[Coco] KIDS REACT TO OLD COMPUTERS

[Frank Pittel]

I hope this thread hasn't been closed already but I thought the video
was funny. Sadly I'm old enough (as I'm sure most if not all of us are)
to remember a time when all of that seemed incredibly modern and high tech!!

I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I saved files to a floppy!!
I was besides myself with excitment.

The Other Frank



On Fri, May 30, 2014 at 12:04:42PM -0400, Frank Swygert wrote:
> I think it's a funny video. I've dealt with various antiques over
> the years, and there are lots of things from the early 19th century
> that many of us here simply wouldn't know a thing about, or how to
> get it going. One of the old farm use "hit an miss" engines is a
> prime example. Most would recognize that it's a motor and has a big
> pulley, so obviously drove something from that, but starting it and
> getting it to run is.... well.... different than anything else.
> Simple once you know how (like sticking the floppy in and cutting
> the computer on).
> 
> The whole thing reminded me of the Star Trek movie (went back in
> time to get a whale) where Scottie first tries talking to the
> computer, then picks up the mouse (it was a Mac of some kind) and
> tries to use it as a microphone.
> 
> As for the Apple/Mas debate... Well, most computers use a GUI with a
> mouse now. Apple started it for the masses (didn't the idea come out
> of PARC labs, or AT&T labs in some "flavor" of UNIX??), and it
> caught on as an easy way to navigate. Hey, it's even on the CoCo --
> though Deskmate didn't work all that great because more computing
> power is needed for a really effective GUI. So just about every
> computer has some type of "point and click" interface now. Yeah, the
> "dumbed-down" description is pretty accurate -- assuming you mean
> you don't need to know anything about how the computer operates to
> use it. But from a user standpoint (and most people are users of
> everything!) that's a good thing. For you guys who program, most of
> you use an ICE of some sort, or some other GUI operated programming
> aides. I know some of you, especially CoCo guys, still do it the old
> fashioned "direct input" way, but most don't. That "dumbed-down" GUI
> means more time programming and less time running the computer. Cars
> have been dumbed down -- there is no spark control on the steering
> column any more!! How many of you have no idea what I' even talking
> about???
> 
> I'm mostly a Linux user now -- Mint is great and easy to setup and
> use, much easier than Windows and I would even say a Mac! It took a
> good GUI with all the little things like codecs already packaged
> with it to make it easy, and for me to make the switch. For me
> personally a good DTP package was required (Pagestream --
> commercial, but fair priced and real good!),  but that's just me. I
> do like the fact that it's easy to get into the OS to make tweaks if
> I need/want to, though all I can do is follow instructions. Windows
> is increasingly hard to make even minor tweaks and settings changes,
> the guys in Redmond are trying to effectively lock the user out,
> which I don't like. I don't know how hard it is to get into the Mac
> OS, but the "closed box" hardware and programming method was
> outdated many years ago. As long as it's profitable they will keep
> using it, but that's what has held more general acceptance back and
> prices up. I know they figure as long as they (Apple) are the ones
> making the money it's just fine, and I can't disagree with that
> thinking.
> 
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