A8 users... Where do you live

[+MrFish]

Hi, I'm age 40. I grew up in Nothern Ohio. I began drinking at the age of 17. Although a late starter by modern standards, I made up for lost time and soon found my life spiraling out of control...

 

Oh, wait, that's the other AA.

 

I live in Sunnyvale, CA now, and actually work in a warehouse formerly used by Atari near their home base.

[Kalwren]

I'm 36 and I'm from Seattle, Washington.

 

I got my first Atari 800XL from Sears. My dad bought it for me.

 

I learned to play on the Atari and program on it when I was 14. I was in 5th grade when I first played on an Atari 800.

 

Now I have two 800's and an XL.

 

Planning on playing some MULE this weekend. lol (:

[urborg]

30 years old, I live in Rzeszów - south east part of Poland.

 

My first computer was Atari 65XE with tape recorder bought in 1989 (in the year when whole communistic system finally collapsed )

 

In 1996 when I was starting to study informatics, I bought PC computer and discover that there is an Atari emulator for PC

Edited April 21, 2007 by urborg

[emkay]

Seems, 'm not the oldest here with my 40 Years.

I'm living in Waldsolms/Wetzlar (It's almost in the center of Germany.... where Goethe lived for years.... )

 

The Atari was not really my first Computer, but the first one I bought.

Edited April 21, 2007 by emkay

[IndusGT]

I'm 40 and live in Miami, Florida USA. My first computer was an 800 with a tape drive about 1983. The store owner here talked me out of buying an 800xl saying there were compatability problems and bla bla. Any other users in the south florida area?

[RJ]

I'm 35, have had an Atari 800XL since Xmas 1984, been hooked ever since. A school friend of mine liked what I had so HE got one too. (When mine died many yrs later I bought his & all his games, access. etc for $60!)

 

A few Xmases later I got a 1050 drive & Koronis Rift, my mom let me open it a week early b/c I was bugging her so much. I recall they bought it right in front of me, then we went to a high-school hockey game & I was afraid the 1050 would freeze in the car. (I live in MN.)

 

Before 1984 I had a 2600, I considered the 800XL an upgrade, but still kept the 2600

Edited April 21, 2007 by RJ

[+Larry]

I'm 62, so I guess that makes me the current "oldster." Someone else posted some time ago that he thought he was the oldest in this group, but I don't see a reply from him yet. I live in central Indiana, USA.

 

I got my first Atari 800 on Good Friday, 1982, along with the 410 recorder and the original tape version of "JawBreaker." It was an Easter present for my daughter, but it turned out to be of infinitely more interest to me.

 

-Larry

[pps]

32, born - and still living - in former known 'Hauptstadt der DDR' (capital of GDR)

So my first ATARI went illegal through the lines of cold war into my hands in 1988. It was an 800 XE with XC12, one Mega Shot II and 2 Competition Pro (YES they are working right now!).

[lizard]

Hi! i'm 33, Atari's big fun, born in Poland now living in Venice (IT).

Saluti!

[Mr.Amiga500]

Am I the only Canadian here?

 

I'm in my mid 30's somewhere. (didn't bother to count )

 

I saw the 800XL first in 1984, but only just got one last month.

 

My computer history goes:

 

1983 Colour Computer 2

1987 Colour Computer 3 (...only because it was dirt cheap)

1989 Amiga 500

1997-1997 *cough* crap Windows 95 computer (quickly disposed of)

2007 Atari 800XL

 

... and that's it.

Edited April 21, 2007 by Mr.Amiga500

[+bf2k+]

51 - Richmond, VA USA

 

First Atari in 1981 - an 800 for $750!!! Ouch!

[+Stephen]

31, had an Atari 400 with 48K in late 1982. CDon't remember when we had our 1st 2600, but it was a 6 switch, and way before the 400. Born (and still living) in Akron, Ohio.

 

Stephen Anderson

[SeaGtGruff]

I´m 48, oh my god - I am the oldest human here

No you aren't, I'm 48 too. Unless you were born in 1958, in which case you're older than me.

