Re: P-Source: A Guide to the Apple Pascal System

[Matthew Reed <mkr@trs-80.org>]

"Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:
> It seems that once an artifact passes some "impracticality" threshold
> it may become an object of desire.
> 
> This always goes through my mind when I see a 700MHz Pentium III
> system being thrown out--a lot more computing capacity than any
> Apple II, but much less interesting to play with.  ;-)
> 
> Perhaps it's simply that we always have access to much better
> "modern" platforms that do all that the older "modern" systems
> do, but better, while "vintage" systems run hardware and software
> (and evoke emotions) that modern platforms don't.

My theory is that standardization of computers stifled their 
collectibility. If you think about it, computer platforms used to be 
celebrated for their differences. An Apple II was very different from a 
TRS-80, an Atari, or a Commodore 64. They all ran different software and 
had different communities. You had to leave behind everything you knew 
and make a clean break if you switched platforms.

But the only difference between that 700MHz Pentium III system and a 
current computer is power (speed, memory, and so on). There is nothing 
that it could do that a current computer couldn't duplicate exactly, only 
faster. That doesn't exactly inspire loyalty or fond memories.

-- 
Matthew Reed
http://www.trs-80.org
http://www.trs-80emulators.com