A number of us seem to be involved with computers in our work, or have a serious interest in it as a hobby. Let's use this thread as a place for us geeks to hang out and discuss computer issues, and perhaps provide some small modicum of help to those more technologically challenged members of the Vintage Forum.

I'd rather keep this thread strictly computer-related, and not get distracted by more general technology conversations.

I've been interested in computers since junior college. I built my first one from a pile of TTL ICs and a TinyBasic controller chip, using a wirewrapped board. It had a number of I/O lines that could sense and control things like lights and switches, analog inputs to read things like temperature sensors, and a cassette tape interface for program backup and loading. It communicated with a terminal via RS-232. The terminal I used was also built on a wirewrapped board, using sample video terminal chips I sourced from National Semiconductor along with parts from the parts bin.

In those days things like soldering stations, oscilloscopes, frequency counters, waveform generators and multimeters were my everyday tools.

Next I got an AppleII+ with a floppy drive, and eventually graduated to a Wyse 286 machine. Along the way I became the designated computer support person at work; my boss at the calibration lab I managed got me to install a coax network to tie the several office PCs together.

During that time I started doing technical sales, eventually selling industrial computers and control equipment to chemical and pharmaceutical companies. I did this for several years, but while I was pretty good at it I hated the process of selling. I got out of that and went to work for a year as a computer support contractor, eventually getting hired by the company I was contracting at (Allstate), where I remain today.

I now am on a team of 17 people that does computer and network support for several business units that have a total of 3500 computers. I'm also now working on my MCSE for Windows XP.

Here at home we have several desktop and laptop computers on a peer-to-peer network that combines Ethernet and 802.11g wireless network technology. My wife Hilly is also something of a computer geek, and she is actively introducing the use of technolgy into the classroom at her job, where she teaches high school math. She is also working on her master's degree, concentrating on technology in the classroom.

We have been known to be sitting next to each other in the living room, both with our laptops, and instead of verbally chatting we will use IM to communicate. Works for us...

 

Sweet Idea! They should have a separate forum for us Techies to converse. My first PC was a Tandy 80 from radio shack when I was 13 now I work in the IT Industry as a Project Manager for General Electric. Always here to lend a helping hand.

 

Great thread. Just what we needed.

I started back in 1980 by building a Heathkit. Soon afterward I graduated to my IBM PC and then my IBM PC XT. Although I was never formally trained or employed in the computer industry, my interest grew and grew. In the early 80s I attended evening classes at CCNY in programming. By about 1990 I was programming in 3 languages.

Today I am a CPA with a specialty in IT. I am in charge of the 17 member network in my office and am the computer specialist for my firm. Of course my point of view is the number crunching, accounting side of it, and my favorite area is software. I spend a lot of time helping my clients to use it, and untangling it after they've used it. I didn't think it was possible to put a trial balance out of balance in either Peachtree or Quickbooks, but my clients have shown me that it is.

At home we have 6 computers on a hardwired network on a peer to peer workgroup. I just got a new computer, a Dell Dimension 8400 with a 19" LCD screen. I love it. I've moved my old computer into the basement and it has become our internet server. I am still in the process of transferring files and rebuilding some, but all is good.

Does anyone use Microsoft One Note? I just downloaded a trial copy of it and started to play with it. I'm not sure it's worth the bother. Does it do anything special, or is it just another, more fancy way of keeping information?

 

I built my first computer in school. It was one of our ongoing lab assignments.

We had to completely assemble it and program it using machine-language. The ongoing labs where to expand the mini-computer by adding functionality to it.

I still get a good laugh out of one of the projects - we had to add more memory to it. Now get this, we added 2KB!

Today, I view computers more as a tool and am invovled more in the networking side.

 

I've worked for two computer manufacturers since leaving college in '84: Data General and Stratus. I've written operating system code, applications, firmware, and even helped a little bit with some hardware designs over the years.

Computers are the most amazing tool ever invented by man. I felt that way in high school when I was introduced to them, and I still feel that way. Unfortunately, on a day-to-day basis, I don't really get to make them do the kinds of neat things I'd envisioned. That said, the availability of computing power to individuals these last, say, 10 years has enabled the web to be in people's houses. I don't think I ever envisioned that kind of explosion.

 

I never built a computer but I find them a fascinating tool but equally frustrating as all heck for someone who's retired and has no support system. Does this mean I have one now? I can only hope so.

 

I thought I'd just thank Rob and other's who told me how to reformat my harddrive. I reebooted with the Windows 98 disk and the whole thing is stripped and back up with the basic Windows 98. Now I have to figure out what sofware to put on the thing and get it connected to the internet. I want to set up a home network and use the old computer as an internet appliance for guests. Thanks for all your help.

 

There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary, and those that don't.

 

Great thread.

Let's see, my first PC was an IBM/360 model 40 with 256KB of memory, running DOS, with a couple of 2311 hard disk drives and a couple of 2400 tape drives. There was the card reader/punch and line printer. We used the console (a modified selectric typewriter) to play games.

Then I moved on to something much faster (and bigger) -- the CDC 6400. The console was much more interesting with the dual CRT displays, all driven by the little Peripherial Processors (PP) while the Central Processor (the CP) did all the number crunching. The games got a lot more interesting.

After that, I had to pay my own electric bills and so I had to settle on an 8080 based system. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

My prior firm spent over $40,000 in 1983 for a Digital Equipment mini computer which I was in charge of. I can't remember how much the hard drive held, which was the size of a shoe box and weighed about 20 pounds. The "floppy drives" were as big as a dinner plate and about 3 inches thick, and I think held 11MB, but that could be way too high. When we got rid of it for a new 386 in 1990, I think we got $500 for it.
I'm sure I will have questions for you vintagers as we go on.