So What Was Your Very First Home Computer ?

[Phil Conners]

Does this count?

TI59, late seventies. Programmable in a sort of assembler language. With the attached printer it was almost like a real computer

Othewise my first was a ZX80 in the early eightees, followed by a Commodore 64, IBM-PC (the original 8088 with a whopping 96KB RAM and two 360K 5.25" floppy drives and monochrome screen). After a year with that I landed my first computer job as COBOL programmer on ICL 2900 mainframes, initially running DME (think paper card readers for program control) for a large corporation. Oh yes, those days you could get a job in IT if you could spell I-B-M.

Those "washing machines" held huge 12" disk platters with a capacity of about a hundred MB each. I think our total online capacity at the time was 900 MB as I recall "almost a gigabyte, wow". It was so futuristic, like working in Star Trek. Ah yes, nostalgia

Sorry if that got a little off-topic, obviously this wasn't my home computer

[NomadJoe]

[eeeya]

No time or money for game machines. The Kaypro II could run Wordstar and a Pascal compiler as well. W/ a 300 baud modem to connect to the Uni, got good use out of it. Eat your hearts out, Osborn I owners.

How far we've come.

Kaypro II Released: 1982 Price: US $1595. Weight: 26 lbs CPU: Zilog Z80, 2.5 MHz RAM: 64K Display: 9" green phosphor screen. 24 X 80 text only Ports: Serial port Parallel port Storage: Two internal 5-1/4" SS-DD 195K drives OS: CP/M, SBASIC

We had a Kaypro II as well when i was growing up. My parents bought it to type there PHDs on it for university. Dad become such a good touch typer he used to spend weeks typing computer game programs out of a book he bought into BASIC..that were thousands of lines long

after that we had IBMs starting from an 8088 chipset throuht to 4 colour CGA, EGA, VGA... dot matrix computers, 1200 baud modems which i would connect to bullitin boards advertised in dads computer magazines..

we had so much computer stuff at our house and then dad retired and never touched a computer again...

he doesnt even know what you tube is.. he thinks its got viruses!!!

[Heng]

Texas Instruments TI-99-4a when I was 8 or 9. Used a state of the art (at that time) tape recorder to load programs. Average loading time was 10-20 minutes.

:-)

[bendejo]

Coleco Adam.

I was trying to scrape up money for an electric typewriter and came across one at a garage sale for $50. 1985 I think. No monitor, used a little b&w tv set. Had a cassette drive for storage, took forever going backward and forward, just like the mainframe tape drives you saw in the movies. Taught myself BASIC.

[eek]

Recall first having some crap plug in Atari..but more of a games console than a computer. But yeh, im a ZX Spectrum first proper computer member also.

Remember Manic Miner too, was addicted to Attic Attack (if anyone remembers that one). ..and of course practically broke the enter key on Daily Thomson's decathlon long jump..

Ended up morphing into a hard core gamer, even being employed as a game master for an online game, then going on to work for a bit in 3d game graphics.

Im still addicted to computers, but gaming isnt something i do much anymore.

[Jdietz]

Sinclair ZX80 for me, followed by ZX81, ZX Spectrum, VIC20, Amiga, then an original IBM PC-AT

For some reason I'm craving a game of Manic Miner, Jetpac, or Jumpin' Jackson...

There you go:

http://www.zxspectrum.net/

Manic miner is under the '1983' tab.

[Jdietz]

The first computer I worked on was a PDP 11, programming in RPG, and an IBM System 360 programming in Cobol.

Are you absolutely sure that wasn't the other way around?

[smokie36]

Sinclair ZX81 for me. 1kb of memory. 3.25Mhz Z80. Monochrome upper case only.

Me as well. I was lucky though...my old boy was a programmer right back in the early 70's...he used to sort out games and stuff for us....mind you I was glad to trade up to the Spectrum!

[Khun Jean]

Bought a Commodore VIC20 i think it was in 1980, before that around 1977-1978 i used a TRS-80 from my uncle. Being 13 i was better at programming it then him. Had my first paid software project at that time.

The VIC20 was very limited and the TRS-80 especially the Z80 assembly language was so much easier to use then the 6502 that i wanted my own one. In 1980 i traded the VIC20 after 1 months use for the TRS-80 because the VIC20 could use teletext and the TRS-80 not.

For both it was a good trade.

