[Coco] KIDS REACT TO OLD COMPUTERS

[Eddie P.]

I was in awe that I could type on a keyboard and it would appear on a TV screen.....then, I thought it was the coolest thing ever when I showed friends the simple BASIC program you write from the Tandy manual where you input your name and print it out in a sentence. ...and yeah, saving to floppies was a huge deal, I thought 5.25 inch floppies would be around forever!
Eddie P. 
> Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2014 19:43:55 -0500
> From: fwp at deepthought.com
> To: coco at maltedmedia.com
> Subject: Re: [Coco] KIDS REACT TO OLD COMPUTERS
> 
> 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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