Your First Computer

injinuity · 15 May 2003, 04:46 PM

Hello folks... do you remember your first P.C.... I was on the annadtech forums and there was this post about the commdodre 64 and it really brought back a lot of memories... lord that was my first computer, I had it way back in the 80's... was very young back then and my only memories of it are playing Test Drive and Winter Games and a few other stuff.. but the commodore 64 inititiated me to the world of computers.... My next one was an 8088, then a 286, 386, 486DX2, Pentium 166, Pentium III 500 and waiting to upgrade to the PIV 2.8c now...

Jinu Johnson

**Gankaku** · 15 May 2003, 07:44 PM

I remember mine! A small-shop guy built mine, it was an 8088 machine. Amber monitor. Big-a 51/4" floppy disk.

It cost me sooooo much money.

**DBH** · 15 May 2003, 07:47 PM

I believe my first 'puter was a Commodore 64.

It was the coolest thing!

Dave

**gpdoyon** · 15 May 2003, 07:50 PM

Wow....my first computer was a brand new Tandy 1000SX in 1986. It was an 8088, 8/10 MgHz. I connected to the GEnie service at a whopping 1200 baud. GEnie was Compuserve's competition.

I later bought two 30MB hard disk drives for it for $600. Ouch! I then ran an online bulletin board for a year. Unfortunately, I was on the PC so much my wife gave me an ultimatum....chooose, me or the PC. Sigh. She was right. The PC was made a MUCH lower priority.

Good memories, overall.

- Gerry

***Edwin*** · 15 May 2003, 08:27 PM

First computer was a Spectrum 48K (I half-remember that we had a 16K Spectrum for a few weeks but when it broke and we shipped it back to Clive Sinclair - those were the days, eh - we took the opportunity to get a 48K one) then a Commodore 64 and then an Amstrad 1512 almost-but-not-quite-PC-compatible, then 8088, 286, 386DX40, 486DX266, Pentium 150, Pentium MMX 233, Pentium 2 300Mhz, Pentium 3 500Mhz and now... Pentium 3 1Ghz.

From the Pentium 150 onwards, it's just been a case of swapping processors (and sometimes motherboards) out of my home-built PC

teacher · 15 May 2003, 08:47 PM

My first computer was a Spectrum 48K as well. I loved playing Space Invaders on it! I got really upset when the casset tape tangled in the player!

Killer · 15 May 2003, 09:18 PM

My 1st computer is a 286. Those were the days! I keep on having not enough memory or required expanded memories whenever I wanted to play a new game. My floppy disks always got worn out and boot sector viruses are a common sight. I still got time for books and TV and music during those times. Now I spent half a day just to clear and reply to emails, message boards.....

shenton · 15 May 2003, 10:47 PM

Not really the first computer I ever owned, but the first one I ever TOUCHED was 21 years ago, a Research Machines 380Z which is a British make. Was surprised to find reference to it on the Net! Here is the spec:
Machine Name : Link 380z
Processor : Zilog Z80A at 4MHz.
Memory : 32K-56K
Backing Store : Floppy, 144K 5.25", optional 241K 8"
Firmware : 4K ROM containing bootstrap loader.
Screen : Text 40x24, optional 80x24
Graphics 320x192x(8 from 256).
Other I/O : RS232
Paralell printer
IEE488

The RM 380z was one of the first machines aimed at the educational market, it was indeed the first computer that my school owned. It also saw use as a scientific controller, asit was mounted in a sturdy 19" rack type case and like the Comodore machines of it's time also included an IEE488 interface.

Any other Brits ever stumble across one of these! I remember my school was proud because it was 'state of the art!'

shenton · 15 May 2003, 10:50 PM

I just discovered that the 380Z cost about £2,060 in 1982. That's about $3,000! It really was 'state of the art!'

**CyberSmurf** · 16 May 2003, 11:24 AM

Atari 400 (16K memory, membrane keyboard) with Atari 410 cassette deck.

. . . .

