🚀 go-pugleaf

On Wed, 27 Jun 2018, AndyW wrote:

> On 27/06/2018 08:10, maus wrote:

>> You can never go home!
>
>
> I think a lot of people who get misty eyed over old computers have never 
> tried to go back and use them.

Maybe for many, but there are small groups who are really into the old 
computers, not just collecting, but using them.  Actually, they are more 
likely sticking with computers they started with when they were current. 
It's nostalgia, but it's not anti-technology, they generally do have more 
recent computers.  But they are the ones who keep the software available 
or improve it, and create and buy new upgrades.  It's not a minor thing to 
them.  I can sort of grasp it all, but I can't get as excited.

>
> I have been spoiled by GHz of speed, GB of memory, TB of disk space and 
> Mega-mega pixels of screen resolutions.
> Compilation time of a few seconds is not the same as setting the program to 
> compile and popping off to the pub.
>
I first tried C on a Radio Shack Color Computer, I guess by then it was 
the III maybe with 512K or RAM (I may not have had the upgrade when I got 
C) and only 2 5.25" floppy drives.

It was painful, and I had no other experience to compare it to.  I'd type 
in a program, leaving endless errors since I was just starting, and it 
would take it's time to compile even a short program, and then a long 
stream of error messages.  I soon gave up on C.

But yes, even on a 1GHz computer with 512K or RAM circa 2005, I tried C 
again and it was snappy.  A short program would compile in no time, it was 
like running a BASIC program on a 1MHz computer.  It makes so much 
difference.

   Michael