I knew the TRS-80 inside out, even hardware modifications were done to upgrade memory and screen updates. The expendar was homebuild as the original one was too expensive. Repaired an old 80KB floppy drive someone not used anymore to get trs-dos running.

Had a few more programming jobs until i finally went to evening school to 'officialy' learn how to program.

Cobol was learned but never ever used.

Worked on PC's most of them XT compatibles but never bought one because as a hobby the TRS-80 was more than enough.

The fun was in the TRS-80 because it was one that could be mastered fully, software and hardware. After that the hardware went more 'black box' and less interesting.

Funny thing is that at this moment the microcontrollers are used to recapture that amazing moment children can have using a computer and be able to understand it fully again.

Maximite is a good example. And there are others.

[lovetotravel]

The first computer I worked on was a PDP 11, programming in RPG, and an IBM System 360 programming in Cobol.

Are you absolutely sure that wasn't the other way around?

I actually worked on both of them at the same time. Our computer lab had both. I did like COBOL much better than RPG!

[Jdietz]

But RPG is so terse and powerful! (and fixed-format heritage of the punch cards, i.e. a C in column 6 means something very different than a C in column 17...)

I did quite a bit of RPGII work on the S/36, a "while" back.

[lovetotravel]

But RPG is so terse and powerful! (and fixed-format heritage of the punch cards, i.e. a C in column 6 means something very different than a C in column 17...)

I did quite a bit of RPGII work on the S/36, a "while" back.

HA! I did some work on one of these also. I use to have the title of CTO (Chief Tape Operator).

[gk10002000]

I also used an Osbourne "portable" PC. If nothing else I got a lot of weight training carrying the thing back and forth from the car to work and moving it around the office. Wordperfect for word processing as I recall.

[BB1950]

Computers - the World's Greatest Toy!

That's what was printed on the cover of the very first issue of BYTE magazine which came out in September 1975.

My very first personal computer was an IMSAI 8080 purchased in September 1975. I started with a whopping 4K of memory! Indeed it was a toy at the start. You could only program it to make the lights flash. There was virtually no software available at the time.

Over the years I made many improvements to it, but I kept the original case. I loved the switches and lights! They were very useful for troubleshooting. I finally abandoned it 10 years later, after building an IBM PC clone running IBM PC DOS 3.1. The old S100 bus was not reliable enough for further upgrades.

I have to say, I learned an awful lot from the experience. From only knowing about electronics and mechanical 'analog' computers to become a senior software engineer for a major company that manufactured hand-held computing and data collection devices for large corporations.

When I retired in 1994, we were developing a concept which is now known to most folks as a tablet PC. I was so tired of the demands, that I didn't touch a computer for 4 years. But I started to pick up interest when Windows 98 came about. Computing is now my hobby again.

It's one thing for computers to be a hobby, and it's a whole different thing when it becomes an overly demanding career! As Byte magazine proudly stated:

Computers - the World's Greatest Toy!

Every kid and adult should have one or more to play with.

.

Edited May 28, 2012 by BB1950

[chiang mai]

IBM PC 086, 1983.

But my first mainframes for work were a Univac 418 and a Honeywell 1200, 1968, complete with paper tape, punched cards, drum printers and fastrand storage.

[bendejo]

Computers - the World's Greatest Toy!

Steve Wozniak, back before he did what he did, said he was saving his $$ so he could have US$25k to buy a VAX, which, at that time, was the price of a house.

[PattayaParent]

Zenith Supersport 286

I sold that and bought an NCR secondhand. Looked something like this

[gk10002000]

Oh and in college, 1976, we used an IBM 360 wth punch cards then the university (of Rhode Island) bought some new mainframe called an AS/5?. That is how I learned Fortran. Submitted the pile of punch cards, to the computer room. Waited an unkown amount of time for some output. Place was staffed of course by Graduate Assistants or whatever. No set schedule on when you programming job would get submitted. One thing about that though, you learned to write your programs correctly. You could not afford the loss of time to resubmit. I developed some very good habits. That is one thing the modern programming kids are missing. They write crap and re-do everything. It wasn't until the next semseter that I found out there were CRTs and one could write and load and run programs in real time!

[lovetotravel]

My first program was on punched cards. Did some paper tape also. Access was via a Teletype model 33. REALLY slow. We got CRT access just after that. I did most of my work at night as the lab was empty!

[richsilver]

Mine was a Northstar Horizon in the late 1970s.

