Re: Computing Editorial (please read)

[Lee Hart <leeahart@earthlink.net>]

"Was never here; where ever here is" wrote:
> As a lending officer ('82 or '83) I was approached by the manufacturer
> of the the "Baby Blue" card, a complete Z-80 computer w/ 64K ram on an
> IBM-PC peripheral card. Boy am glad I didn't make that loan

You may have been mistaken by not making that loan. The "Baby Blue" is a
good product; I still have one in my PC and it still gets used. Last
time I checked (a couple years ago), the company that produced it is
still around (though they have grown and merged and changed names and
businesses).

> One point though, I don't recall any of this being really computing
> for the masses: I think my Apple IIe was around $1400 or at least
> $1200. Serious money in those days and if you take inflation into
> account, you get much, much more for your money today.

But, it was inexpensive compared to the alternatives at the time. The
Apple ][ also had features that were perfectly suited to the abilities
and needs of computer novices. It was built so the average person could
use it; not just serious professionals.

Finally, I give Apple a lot of credit for putting them in schools. I
suspect we would have half as many computer experts today if they
hadn't. The Apple provided the "seeds" of a life-long interest in
computers for millions of people.

> For 95% of users, a PC is now just another appliance/entertainment
> device.

Exactly. Computers have become an appliance. Nobody cares how they work,
or seeks to improve them.

We lived through a golden age in computing, when the average person got
really interested in them, and really could build them, understand them,
and extend their performance and capabilities. And there are *millions*
of average people! Rather than the technology crawling ahead at the pace
dictated by a few dedicated professionals, it *leaped* ahead!
--
Lee A. Hart                Ring the bells that still can ring
814 8th Ave. N.            Forget your perfect offering
Sartell, MN 56377 USA      There is a crack in everything
leeahart_at_earthlink.net  That's how the light gets in - Leonard Cohen