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If you could have any computer from pre-1994, what would it be?

Astroboy907

Astroboy907

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 6, 2012
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Spaceball One
Just thought that this would be an interesting question. I know most of you, if asked what would be your dream computer to get today, it would be some crazy high end machine. But what would your dream computer be from two decades ago? :p
 
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I'm rather fond of my RCA Cosmac VIP from the late 1970s. Last time I fired it up a couple of years ago it still worked, but I found I was a bit rusty on my machine language and CHIP-8 language programming skills, so I decided put it back in its box... for the time being, at least. ;) I don't know if I really need any more dust catchers, or not...

rca-cosmac-vip.jpg
 
I would really love an Apple Macintosh. Not that I was alive back then:D, but it's a really great computer!
 
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I have a couple of classic Apple macintoshes in my closet, I think ones an SE and a color classic. They're cool and yeah its nice to have them, but they're not usable at all at this stage of the game.
 
I worked on an SE (mainly using Aldus PageMaker) in the early 90s and I fell in love with it. It was priced at close to £3000 back then so it wasn't until the Performa 450 that I actually owned a Mac (£750 in 1996, if I remember correctly, and nearly half that again for a StyleWriter II; ouch). I still love the look of the SE – and for what it represents to me now. Happy days. I often check out eBay to see what they're selling for.
 
I miss my Comadore Vic 20!
But I think given the choice I would have an Original Apple computer. Purely for the nostalgia and not for the resale value at all :D
 
Not that I'd have any use for it whatsoever but I have fond memories of the Commodore 64 of my youth--had dozens of floppies with games. Used it for a few years before my Dad upgraded to an IBM.
 
I'd love to get an Apple ][+, which was my first personal computer in 1981.
 
always wanted a deskside Onyx with the 'InfiniteReality' board set. had an Octane and Indy on my home network for years. recycled them and my Sun Ultra workstations a couple years ago due to space and lack of use. not much call for Irix and Solaris as a independent contractor anymore. my power bill is much less now so that's a good thing. :D

still have my MicroVax 2000 with the second drive enclosure running VMS. even got the 12mb upgrade memory board. try and find another one, i triple dog dare you! bootstrapping from a single ended 50mb tape in under 10 minutes is something you never forget. even if you try... :eek:
 
An original Macintosh would be certainly welcome. I could be the ultimate hipster writing books on that.
 
An Amiga 500 (1987), a Commodore64 (1982), or an old Atari 800XL (1983). They were the best of the best back in the day, and I bet I could still have a ton of fun with them.

I still have my Atari 800XL, but I don't even know if it works anymore. It's been 20 years at least since I last turned it on, and I don't have the necessary parts to test it out anymore.

edit: this thread reminded me of The Goonies on the old Atari. I loved this game.

 
Astroboy907 said:
Just thought that this would be an interesting question. I know most of you, if asked what would be your dream computer to get today, it would be some crazy high end machine. But what would your dream computer be from a decade ago? :p
Click to expand...

(Yeah - I feel like 1994 was about a decade ago - then one day you find 10 years have got behind you and realise it was 20 years ago).

Never got to play with a NeXT Cube… but if its good enough for Tim Berners-Lee, it is good enough for me.

Meanwhile, I actually had one of these (still have - haven't powered it up for a few years though).

AcornRiscPC.jpg


(From: http://acorn.chriswhy.co.uk/Computers/RiscPC600.html)

…never really made it outside the UK, but they were damn good. Plus, if you thought the old Mac Pro cheesgrater was the pinnacle of internal expansion, get a load of this: (sorry, I remember seeing it at a show, but couldn't find a better online picture):

rocket1.jpeg


(Yes, that's a sink and a pizza oven).

(From http://www.john-ward.org.uk/personal/john/computers/html/rocket.html - kudos for putting the picture up, but he fails web design forever)
 
hmm Windows 3.1/DOS PC... ah the woes of low vs hi memory boot disks to play SimCity Classic/2000/SimIsle, I think that was what pushed me to a Mac in 1996 :eek: :cool:

Had great memories playing Space Quest series, Aces Over Europe/Pacific and Aces of the Deep :D
 
Why the hell would I want to go back to the 90s? Everything in this 1991 Radio Shack ad can be done with a smartphone today and most couldn't be done on a 1990s PC. :D


2014-01-16-radioshackad.jpg
 
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