Old PC Technology

a9127 · #1 01-17-2019

In my office, I have an antique IBM PC/AT motherboard, 20MB Hard Drive, Paradise "EGA" card, and 1.2Mb floppy drive from my first "real" computer that was passed onto me by my Dad way back when... The "AT" used an Intel "286"processor running at a blazing 8Mhz.

We added the "287" math co-processor and extra memory through an "Above Board." DOS's limit was 640K but Lotus 1-2-3 could taake advantage of it. The Hard Drive has been disassembled and has the date "1985" stamped on it. I'm going in later today, I'll take some pics. Why I kept it I'll never know. The computer is almost as old as I am... My students are amazed that that they had computers back then.

By the way, ila's "Commodore 64" with real floppies was quite advanced for it's time.

My very first computer was a "Vic-20" with cassette drive my mom found on sale at K-Mart. One Christmas I got a "Microcomputer Trainer" from Radio-Shack that taught "assembly language." So that's how a career was born.

My Dad had a Compaq DeskPro 386 (about $10,000 back then) and a "T1" line paid for by General Motors. I used to help him with stuff before I was even in school. If I was "good" I was allowed to use it for fun. Not that there was much to do then (alt.binaries.erotica).

The "T1" was a digital phone line and would be like the 80's and 90's "high speed Internet." They are still around.

God I feel old that I even remember what all this stuff was.

ila · #2 01-17-2019

In the early '90s I was moving into a job that involved a lot of work on computers. My Commodore knowledge wasn't enough to get by in my new position. I was advised to take some courses to get me up to speed so I went on a course that was conducted on weekends only. For a long time I thought that the computers we used on the course were Atari, but I'm not so sure anymore.

The course taught DOS, a pretty basic word processor, Lotus 1-2-3, and db III+. I really hated db III+ as it was the most awkward program to be able to do anything.

a9127 · #3 01-17-2019

These antiques should bring back memories both good and bad...

IBM "AT" motherboard. This "monster" had an Intel 286 processor running at 8mhz. Considered "blazing fast." For 1984...

Paradise "EGA" graphics card. An "upgrade" from the awful Cyan Magenta White palette of "CGA" this standard allowed 16 colors at a time (if memory serves me) from a total of 64. Enough to show "dirty pictures." Well almost...

IBM thought a "High Capacity" 5 1/4" floppy would be enough for the future. They were wrong...

The date of manufacture? May, 1985.

Computer Science textbook from 1969. This was given to me by a professor who retired the year I first started teaching. It means a lot to me and occupies a special place on my bookshelf. Interestingly, the algorithms, data storage concepts, and system design principles are still valid 50 yeas later.

Anyone know what this is? There was a time that everyone had to access the Internet through a "Dial Up" connection. If you know what "RS-232" is you get an "A". Class dismissed...

How about these? Know what they are used for? No, of course not. Everything is wireless now. The date on the case says "June 2001."

ila · #4 01-17-2019

It looks like I get an A. Make that an A+ as I not only know what an RS-232 cable is, but I used them and repaired them.

I know the tools in the tool case quite well as I've used them for work and not just at home for my own purposes.

To go back a really long ways (for the computer age) I remember when base 2 arithmetic was introduced in the primary grades at school. We were told it was because we were now in the space age and not the iron age. At the time no one (teachers and pupils) knew that the arithmetic was to be the basis on which we were to learn all about computers and computing. Of course at the time computers weighed a few tons, occupied complete rooms, and were only used by big corporations and utility companies.

a9127 · #5 01-20-2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by ila

It looks like I get an A. Make that an A+ as I not only know what an RS-232 cable is, but I used them and repaired them.

I know the tools in the tool case quite well as I've used them for work and not just at home for my own purposes.

To go back a really long ways (for the computer age) I remember when base 2 arithmetic was introduced in the primary grades at school. We were told it was because we were now in the space age and not the iron age. At the time no one (teachers and pupils) knew that the arithmetic was to be the basis on which we were to learn all about computers and computing. Of course at the time computers weighed a few tons, occupied complete rooms, and were only used by big corporations and utility companies.

Ila gets an "A+." Well done.

My own students (college) don't know "Base 2." They also don't think we landed on the moon. I help my nieces (8 and 10) with their homework. They are both very smart. But the math problems are like "circle the picture with five cats." Or "count to 100." The 10 year old is starting to do multiplication and division.