[wplug] OT: Down Memory Lane

Robert E. Coutch robert.coutch at verizon.net
Sat Oct 15 12:44:08 EDT 2005


I also had a TI 99/4A

16 bit bliss in an 8 bit world.
I had the speech synthesizer, the expansion box with a 32k memory card,
the advanced BASIC and assembly language cartridges.

The TI had a 3 voice synth in it and a buddy an I would put together little 3 
part melodies for it.

The assembly Language cartridge even had it's own battery back up to save your 
programs so you didn't have to save and load from cassette tape all the time.

BTW - I recently found a few old cassette tapes with programs still on them.
Too bad the TI was sold at a hamfest a long time ago.

When I worked at NCR we used a lot of old VT terminals around the place.

Matter-o-fact - I still have a working NCR Decision Mate 5 in my basement and 
it's fully functional.
It's a dual processor (Z-80 and 8086) all in one PC that I bought from NCR 
before I left.


On Friday 14 October 2005 11:56 pm, Zach wrote:
> On 10/13/05, Diana A. Clarion <dclarion at fnordnet.net> wrote:
> > All this talk of age-showing got me to a little reminiscing, part of that
> > involving the machines I've worked. Just for the halibut, I'm wondering
> > what was the first machine you folks worked.
> >
> > I'll start: HP 2116C, in 1970 (BASIC, FORTRAN, assembly language)
>
> Summer 1983
> TI-99/4A - Ah I loved those cartridges :-) First time I saw a programming
> language too, BASIC, didn't study it though until 9th grade. Ah the folly
> of youth. They had some really cool educational software.and fun games.
>
> 1984/1985
> First Apple Macintosh. Elementary school, played with LOGO.
>
> 1987
> Tandy 1000 (8088 processor) - Used it up until and through 1st year
> college. Ah connecting at 2400bps with ProCOMM to read email using pine
> (remote) or EzMail (local- CMU PC client) :) Yes it still works fine and
> had never needed any maintenance. They don't build workhorses like that
> anymore unless you pay MUCHO bucks!
>
> Also used some late '70s terminals for dialup. DEC VT100, Wyse50, and some
> old Honeywell.
>
> Anyone have experience with these?
>
> Zach


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