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First computers
- Thread starter Scott Huish
- Start date
Bean Counter
New Member
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- May 10, 2007
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- 19
TRS-80 Model I.
I was in 3rd grade at the time so really it was Dad's, but I got lots of time on it. We started with a tape drive but soon upgraded to multiple disk drives (2 with a third added later). 128k on each disk. I don't remember how much memory the computer itself had.
We had a few purchased games (Chess, Checkers, Flying Saucers) but 80Micro magazine's August issue was the "games issue". They gave the BASIC program for games. That's how I learned to type...
I was in 3rd grade at the time so really it was Dad's, but I got lots of time on it. We started with a tape drive but soon upgraded to multiple disk drives (2 with a third added later). 128k on each disk. I don't remember how much memory the computer itself had.
We had a few purchased games (Chess, Checkers, Flying Saucers) but 80Micro magazine's August issue was the "games issue". They gave the BASIC program for games. That's how I learned to type...
Mark O'Brien
MrExcel MVP
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I too had a speccy 48K. I was jealous of my friend who got a 48K, then a 128K+ (no built-in tape of disc storage device), then a 128K+3 (with a built in disc drive). Years later I look back and wonder why he wasted his money. He only ever had maybe 2 discs that he could use and the only game that I can remember having a 128K version was Barry MacGuigan's Boxing. The only advantage that the 128K brought was a better keyboard and the elimination of using the 48K assigned keyword keys.
Oh and Commodore's still suck. They suck worse than BBC Micros, which were clearly only owned by people who's parents were teachers. (The Archimedes was ok because you could play a good version of Lemmings on it)
starl
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Mark, better not let John (the hubby) hear you say that. He *loved* his Commodore 64 and drooled when he say our 128. Mof, the 64 is downstairs.. he has plans to set it up again.. even wants to take an old pc and turn it into an emulator.
Gotta admit, some of those old games were fun!
Gotta admit, some of those old games were fun!
Peter_SSs
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First one I owned was not that long ago so not worth mentioning in this exalted company. However, the first ones I worked with were:
1. Microbee 16.
This (surprisingly) had 16K of memory and an ordinary audio cassette to load/store programs. Loading a high-powered program (eg. Count to 1000 by twos or work out the first 20 prime numbers or even solve a quadratic equation) took about 5 minutes and rarely took more than 4 tries to actually get loaded correctly :x
I can clearly recall chastising my colleagues of the time for even considering wasting the money to upgrade to Microbee 32s as I assured them that you could not possibly ever use more than 16K of memory! Naturally, nearly 30 years later I am still finding bits of egg to pick off my face!
2. Apple IIe.
Main thing I remember about this beauty was playing a fantastic game called (I think) "Brick Bat"
1. Microbee 16.
This (surprisingly) had 16K of memory and an ordinary audio cassette to load/store programs. Loading a high-powered program (eg. Count to 1000 by twos or work out the first 20 prime numbers or even solve a quadratic equation) took about 5 minutes and rarely took more than 4 tries to actually get loaded correctly :x
I can clearly recall chastising my colleagues of the time for even considering wasting the money to upgrade to Microbee 32s as I assured them that you could not possibly ever use more than 16K of memory! Naturally, nearly 30 years later I am still finding bits of egg to pick off my face!
2. Apple IIe.
Main thing I remember about this beauty was playing a fantastic game called (I think) "Brick Bat"
Domski
Well-known Member
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- Jan 18, 2005
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You guys are old
Whatch it 'kid', just remember all the fun we've had in the years you haven't!!!
I agree, at least a period in the sin bin!
Sure do, my mate had one. Wasn't there a series of games about a bloke called Cuthbert? Why???
Dom
SydneyGeek
MrExcel MVP
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First computer I used was a Cromemco, running CP/M and a version of Wordstar that a bloke in the department had hacked so you could issue stop codes to the printer. That allowed you to change daisy wheels, so you could print a single symbol character, then stop again to switch back to the standard daisy wheel...
First I owned was a Mac SE, with a whole 2.5MB RAM and a 20 MB hard drive. You could back the whole machine up on about a dozen floppies, which took half an hour. I thought it was pretty cool at the time...
Denis
First I owned was a Mac SE, with a whole 2.5MB RAM and a 20 MB hard drive. You could back the whole machine up on about a dozen floppies, which took half an hour. I thought it was pretty cool at the time...
Denis
Lewiy
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Yes! Cuthbert was a legend! I guess you could say he was the precursor to Mario. I seem to remember Cuthbert Goes Digging, Cuthbert Goes Walkabout, Cuthbert in the Mines. They were all quality games for their time even if you did have to start loading them about a week before you actually wanted to play!
