First Computers (was Re: [SunRescue] Yay, I don't feel...)

[Chad Fernandez]

My first computer was also a Vic-20.  It was handme down from my uncle. 
I had several game cartriages, and tapes.  I had the tape drive, but no
floppy.  I would copy computer tapes using regualr audio tape recorders
and a patch cord.  At one point I had a borrowed Ram Expander too.  I
would use the Vic-20 at home and an Apple //e at school.  Then for a few
years I didn't have much interaction with computers. I didn't know about
the internet, and didn't know hardrives had grown beyond
40megs......this was 94 maybe.  I missed most of the Windows 3.1
era..... just caught the end as 95 was in beta.

While in college I got an old Zentih laptop from a retired doctor.  The
hard drive didn't work, so I didn't get to do much except play.  I used
the lab computers and my friends 486dx2-66.  He had the hotest computer
on campus, since it was a rather poor Christian college.  I only went
there 1.5 years, and when I got home, I quickly picked up a couple of
used IBMS... an XT that had mostly clone parts inside, and a PC that was
origianl.  I used the XT until it died, then throgh the PC back
together, and used it with no hard drives, for email.  My dad bought a
Packard Bell 486sx used and I used that too.

While back here in Michigan, I started going to Western Michigan
University, and had an account on the Vax cluster.... thats was neat!

I have just gradually upgraded machines as I go, most of them being
either cheap or sometimes free.

Still don't have any sun hardware, though.

Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA



Matthew Haas wrote:
> While we're on this trend- what was everyone's first computer? Do you
> still own it?? Still use it?
> 
> My very first computer was a Commodore VIC-20... I was too young at the
> time to truly appreciate it... I had a game cartridge of some number/math
> game that I remember playing endlessly.
> 
> Then I got an XT that I played with for a few years and then got upgraded
> to a 386SX (kept the CGA monitor from the XT)..
> 
> I got bored with 4 colors and a mono PC speaker, so I left and played with
> the 8-bit Atari machines for a couple years (XE Game Machine, then
> upgraded to the 130XE! 128K of RAM!!)... I could really play Star Raiders
> with this setup :) And I still own all my Ataris :)