Edited May 28, 2012 by richsilver

[mca]

Not a PC but I remember at the age of 12 inserting the Space Invaders cartridge into my Atari console and thinking " Technology can never top this!"

[brit1984]

Not a PC but I remember at the age of 12 inserting the Space Invaders cartridge into my Atari console and thinking " Technology can never top this!"

Space Invaders had the exact same impact on me when it was first introduced on Nokia phones; a truly amazing game

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

[ThaidDown]

First machine I used at home ( 1973/4 ish) was a DEC PDP8/M with full front panel. Input/output via paper tape. Programming in assembler. Did have a vdu though. Did not buy it myself, it was on "loan" from the company I worked for then. They cost a few thousand dollars then.

First machine I worked on (as an engineer) was an Emidec 1100, that was in the mid 60's. An odd machine with magnetic core logic housed in a a room full of racks. Used 1" tape drives for storage, plus card readers/punches. Took around a millisecond to perform an add.!!

[Crushdepth]

Vic 20, then a Commodore 64. Then nothing until a PC in 2003.

[JSixpack]

Vic 20, then a Commodore 64. Then nothing until a PC in 2003.

Long hiatus. In suspended animation, perhaps? Reminds me of Woody Allen's Sleeper.

[Crossy]

First machine I used at home ( 1973/4 ish) was a DEC PDP8/M with full front panel.

The numbers 6743 and 5031 are permanently ingrained in my mind, assuming you had the RK05 disk packs then they are likely ingrained in yours too

Did you ever see the PDP-8 music programmes that played over a medium-wave radio that you sat on top of the machine?

Ah the memories (core of course).

For those who don't know, check the example on this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_panel

[ravip]

VIDEO TECHNOLOGY LASER 128 / 128EX / 128EX2

The Laser 128 EX is the successor of the Laser 3000. Like the 3000, it is fully compatible with the Apple II computer, but has enhanced features.

Video Technology designed its own Apple II compatible ROM (Apple lost a lawsuit challenging it), this ROM holds an Applesoft compatible version of the BASIC.

The "Open Apple" and "Closed Apple" keys have been replaced with "Open Triangle" and "Closed Triangle" keys.

NAME LASER 128 / 128EX / 128EX2 MANUFACTURER Video Technology TYPE Home Computer ORIGIN Hong Kong YEAR 1988 BUILT IN LANGUAGE V.T. version of AppleSoft BASIC KEYBOARD Full-stroke 91 keys with numeric keypad and arrow keys CPU 65C02 SPEED 3.6 MHz CO-PROCESSOR 3 x V.T. custom chips RAM 128 KB (up to 1MB) VRAM 64 KB ROM 192 KB TEXT MODES 40 / 80 x 24 (monochrom) GRAPHIC MODES All the Apple IIc modes, with an extra set for RGB: 40 x 48 / 80 x 48 / 280 x 192 / 560 x 192. 4 lines of text mode can be mixed with a truncated the 40 x 48 and 280 x 192 modes. COLOrsc 16 (40 - 80 x 48) / 6 (280 x 192) / 16 (560 x 192) SOUND Built-in speaker SIZE / WEIGHT 38 (W) x 32.5 (D) x 7.7 (H) cm. I/O PORTS RS232 (2), MIDI, Centronics, Tape, Composite, LCD output (for flat panel display), RGB, External Drive BUILT IN MEDIA Built-in 5.25 floppy disc drive OS DOS 3.3 POWER SUPPLY External power supply (15V dc, 12A, 18w) PRICE About $700

Edited May 30, 2012 by ravip

[ThaidDown]

First machine I used at home ( 1973/4 ish) was a DEC PDP8/M with full front panel.

The numbers 6743 and 5031 are permanently ingrained in my mind, assuming you had the RK05 disk packs then they are likely ingrained in yours too

Did you ever see the PDP-8 music programmes that played over a medium-wave radio that you sat on top of the machine?

Ah the memories (core of course).

For those who don't know, check the example on this page http://en.wikipedia....iki/Front_panel

We only used them as a unit installed in client office so no disc packs. 1 pdp8 would support 3 keyboard and monochrome vdus. Connected by "high speed" 1200 bits/sec line to datacentre . To bootstrap programs had a card with 32x12 bit words , each bit represented by a physical diode which would be cut or not for a zero or one. So you could write your own 32 word boot program. Takes me back a bit.

Things have moved on a little since then in speed and capacity.

[Sayonarax]

I had a commodore 64, but found Nintendo to be more entertaining.