27 Oct
2000
27 Oct
'00
5:19 a.m.
>Well, I personaly realy like to get my hands on
soopered machines.
>A ZX81 in Wonderbra configuration (harddrive, 512K Mem, etc. pp)
>_is_ a real highlight. Of course preservation of 'pure' machines
>is a must (and keeping the spirit in preserving average work
>configuration), but such ubercomputer beasts (like a C64 with
>more drillholes for switches than a 1920 switchboard and a
>second C64 case just for add on boards, or a Spectrum in C=610
>case, or an Atari Lighthouse) are true monuments what dedication
>ment during the haydays of micro computing. If I had to decide
>between lets say a ZX81 with hard drive and an Apple one, if may
>be a tough one.
Then you've got the S-100 bus systems of the
mid-late 70's
where nearly every single one of them was modified to some extent or
another just due to the fact that it was something that needed to be
done to get any kind of functionality out of it. Both my homebuilt
S-100 machine and my SWTPc 6809 were added to over the years.
Sometimes 'hot rodding' was just the nature of the beast and an
everyday part of being a computer hobbyist at the time. I don't feel
that period modifications are any less valid a configuration than a
fresh factory machine and sometimes even more desirable because of
how unique they can be.
well, basicly yes - only I wouldn't considere most S100 systems,
even when modified later, in this category. They are supposed to
be expanded. Like a PC with more or less add on boards isn't very
intrigueing. When stretching the similarities, a S100 is more
like a kit car - interesting but nothing unique - and not hot
rodded - otherwise even my actual Athlon system would be a hod
rod, since I did only buy the parts (as always).
It isn't so much about custom configurated, but rather custom
made - there is no ZX 81 HD controller at all, it has to be done
by some very odd kind of high tech geek - you invest more money
and time to get a sub standard solution for a way outdated system
than you may have to pay for something new, several times better.
Gruss
H.
P.S.: I'm not argueing about your systems - they may still
qualitfy by my criterias.
--
VCF Europa 2.0 am 28./29. April 2001 in Muenchen
http://www.vintage.org/vcfe
http://www.homecomputer.de/vcfe