31 May
2006
31 May
'06
11:16 a.m.
Chuck Guzis wrote:
On 5/31/2006 at 1:00 PM Liam Proven wrote:
There is also a segment that is interested in playing with the software
running on real hardware. This, and an interest in preserving the systems
Yeah, it's not quite the same, but you do
realise, we're talking of
something of the level of a glass case in a museum, with a few shiny
buttons and lights for people to play with for 5min? They will neither
know nor care.
I suspect that part of what's going on here is the personal association
with an old piece of hardware and wanting to keep the memory of the
experience alive. (If that makes any sense). from a historical point of view, would describe me.
I have fond memories of my VIC-20 and Kaypro 2000 (an early laptop), and
wish I still had both systems (espiecially the kit built pieces of the
VIC-20), but realisically, I have no desire to touch them. Either on a
hardware or software level. As much as I hated the C-64 at the time
(because it obsoleted my VIC-20 a few months after I got it, the C-64 is a
much more interesting system).
I am interested in the C-64 and Apple ][ computers, and in keeping them
running, I had neither when they were current, and only got to touch one a
couple times back then. I'm actually looking at the devices that let you
use MMC cards with interest (I know they exist for the C-64, and assume they
exist for the Apple ][). The same goes for the PDP-11 to a certain extent,
however, I've moved to SCSI drives on both my Unibus system, and my Q-Bus
systems. In the case of the PDP-11's though I'm more inclined to use an
emulator, and have been leaning towards prefering the emulator for several
years.
While I have some pleasant memories of the
experiences, I have no desire to
revisit the days of big mainframes. Compared to today's hardware, they
were big, slow, noisy and terribly unreliable.
I don't care to revisit the days of the big mainframes, however, I would
like to be able to tinker around on an emulator with GCOS-8, and I do enjoy
playing with TOPS-10 and TOPS-20. I neither have the room, or desire to try
to keep the hardware needed to run these systems going, nor can I afford the
electricity.
While I think that it's worthwhile keeping samples
of the old stuff around
for museums as well as preserving the ephemera and media content for
historical purposes,
This is where I'm starting to become actively involved. In part because
I've spent a lot of my own money preserving and storing this stuff, that
would be better off in a museum. Parts of my collection have started to
move to where they can be retained, and as well as possible preserved for
future generations. While this isn't saving any money, it has already
started to allow us to have more room in our apartment.
keeping old hardware alive for personal collections
has a purpose that eludes my understanding.
Basically it's the I/O devices. Seriously. Other than the I/O devices
you're better off emulating where possible on modern hardware.
Zane