Computer Tech Talk
Radlauer
1984
Don’t you love the the “special effects” cover? The future is here, baby! Youngsters, please notice the exciting floppy drives to the right of the screen. In the olden days, that’s how you started the computer.
Check out the cool computer terms and “micro” sized computer.
Mary
20 responses so far ↓
Kate // November 7, 2009 at 12:29 pm |
We had a KayPro II! I grew up with KayPros , using WordStar and playing Adventure.
Liz A // November 7, 2009 at 1:22 pm |
Back in the old days, we called those portable heavyweights “schleptops”
Salamander Sam // November 7, 2009 at 1:37 pm |
Microcomputer is the technical term for what we now call home computers. Regular computers in the early years could take up large rooms (now only supercomputers are that large). Minicomputers were small enough to be used in labs or classrooms, but they could still be the size of small refrigerators. The microprocessor allowed for a new category of microcomputers, which are small enough to sit on a desk and light enough to move from place to place. They weren’t making a comment about the computers size, just differentiating it from a mainframe or workstation. While no one would call a desktop computer “micro” anymore, that is still a correct term, and they are very small compared to supercomputers and server networks that still take up large rooms.
kristien // November 7, 2009 at 1:47 pm |
I do love the Goldilocks & the 3 bears analogy though…
Deja // November 7, 2009 at 2:46 pm |
My 1986 Tandy still works! I’m scared to disassemble it in case I find some consulting work that requires data migration from 5.5″ floppies. The daisy wheel (pre dot-matrix) printer is also in good condition and we were able to buy a few printer ribbons from Korea in the late 90s. (God knows if they’ve dried up.) It was my first computer, a hand-me-down from a family friend in the late 90s (outdated even then!) and it also ran WordStar. If I ever get some extended time off, I’d like to find more floppy programs for it, but all it has even been was a fancy word processor though learning DOS at an early age has helped me understand command-line programming better than some of my peers.
moklspa // November 7, 2009 at 5:50 pm |
It’s amusing to see what was once “state-of-the-art” is now reduced to clunky and obsolete status. When the school I taught in in the 90’s got a 10 gig server the principal was so excited about it he had to keep smoothing down the front of his pants when he talked about it.
Fiona // November 7, 2009 at 9:44 pm |
LOL “How small can computers get?” !!!
Jenny // November 7, 2009 at 9:45 pm |
I love how it’s “portable.” And of course the: “How small can computers get??” LOL
Deb // November 7, 2009 at 10:16 pm |
Would any kid today get either of the references being made when a “floppy disk” is compared in size to a “45-rpm record”?
I was a tech writer in the 1980s. We used the Xerox 860 program and wrote everything to those floppy disks. I used to keep the empty boxes that the floppies came in to store my 45s. The boxes would hold about 10 45s each. I had rows of “Elephant’s Memory” boxes filled with vinyl.
Well, enough “a la recherche du temps perdu.” Weed this book now!
Ginger Mayerson // November 8, 2009 at 1:48 am |
I just watched TRON. And this post just made me so happy.
LibraryGoddessSharon // November 8, 2009 at 9:46 am |
Ah, how funny that I read this on a teeny tiny Netbook!
My first computer was an Atari computer. I got it back in 1986-87. I wanted an actual Atari game system but my parents decided to get me a computer instead. I guess they thought I wouldn’t notice if the computer happened to also be an Atari. I did get to play video games on it–they were on those huge floppies. Good times.
MM // November 8, 2009 at 4:27 pm |
I had a Commodore 64 as a kid but I only recall using the big floppies in school. My Commodore games were on cartridges.
Jami // November 8, 2009 at 4:51 pm |
While I agree the book needs to be weeded, it also brings back fond memories.
We didn’t have a computer when I was a kid. However dad did get to borrow one from work from time to time. Along with the printer and all that. When he wasn’t using it for work I got to use it for school stuff and to play Rogue: The Dungeons Of Doom.
I loved that game. Spent hours playing it. Never could win.
Wish I could play it right now. Along with later DOS games I came to love like ZZT, Super ZZT, and Jill Of The Jungle.
*sobs* Is there no love for the DOS games?!
Chris // November 9, 2009 at 5:29 pm |
all so recent. Proper computing lives on cassette.
Genevieve // November 10, 2009 at 1:37 pm |
We had the KayPro when I was in elementary school. My dad wrote a multiplication table drill program for me. Thanks, Dad!
Annette // November 12, 2009 at 11:27 am |
OMG! That’s my first computer. I still have my Kaypro II in the attic. It’s the only old computer I can’t seem to let go of. Cheers to all you fellow Wordstar veterans.
Love this blog. I’m in collection development and it brings the LOLs.
Tina // November 12, 2009 at 10:44 pm |
Yeah! I had a Kaypro also. Learned all those DOS commands — and still remember some. Even took it to college with me. Did all my Lit papers on it.
Ro // November 13, 2009 at 3:05 pm |
In 1979, My high school had a TRS-80 which didn’t even use disks — it used cassette tapes! By 1983, we moved up to the Apple II-e which used one disk for an operating system and another for data. I worked at RCA in 1984, and I used to be an EXPERT at the Xerox 860. For a word processor, it could do what most microsoft word programs couldn’t do for at least 10 years! Of course , storing those disks the size of a 33rpm (not 45rpm these were HUGE) record was a treat!
Angel // November 18, 2009 at 4:48 pm |
Looks like if you use the keyboard, you’ll cook something in a microwave! I wrote a lot of my school library assignments with DisplayWrite.
christina // November 29, 2009 at 6:09 pm |
I am reading this page through my phone. How small CAN computers get? Hopefully not much smaller, the 2 inch screen is probably as small as I can use and still read this.