My 1st printer, a 7-pin Okidata 82A (no graphics), plus the Atari 850 interface to connect it to the computer cost $1000.
My 1st floppy drive, an Atari 810 (90K single sided), cost $650.

**ReuvenNY** · 16 May 2003, 11:59 AM

I bought my first computer in 1982. It was Kaypro II, using CP/M as the operating system. I remember I paid $1795, and it included Perfect Writer, Perfect Calc and some other "perfect" software. Is was a "portable" machine, about 30 Lb. At that time everyone predicted that IBM's PC will fail as it did not conform to the de facto standard - CP/M. The rest is history...

David · 16 May 2003, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Edwin
[b]First computer was a Spectrum 48K [b]

Hi Edwin. I had a Spectrum as well. My first real machine however was a Radio Shack Model 100. I still have it, complete with built in 300 baud modem and all. I saved up my money for two years to buy that machine. In 1980 I aquired a DEC PDP 11/23 running RSX 11M. Bill Gates first started writing MSDOS on one of these (from what I have read) This was a company machine and it ran a load of building mechanical systems. It was wired into five big buildings via leased phone lines. I kept in on my desk for 22 years and played with it after it was phased out in 1993 --david

16 May 2003, 04:39 PM

My first was an Amiga Commodore, back in the early 90's. Then it was one of those late 80's IBM's, with a whole 20mb hard drive

(My dad got the computer from work for free - wish they still gave away old computers. A pentium 3 wouldn't be so bad

)

Dan.

**CyberSmurf** · 16 May 2003, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stormcrow
. . . .(My dad got the computer from work for free - wish they still gave away old computers. A pentium 3 wouldn't be so bad

). . . .

Indeed, the best we get is 200MHz Pentium MMX.

Dave P in StLouis · 17 May 2003, 01:44 AM

Like Killer, our first computer was a locally-built 286, purchased 12 years ago this month. 12 MHz, 2 megs of RAM, dual floppy drives, 40 meg hard drive, 14" monitor, and DOS 3.3. Kept it until the motherboard died, then put a 33MHz 486 in it, then a 233MHz Cyrix CPU. In all, the same case had 3 different motherboards and 4 different hard drives in it. Finally scrapped it last Summer with a bad motherboard and replaced it with the home-built Duron system we have now.

Best wishes,
David P.

15 May 2003, 04:46 PM	#1
injinuity Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 803	Your First Computer Hello folks... do you remember your first P.C.... I was on the annadtech forums and there was this post about the commdodre 64 and it really brought back a lot of memories... lord that was my first computer, I had it way back in the 80's... was very young back then and my only memories of it are playing Test Drive and Winter Games and a few other stuff.. but the commodore 64 inititiated me to the world of computers.... My next one was an 8088, then a 286, 386, 486DX2, Pentium 166, Pentium III 500 and waiting to upgrade to the PIV 2.8c now... Jinu Johnson

15 May 2003, 07:44 PM	#2
Gankaku Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 3,265	I remember mine! A small-shop guy built mine, it was an 8088 machine. Amber monitor. Big-a 51/4" floppy disk. It cost me sooooo much money.

15 May 2003, 07:47 PM	#3
DBH Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: USA Posts: 1,533	I believe my first 'puter was a Commodore 64. It was the coolest thing! Dave

15 May 2003, 07:50 PM	#4
gpdoyon Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Westbrook, Maine USA Posts: 462	Wow....my first computer was a brand new Tandy 1000SX in 1986. It was an 8088, 8/10 MgHz. I connected to the GEnie service at a whopping 1200 baud. GEnie was Compuserve's competition. I later bought two 30MB hard disk drives for it for $600. Ouch! I then ran an online bulletin board for a year. Unfortunately, I was on the PC so much my wife gave me an ultimatum....chooose, me or the PC. Sigh. She was right. The PC was made a MUCH lower priority. Good memories, overall. - Gerry

