...@meetinghouse.net
Re: [OT] First computer
On 06/18/2010 11:08 PM, Miles Fidelman wrote: John Hasler wrote: I had a homebrew system built around a Zilog Z80-MCB in the late seventies. Tape storage (I never did get the head-per-track 1MB drives from Newman Computer working right), a surplus OCLC terminal, and a Selectric printer with homebrew electronics. The first computer I programmed was an IBM 1620 in the mid sixties, though. An odd machine. Ahh the Z80 - I remember that chip fondly - a buddy and I built a family of machine control boxes around it (for photo processors), back in the late 1970s. It continually amazes me that the devices are still in production and widespread use. Windowing systems, I think, have really distorted people's comprehension about how really fast CPUs are. It could well be the most popular chip ever made for embedded applications. Miles Fidelman -- Seek truth from facts. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c4ff2.8090...@cox.net
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On 06/19/2010 12:00 AM, Miles Fidelman wrote: Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/18/2010 11:05 PM, Miles Fidelman wrote: Right after that, started hacking on MIT's PDP-1 (of Tech Model Railroad Club and Spacewar fame, but at that point free-standing). The really neat thing about the machine was that hackers were allowed, even encouraged, to make HARDWARE changes (e.g., wire-wrapping new instruction codes into the thing). Lots of fun. That sure plays hell on binary compatibility... Hmmm... isn't compatability why we have compilers? :-) But if the opcodes constantly change, you need to modify your compiler every time someone makes a h/w change. And you're screwed if someone replaces the opcode your spiffy program replies on. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer true high level languages. If you want serious compatability, use Common Lisp :-) Nah, COBOL is where it's at for compatibility. -- Seek truth from facts. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/4c1c5446.7000...@cox.net
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
Chris Bannister wrote: On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 12:18:54PM -0500, Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/16/2010 06:09 AM, Stan Hoeppner wrote: Ron Johnson put forth on 6/15/2010 1:50 PM: On 06/15/2010 01:37 PM, Andrew Sackville-West wrote: [snip] an USB enclosure and use it for backups. Having ~700GB of data with the most critical ~400GB backed up is definitely preferable than no Geez, I remember when I couldn't fill up a 40_MB_ drive, and before that when I was in awe of the KayPro 10. My first computer was a Kaypro PC. No CP/M. Youngster. I had a KayPro II. With, originally, TurboPascal 1.0! Mmm, http://oldcomputers.net/kayproii.html so around 1982? Commodore PET. 1977 :) What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. Hugo -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/hvda0h$g3...@dough.gmane.org
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 09:03:52AM -0500, Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote: Chris Bannister wrote: On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 12:18:54PM -0500, Ron Johnson wrote: On 06/16/2010 06:09 AM, Stan Hoeppner wrote: Ron Johnson put forth on 6/15/2010 1:50 PM: On 06/15/2010 01:37 PM, Andrew Sackville-West wrote: [snip] an USB enclosure and use it for backups. Having ~700GB of data with the most critical ~400GB backed up is definitely preferable than no Geez, I remember when I couldn't fill up a 40_MB_ drive, and before that when I was in awe of the KayPro 10. My first computer was a Kaypro PC. No CP/M. Youngster. I had a KayPro II. With, originally, TurboPascal 1.0! Mmm, http://oldcomputers.net/kayproii.html so around 1982? Commodore PET. 1977 :) What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. there were a couple of machines that worked that way, but I'm guessing you're thinking of the Commodore Vic-20 and 64 (and later the 128, but floppies were becoming common then). I think some of the others like the Tandy's or the Sinclair used a tape drive and tv rig. Maybe the Ataris as well, but I don't recall and I'm too lazy to look... I still miss my C-64. The tape drive was awful(ly slow), but worked. The Commodore floppy drives were pretty awful too, but I was lucky to get a third party floppy and (Emerald Components International, ordered it with a money order, took forever to arrive) it was pretty slick. I also remember the upgrade from 300 to 1200 baud... I couldn't out type the modem quite so easily after that. I think your dates are a little early though. The C-64, 64K, 1MHz MOS 6510, came out in 1982, the vic-20, 5K, 1MHz MOS 6502, in 1980 A signature.asc Description: Digital signature
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On Thursday 17 June 2010 15:03:52 Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote: What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. An early Atari? My son had one in 79/80. Lisi -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/201006171712.09249.lisi.re...@gmail.com
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On Thu, 17 Jun 2010, Lisi wrote: On Thursday 17 June 2010 15:03:52 Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote: What was that thing that was only a keyboard that had the cpu and memory built into it? You connected a tape player for the I/O and a TV for the display. I used it to play chess on and to do astrology programs. It took hours to get that thing to read in a tape without errors. It was around 1977 I think. An early Atari? My son had one in 79/80. Vic-20, Commodore 64, Radio Shack Color Computer, there was also a TI something back then. Then there was also the Radio Shack Model I but it didn't hook up to a tv. It had a cheapo monochrome monitor. Showing my age, I worked at an RS Repair Center back then. Vince. -- Michigan VHF Corp. http://www.nobucks.net/ http://www.CDupe.com/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/pine.bsf.4.64.1006171213410.53...@paprika.michvhf.com
Re: [OT] First computer (was Re: LVM)
On Thu, Jun 17, 2010 at 12:15:37PM -0400, Vince Vielhaber wrote: There was also a TI something back then. TI-99/4A represent! (I will also accept props from TI-99/4 users... begrudgingly) Cheers, -- Eric Gerlach, Network Administrator Federation of Students University of Waterloo p: (519) 888-4567 x36329 e: egerl...@feds.uwaterloo.ca w: http://feds.ca/ To Serve, Empower, and Represent the Undergraduate Students of the University of Waterloo -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100617184612.ge2...@wks0082