 

I've had 600XL, 800XL, 65XE, and 130XE computers, although right now my 65XE and 130XE aren't in working order, so I either need to get them repaired or replaced-- including new disk drives.

 

Michael

[KrazyKaiju]

Springfield, MO

34

 

Mowed lawns all summer and bought a 600XL with my own money in 1983.

[Gunstar]

Well, after three pages, it still looks like the vast majority of us are 30 or 40 something, and basically grew up with these machines. with the occasional 50 or 60 something people who apparently got into Atari as young adults. I don't recall seeing anyone under 30, so I guess the kids of the 90's and today don't care about vintage systems. I guess you can't blame them, if I'd been a kid in the 90's or today I suppose I wouldn't be too interested in the old stuff after starting with Playstations and/or Xboxes. As far as gaming is concerned, I love my age, I get to enjoy the old stuff I grew up with as well as today's systems. It's the young people of today who are missing out, not us.

[mimo]

Well, after three pages, it still looks like the vast majority of us are 30 or 40 something, and basically grew up with these machines. with the occasional 50 or 60 something people who apparently got into Atari as young adults. I don't recall seeing anyone under 30, so I guess the kids of the 90's and today don't care about vintage systems. I guess you can't blame them, if I'd been a kid in the 90's or today I suppose I wouldn't be too interested in the old stuff after starting with Playstations and/or Xboxes. As far as gaming is concerned, I love my age, I get to enjoy the old stuff I grew up with as well as today's systems. It's the young people of today who are missing out, not us.

my next door neighbors kid bought an 800xl off me this year, and he is 13. He was saving for a PS2, but after an afternoon playing classic Atari games he was hooked. All his school mates think it is cool too

[Tempest]

29 from Flat Rock, MI. (it's way down towards the Ohio border)

 

I grew up with an Atari 400 and a good ol' Atari 410 tape recorder. The funny thing is that my parents got the 400 for my brother (who is about 3 years older than me), but he never showed any interest in it (he's still not a computer person). Since he never used it I decided that I would, and at the tender age of 5 I started typing in my own BASIC programs (first from books, then making my own). The Atari 400 eventually lost ground to my new Apple IIe as my primary computer, but I always kept it out for a few quick games of Donkey Kong, Jumpman Jr., and Miner.

 

I actually still have them both. The 410 stopped functioning years ago, but the 400 is still going strong (minus the door spring which I still can't find!).

 

Tempest

[desafiadore]

Hi,

 

32 yr's old, live in zutphen, The Netherlands.

 

Played games on an atari 800xl from my neighbour in 1984/1985 and wanted to have my own atari back then.

First computer was an msx, then i bought the 800xl from my neigbour in 1987. (only with tape recorder and about 15 tapes, and some books)

Started to programm in basic a little bit and of course play games like encounter, h.e.r.o., boulderdash, mule, attack of the mutant camels, space invaders (yes!), clowns and balloons, etc etc etc... you name it....

 

Between 1990 and 2000 i bought a lot of second hand computers, zx spectrum, atari 600xl, 1050 drive, c64 (allso had that one in 1989, but sold it after about 1,5 years of use, had nice sound/games, but did not give me the classic 'atari feeling'), atari st, amiga 600, sharp 'something', bbc micro/electron(?), tandy 'thing', philips p2000 (with the min icassettes which behaved like a floppy, directory, etc.), some cp/m machines, and finally the pc came in....

 

In 2002/2003 i started selling all my old stuff, even the msx and the atari from my (ex)neighbour..... horror! (but then i did not think about it being

so important and that i would miss them so much haha).

 

In 2005 i started collecting atari stuff, now i have about everything (600xl/800xl/1050/trackball, etc.), only miss a light pen and some interfaces.

Allso use the myide/flash interface and sio2pc cable... (and i got a working msx2 with a lot of old msx-1 games on disk and a c128D (first version with the carrying handle and keyboard under the machine for transport option) and a lot of disks with games...

Even bought back my 1010 tape recorder from the same man who bought my atari stuff in 2003, don't know if it was the recorder i bought later (1988) or the one from my (ex)neighbour in 1984, but inside was still a note from me what i repaired in that 1010. Too bad he sold the 800xl and other stuff allready....

 

My current collection will never leave here anymore (my wife goes crazy!)

 

Regards,

Wynand from the Netherlands

Edited April 21, 2007 by desafiadore

[Fres]

Born and Live in Indianapolis, IN. 35 yrs. old.

 

In the early 80s, my parents bought a Timex/Sinclair 1000 for the family (zx something-er-other).

 

We played with it a bit, and found its limits almost immediately. Within a few months, they purchased an 800, with "The Educator" (basic with 410) and the "The Entertainer" (two joysticks, and Star Raiders + Missile Command). I never truly "turned back" yet I still have pronounced fondness for the platform.

 

I sysop'd and co-sysop'd a couple of BBSs in Indianapolis, and did artwork for several BBSs (ATASCII and PIC).

 

In the 90s, I got into PCs as many of us did. In the early part of this millennium, I decided to begin collecting 800/XL/XE cart games. I was astounded to learn that many of my old disk favorites had been remarketed as XEGS carts. I've owned and played to death almost all of them at one point or another (disks and carts). I ended up selling my entire collection (hardware and software) on ebay over the last several years (as "noeltox" on ebay).

 

I still like to play 8-bit games that I've never had a chance to complete, or only get tired of every so many years (using emulated equipment).

 

I'd like to say "Hello" to anyone who ever attended an "AUGI" meeting or attended a "HAMFEST" in Indianapolis the 80's. Plus say "hey" to anyone who ever visited the bboards at Riddle's, Paladen's, The Music Room, The Little Red Desk, The Dog House, The Outhouse, Bandit's, and ... We've probably met in one way or another.

Edited April 21, 2007 by ponderosa

[Gunstar]

29 from Flat Rock, MI.

 

I grew up with an Atari 400 and a good ol' Atari 410 tape recorder. I actually still have them both (tape deck stopped functioning years ago, but the 400 is still going).

 

Tempest

 

your the first to chime in who is under 30, if just slightly.

[Gunstar]

Well, after three pages, it still looks like the vast majority of us are 30 or 40 something, and basically grew up with these machines. with the occasional 50 or 60 something people who apparently got into Atari as young adults. I don't recall seeing anyone under 30, so I guess the kids of the 90's and today don't care about vintage systems. I guess you can't blame them, if I'd been a kid in the 90's or today I suppose I wouldn't be too interested in the old stuff after starting with Playstations and/or Xboxes. As far as gaming is concerned, I love my age, I get to enjoy the old stuff I grew up with as well as today's systems. It's the young people of today who are missing out, not us.

my next door neighbors kid bought an 800xl off me this year, and he is 13. He was saving for a PS2, but after an afternoon playing classic Atari games he was hooked. All his school mates think it is cool too

Oh, there are a few out there, but it doesn't seem any hang out here. I have a nephew who is about 15 and another about 20 and they both grew up with Atari in the age of Playstation, but only due to my influence and giving them a 7800 and loaning them an 8-bit for several years. I got them into the Jaguar too.

[accousticguitar]

I'm 40, and I bought my first 800xl about a year ago.

[dinosaur]

I'm 62, so I guess that makes me the current "oldster." Someone else posted some time ago that he thought he was the oldest in this group, but I don't see a reply from him yet. I live in central Indiana, USA.

 

I got my first Atari 800 on Good Friday, 1982, along with the 410 recorder and the original tape version of "JawBreaker." It was an Easter present for my daughter, but it turned out to be of infinitely more interest to me.

 

-Larry

 

Glad to know that I'm not the oldest fart on board here!

 

(Just kidding,Larry...you old greybeard!)

[Bunsen]

36, Dithmarschen, Germany

 

Nice to meet here atarians from all over the world (and quite a lot from Germany )

[analmux]

---deleted---

Edited May 2, 2007 by BRK