[XCSSA] Old computers
xcssa@xcssa.org
xcssa@xcssa.org
Fri, 18 Aug 2006 15:57:30 -0500
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On 8/18/06, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org <xcssa-admin@xcssa.org> wrote:
>
> >My first computing experience was on the TRS-80 Model-I. Only 4kB of RAM
> >bout
> >our school could afford a DUAL floppy drive! Of course if you powered
> off
> >the system with a disc in the drive the flux collapse from the biased R/W
> >reads would "zap" you floppy and cause corruption -- causing you to lose
> >the
> >blocky space invaders game that you just spent four hours typing in by
> hand
> >and debugging.
> >
> >Tweeks
>
> This called for a new thread. :)
>
> I remember a cousin having an Atari with the flat keypad for a keyboard. I
> also seem to remember detachable game knobs and a faux wood finish. That's
> been about two decades ago. Sheesh!
>
> The first computer I messed with was a TI 99/4A with the TI Basic and the
> tons of game and extension modules you'd have to shove hard into the top
> slot. I managed to get several expansion boxes (can't remember the correct
> term) that plugged into the side. At the height of its use, I had an
> RS-232
> box with a homemade cable plugged into a Terminal Node Controller, a
> Heathkit HK-232. This setup let me "rag chew" with other hams with the
> computer over HF and VHF. It wasn't a sexy setup and the TI would end up
> locking up right in the middle of a conversation more often than not. And
> the floppy drive bigger than some current computers...yeah, it was noisy
> and
> the floppies didn't always want to eject. I crimped some of those suckers
> beyond use more than once.
>
> Ah, those were the days...;)
> Tom King
I used to love going to the mall and playing with the TRS-80 at Radio
Shack. The first computer we had at home was a Heathkit H-89. We ran H-DOS
and CP/M on it. The only software we bought for it was a copy of Turbo
Pascal. I used it to type most of my homework through highschool.
http://digitize.textfiles.com/items/1980-heathkit-h89/.m/1980-heathkit-h89.jpg
We had two floppies in an external cabinet, an Okidata dot matrix printer.
The second computer we had at home was a Sinclair ZX80 kit that Dad bought
for $99. We didn't have the fancy plastic case, it was mounted to a piece
of plywood with some stand-offs.
--anton
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On 8/18/06, <b class="gmail_sendername"><a href="mailto:xcssa-admin@xcssa.org">xcssa-admin@xcssa.org</a></b> <<a href="mailto:xcssa-admin@xcssa.org">xcssa-admin@xcssa.org</a>> wrote:<div><span class="gmail_quote"></span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">>My first computing experience was on the TRS-80 Model-I. Only 4kB of RAM<br>>bout<br>
>our school could afford a DUAL floppy drive! Of course if you powered off<br>>the system with a disc in the drive the flux collapse from the biased R/W<br>>reads would "zap" you floppy and cause corruption -- causing you to lose
<br>>the<br>>blocky space invaders game that you just spent four hours typing in by hand<br>>and debugging.<br>><br>>Tweeks<br><br>This called for a new thread. :)<br><br>I remember a cousin having an Atari with the flat keypad for a keyboard. I
<br>also seem to remember detachable game knobs and a faux wood finish. That's<br>been about two decades ago. Sheesh!<br><br>The first computer I messed with was a TI 99/4A with the TI Basic and the<br>tons of game and extension modules you'd have to shove hard into the top
<br>slot. I managed to get several expansion boxes (can't remember the correct<br>term) that plugged into the side. At the height of its use, I had an RS-232<br>box with a homemade cable plugged into a Terminal Node Controller, a
<br>Heathkit HK-232. This setup let me "rag chew" with other hams with the<br>computer over HF and VHF. It wasn't a sexy setup and the TI would end up<br>locking up right in the middle of a conversation more often than not. And
<br>the floppy drive bigger than some current computers...yeah, it was noisy and<br>the floppies didn't always want to eject. I crimped some of those suckers<br>beyond use more than once.<br><br>Ah, those were the days...;)
<br>Tom King</blockquote><div><br><br>I used to love going to the mall and playing with the TRS-80 at Radio Shack. The first computer we had at home was a Heathkit H-89. We ran H-DOS and CP/M on it. The only software we bought for it was a copy of Turbo Pascal. I used it to type most of my homework through highschool.
<br></div><br><div><a href="http://digitize.textfiles.com/items/1980-heathkit-h89/.m/1980-heathkit-h89.jpg">http://digitize.textfiles.com/items/1980-heathkit-h89/.m/1980-heathkit-h89.jpg</a><br>
<br>
We had two floppies in an external cabinet, an Okidata dot matrix printer.<br><br>The second computer we had at home was a Sinclair ZX80 kit that Dad bought for $99. We didn't have the fancy plastic case, it was mounted to a piece of plywood with some stand-offs.
<br>
<br>
--anton<br>
<br></div></div>
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