[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
The Joy of Retro Computing
The following look at "the joys of a computer with 4MB of RAM and a
9-inch screen" was published in Renaissance Online Magazine, a free
internet-based publication featuring entertainment, editorial and
analysis. For more quality and timely writing visit
http://www.renaissancemag.com today.
---------------------------
"The Joy of Retro Computing"
by Dan Sullivan
Last month I sold my four-year old Macintosh Performa 578, an aging
workhorse of a machine, for $300. $1500 less than what I paid in 1995.
Computers retain their value like a car or fresh produce. You lose 20%
of the value as soon as you bring it home, and further depreciation
awaits you, daily.
For certain people, life without a Mac means a little depression, daily.
As soon as my Mac was in the Subaru Outback of another man, I felt a
loss. Post-Macum-depression. Within days I found myself in Category 171
of eBay, Computers-Hardware-Macintosh. A brand new 300 MHz G3 iBook is
coming my way in early November, but using my Pentium II is best
described as a moral compromise. Two months without a Mac seemed
unbearable.
Luckily my iBook needs an Ethernet-friendly Mac to print to my pre-USB,
trusty, rusty HP 560 DeskWriter wirelessly via its AirPort base station.
I could rationalize bringing home a "foster Mac" a little early.
A mere two weeks after my Performa left my desk, a Macintosh SE (right)
claimed residence. This eleven-year old is about the size of my
breadmaker, and costs less. Compared to my Performa with a 68040
Motorola chip (think of it as a four-cylinder Honda Civic), my SE has a
Motorola 68000 (think of it as a one-cylinder Suzuki moped).
One of the immediate charms of the SE is the startup chime. Unlike the
pleasant musical chord my Performa produced, the SE signals life with a
single ping, not unlike the audible beeps of EKG's on TV hospital dramas
that signal a beating heart. This is somewhat appropriate considering
the SE's age and speed.
The little guy came loaded with four megabytes of RAM, two internal hard
drives (both 250 megabytes), the optional internal SuperDrive 1.44
floppy drive (which is today's standard for the dying floppy disk
formats), Ethernet, and a tilt-swivel stand that literally rocks the
entire computer back and forth for your viewing preference. It's like a
Mac Lay-Z-Boy. I love it.
The SE doesn't delude you into thinking it will outperform today's
machines. In my home office, it literally faces a 450 MHz Pentium II on
the opposite wall. My SE seems to stand and operate in defiance of
today's technology. With the tilt-swivel stand adding 3-4", the SE
approaches the height of the HP Pavilion tower. The 9" black and white
SE screen is nearly half that of the 17" color PC model across the room.
Ironically, I find the SE forcing me to be more productive. For example,
if I type my column for Renaissance Magazine on my HP Pentium II,
there's the Internet, a DVD-ROM drive, and several multimedia games to
distract me. On the SE, Microsoft Word is really pushing the 16 MHz
processor and available RAM. It forces a singular focus for the user.
Maybe if corporations replaced their Internet-capable, multimedia
friendly Pentiums with a fleet of lean SE's, their employee base would
buckle down. They would pump out those reports and easy-to-read,
one-layer ClarisWorks spreadsheets, instead of developing and rehearsing
epic PowerPoint presentations for most of the day.
I just hope my company isn't the first to try it.
The SE supposedly has engraved signatures of Steve Jobs and Steve
Wozniak (Apple Computer founders) inside the chassis. After researching
it on www.lowendmac.com, I learned the 9" screen stores enough static
electricity to shock or kill the uninitiated Bob Villa's of computer
repair. I'm sure it looks cool, but I will leave it alone.
The best thing about the SE is the price. This little wonder cost me
$44.50, shipped. I actually had to pay $22 in shipping fees to get it
from Illinois to Massachusetts. My bid for this little wonder went
unchallenged at $22.50. Amazing.
So, if collecting 1966 Ford Mustangs is out of your budget, consider the
pioneers of desktop computing. My SE will function as a print server,
networked floppy, and SCSI interface for my Jaz drive. Slide over to
eBay and see what $50 can land you. You'll be surprised, and perhaps a
little impressed.
Ping!
--------------------------
Read more entertainment, editorial and analysis in Renaissance Online
Magazine today at http://www.renaissancemag.com
--
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kevin Ridolfi,
Editor,
Renaissance Online Magazine
http://www.renaissancemag.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *