Re: On this day, 10 years ago...

[Darrick Burch <burchd@ccsdana.net>]

> >     We added a '286/12 PC in 1990 (then a '486/33, then a K6/233).
> >Somehow, the PC's have not evoked the same feelings of anticipation. In
> >each case it has been a matter of purchasing a necessity. I can
> >appreciate that our current PC is a very nice computer. Getting to
> >_like_ it will take some time.
>
> Yeah.. I've felt nothing from buying a 386, numerous 486's, and even my
> Cyrix 6x86 166... but I have to admit the pentium 233 laptop for work
> rules :)  But then again, if I didn't have applewin, mame, and linux, it
> just wouldn't be the same...

I enjoyed reading other peoples' nostalgic "first-times" on their Apple ]['s.
However, this feeling is not exclusive to Apple ]['s.  After my first grade year,
I had the opportunity to do various activities at the high school after the
school year ended.  One of these activies was computer programming.  You were
given a sheet of paper with BASIC code on it which you typed in using Applesoft
BASIC on a //e.  I wish they still did this.  It was this experience that I
learned to love BASIC and get me interested in computers in general.

I was about 8 when we got our first home computer.  My parents were leaning
toward an apple //e because they were easier to use and I had already had some
experience with them.  However, we ended up with a Laser IBM-XT clone w/ CGA
graphics and 512k RAM because at the time (1989 or so) there was a majority of
IBM software in our area.  I enjoyed the old Sierra AGI games: King's Quest and
Space Quest.  I enjoyed using GW-BASIC to type up BASIC programs.  There was this
book we had that had all sorts of BASIC programming for various platforms.  I
remember typing 50 lines expecting something wonderful but ended up dissapointed
saying, "Is this it?"

In my humble opinion, the late 80's and early 90's were the best times for me as
far as an IBM is concerned.  It was nice getting a box from the software store
what actually had weight to it.  There were actually MANUALS in the box.  I
always like the crisp labels on the brand new disks.  Nowadays, a box only
contains a CD-ROM, a registration card, a skimpy manual, and little else.  I
suppose this was when the enthusiasm over new software waned.

My second computer was a 386sx/16 w/ 2 meg RAM, super VGA graphics, and a Sony
Laser Library external (not even 1x) CD-ROM that came with 6 titles.  This was
pretty much my first view of VGA.  I remember loading Mixed Up Mother Goose
CD-ROM saying "HOLY COW!"  The graphics were beautiful and the CD audio was
awesome!  Sure beat the Game Blaster card we had on our XT.

Our later purchases of a 486sx/33, Pentium 120, and later a homebuilt 486dx2/66
(which I am typing from) never really touched the excitement I had for the first
two.  The upgrades were done out of necessity.  Software was getting bigger,
slower, and not that much better and we needed to upgrade to keep up with the
graphics software my mother wanted to use.

I suppose am getting WAY off of subect but I figured "what the heck"

-Darrick