The XT was the first computer I remember having (well, technically it was my family's computer). I remember playing all sorts of random games on this thing, and even learning to program in BASIC. Plus, that keyboard was epic.
Based on this post I saw today about "How I met your Motherboard":
news.gdgt.com/2010/04/29/httpandrewsullivantheatla...
Discussion about
What was your first computer?
Atari 400! gdgt.com/atari/400/
I mainly played games with it, but I did learn BASIC on it. Not that I ever did anything interesting with that, playing Zaxxon was way more fun. Although it did take several hours to load it off the 400's tape drive. You basically had to know WAY in advance that you wanted to play.
I mainly played games with it, but I did learn BASIC on it. Not that I ever did anything interesting with that, playing Zaxxon was way more fun. Although it did take several hours to load it off the 400's tape drive. You basically had to know WAY in advance that you wanted to play.
IBM PC XT. Green and black monochrome screen which we later upgraded to a three color screen. When you booted up it would check the RAM 16k at a time ("32 KB OK") and took about 30 seconds to do so. Started out with 256 KB of RAM and upgraded to 720 KB. We also had one of the earliest modems that allowed my dad to check stock prices during the day. That seemed really futuristic at the time.
I remember playing a lot of Karateka, Lode Runner and SimCity on it too.
My first computer that was really 'mine' was an Apple Powerbook 140. 4 MB RAM, 40 MB hard drive, Monochrome screen (no grayscale). I had to add an aftermarket modem to get internet access on it, and that was mostly shell access only.
I remember playing a lot of Karateka, Lode Runner and SimCity on it too.
My first computer that was really 'mine' was an Apple Powerbook 140. 4 MB RAM, 40 MB hard drive, Monochrome screen (no grayscale). I had to add an aftermarket modem to get internet access on it, and that was mostly shell access only.
We had a TRS 80 Color computer that we didn't do much with other than play othello.
The first one I did anything with was a 7Mhx "turbo" XT clone. Got it used from my sister for 100 bucks.
My brother and I made the rounds to all his ham radio buddies to scrounge up the chips to bring it up to 640k.
I learned DOS and terminal communications all at the same time! (1200 baud external modem circuit board nailed to a piece of wood-true story -bro needed the enclosure) -later upped to an internal 2400 baud -woo hoo!
First serial mouse ever too.
Also ran dual monitors on that setup in the form of a CGA card and monitor and a monochrome card and monitor.
The two didn't conflict, the system simply defaulted to the color screen. A TSR allowed me to paste lines of text to the monochrome card, which was awesome for BBSing at the time as i could stack up numbers to dial out on it.
It could run simcity if you didn't mind leaving the machine for 24 hours to see if anything developed!
Good times!
The first one I did anything with was a 7Mhx "turbo" XT clone. Got it used from my sister for 100 bucks.
My brother and I made the rounds to all his ham radio buddies to scrounge up the chips to bring it up to 640k.
I learned DOS and terminal communications all at the same time! (1200 baud external modem circuit board nailed to a piece of wood-true story -bro needed the enclosure) -later upped to an internal 2400 baud -woo hoo!
First serial mouse ever too.
Also ran dual monitors on that setup in the form of a CGA card and monitor and a monochrome card and monitor.
The two didn't conflict, the system simply defaulted to the color screen. A TSR allowed me to paste lines of text to the monochrome card, which was awesome for BBSing at the time as i could stack up numbers to dial out on it.
It could run simcity if you didn't mind leaving the machine for 24 hours to see if anything developed!
Good times!