15 May 2003, 08:27 PM	#5
*Edwin* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: UK Posts: 3,118	First computer was a Spectrum 48K (I half-remember that we had a 16K Spectrum for a few weeks but when it broke and we shipped it back to Clive Sinclair - those were the days, eh - we took the opportunity to get a 48K one) then a Commodore 64 and then an Amstrad 1512 almost-but-not-quite-PC-compatible, then 8088, 286, 386DX40, 486DX266, Pentium 150, Pentium MMX 233, Pentium 2 300Mhz, Pentium 3 500Mhz and now... Pentium 3 1Ghz. From the Pentium 150 onwards, it's just been a case of swapping processors (and sometimes motherboards) out of my home-built PC

15 May 2003, 08:47 PM	#6
teacher Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: UK Posts: 1,167	My first computer was a Spectrum 48K as well. I loved playing Space Invaders on it! I got really upset when the casset tape tangled in the player!

15 May 2003, 09:18 PM	#7
Killer Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,762 Representative of: Killer.kkk.sg	My 1st computer is a 286. Those were the days! I keep on having not enough memory or required expanded memories whenever I wanted to play a new game. My floppy disks always got worn out and boot sector viruses are a common sight. I still got time for books and TV and music during those times. Now I spent half a day just to clear and reply to emails, message boards.....

15 May 2003, 10:47 PM	#8
shenton Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Wigan, Lancashire! Posts: 379	Not really the first computer I ever owned, but the first one I ever TOUCHED was 21 years ago, a Research Machines 380Z which is a British make. Was surprised to find reference to it on the Net! Here is the spec: Machine Name : Link 380z Processor : Zilog Z80A at 4MHz. Memory : 32K-56K Backing Store : Floppy, 144K 5.25", optional 241K 8" Firmware : 4K ROM containing bootstrap loader. Screen : Text 40x24, optional 80x24 Graphics 320x192x(8 from 256). Other I/O : RS232 Paralell printer IEE488 The RM 380z was one of the first machines aimed at the educational market, it was indeed the first computer that my school owned. It also saw use as a scientific controller, asit was mounted in a sturdy 19" rack type case and like the Comodore machines of it's time also included an IEE488 interface. Any other Brits ever stumble across one of these! I remember my school was proud because it was 'state of the art!'

15 May 2003, 10:50 PM	#9
shenton Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Wigan, Lancashire! Posts: 379	I just discovered that the 380Z cost about £2,060 in 1982. That's about $3,000! It really was 'state of the art!'

16 May 2003, 11:24 AM	#10
CyberSmurf Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: British Columbia Posts: 4,011	Atari 400 (16K memory, membrane keyboard) with Atari 410 cassette deck. . . . . My 1st printer, a 7-pin Okidata 82A (no graphics), plus the Atari 850 interface to connect it to the computer cost $1000. My 1st floppy drive, an Atari 810 (90K single sided), cost $650.

16 May 2003, 11:59 AM	#11
ReuvenNY Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York Posts: 4,259	I bought my first computer in 1982. It was Kaypro II, using CP/M as the operating system. I remember I paid $1795, and it included Perfect Writer, Perfect Calc and some other "perfect" software. Is was a "portable" machine, about 30 Lb. At that time everyone predicted that IBM's PC will fail as it did not conform to the de facto standard - CP/M. The rest is history...

16 May 2003, 04:39 PM	#13
Guest Posts: n/a	My first was an Amiga Commodore, back in the early 90's. Then it was one of those late 80's IBM's, with a whole 20mb hard drive (My dad got the computer from work for free - wish they still gave away old computers. A pentium 3 wouldn't be so bad ) Dan.

17 May 2003, 01:44 AM	#15
Dave P in StLouis Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO USA Posts: 597	Like Killer, our first computer was a locally-built 286, purchased 12 years ago this month. 12 MHz, 2 megs of RAM, dual floppy drives, 40 meg hard drive, 14" monitor, and DOS 3.3. Kept it until the motherboard died, then put a 33MHz 486 in it, then a 233MHz Cyrix CPU. In all, the same case had 3 different motherboards and 4 different hard drives in it. Finally scrapped it last Summer with a bad motherboard and replaced it with the home-built Duron system we have now. Best wishes, David P.