Computer style has finally come full circle

[Paul Slocum]

One of these is from 1981 and the other is brand new. I wonder if the beige and brown color scheme is coming next?

 

-Paul

[AtariLeaf]

Ahhh, a Tandy Coco with the chicklet keyboard, my first computer. You never forget your first. BTW, I used to love a game on the coco called Phantoms which is suspiciously similar to the new Atari Skeleton.

[The Night Phantom]

I’ve seen that HP printer before (there’s one at work, and I’ve spotted it at Wal-Mart). My initial impression was that it looked like some kind of starship. Such futuristic styling is a throwback, for back in the day tech products often looked futuristic. Today they look like art deco...or just junk.

[+RangerG]

AH yes indeed -- my first computer :wink: and only gaming machine growing up! Mega Bug and Dungeons of Daggorath anyone! Does anybody collect for the old Trash '80 . I remember a few posts about the CoCo, but very few.

[AtariLeaf]

Yes I used to have a TON of Coco stuff but I ended up selling it all on ebay (for quite I bit too! ) but some of my greatest non-Atari gaming goodness came from my coco. I did just pick up a downland cart in my latest aquisition. If I come across another coco (especially a coco 3) I'll definitly pick it up.

[Happy_Dude]

One of these is from 1981 and the other is brand new.  I wonder if the beige and brown color scheme is coming next?

 

-Paul

 

I would buy a new beige and brown computer.

Beats the hell outta this off white cream coulor S#@t.

[EricBall]

BTW, I used to love a game on the coco called Phantoms which is suspiciously similar to the new Atari Skeleton.

 

You are correct. Skeleton was inspired by the memory of playing Phantom Slayer on the CoCo.

[Raijin Z]

Mega Bug and Dungeons of Daggorath anyone! Does anybody collect for the old Trash '80 . I remember a few posts about the CoCo, but very few.

 

That would have most likely been me. I have a CoCo 2, and a few games in their original packaging. I have a few CoCo3 games, but of course I can't play them without the proper system. -_-

 

Oh yeah, I have Mega Bug. Mega Bug was hooked up to a CoCo2 in my old highschool communication tech class. Its demo would loop constantly, and ever few minutes, you'd hear the game's most famous sound.

 

WEEE GOTCHA!

Nabbed it myself. It's a real pain nabbing WAV files from stuff like a CoCo2.

[Paul Slocum]

I get coco stuff when I see it, which isn't very often. I have a Coco 1 and 3, some disk drives, joysticks and about 12 carts. I've also got a TRS-80 Model III. The best carts I have are the "Audio Spectrum Analyzer" which works like Atari Video Music and a boxed Poltergeist cart (based on the movie.)

 

-Paul

[christianscott]

i have about 30 coco games and a couple systems. i used one at school and used to like playing them at radio shack...not many collectors though, thats true of old comps in general.

[Paul Slocum]

30 is impressive! I used to always play Dragonfire on it when I was at Radio Shack. Actually, if anyone has an extra Coco Dragonfire, I'd love to trade for it.

 

My favorite computer carts are Vic-20 carts. I love the shape and color scheme. And my TI-99/4a collection is actually my second biggest collection (about 80) next to 2600 carts. But of course, living in Dallas gives you a big advantage on 99/4a stuff.

 

-Paul

[Gunstar]

I picked up a Coco 3 from a Radioshack dealer a few years ago, but ended up donating it to goodwill after about two years of it collecting dust in my closet because I couldn't find a disk drive or any software for it, beyond a football cartridge that came with it...

[deadtech]

Alright. First my CoCo exposition: I was visiting relatives last year, and I went thrifting in their area. I found a CoCo joystick. I had never owned or seen a CoCo in person, but bought it 'cause it was $1. The next thrift I went to...Boxed CoCo 3. $8. So I got about 4 games for it now (Rampage is fun ).

 

However...... I thought (hoped!) this topic would be about how some PC company was now making all-in-one type desktop PCs. Picture something the size of a C=64, but with specs like a modern PC. And I don't mean fancy pants case mods/hacks. These huge, loud tower PCs gotta go. I mean they make laptops an inch think, why is my modestly equipped desktop so huge and loud? :/ (and yes, I know those smaller lappie style parts are more expensive/harder to manu.)

 

-deadtech

 

(edited for typos. grrrrr.)

[BeerGnome]

I think its a Bigger is better consumer mentality thats keeping this from happening.

a big ole haunkin computer tower case seems to be a little more impresive, along with all the other side componants littering the work station area. just kinda makes things look impressive to the layperson.

I've had several old all in one Hi-fi's that worked and sounded great, untill one thiing broke on them, and there for from that point were unsusable, unless you could find some place in town to work on it or could get the parts, and let me tell you, its downright impossable to replace the drive mechinism on a 70's era 8 track player nowadays.

My 80's era componant Stereo is big and impresive, and works great, very stylish, and the color scheme matches the rest of the entertainment center.

but the componants can be easily removed from the system and repaiered with out effecting the usability of the rest of the system.

now people buy things like laptop computers for a specific purpose. and I think the replacement to upgrade ratio on laptops favors people throwing out their old laptops in favor of a new one. thinking that its too much trouble, or too much money to upgrade the all in one laptops.

 

besides, Macintosh still builds the allin one platform, as in the I-mac, but the big haunkin Macs, the G4's are still in the tower platform. and I do belive the I-mac is sold more on its styling than its performance

[BeerGnome]

I think a good case conversion would be a modern Laptop shoved into a c-64/128 case I have a dead one around somewhere and it has LOADS of room

[Jasoco]

besides, Macintosh still builds the allin one platform, as in the I-mac, but the big haunkin Macs, the G4's are still in the tower platform. and I do belive the I-mac is sold more on its styling than its performance

 

iMac.. Not I-mac. Not IMAC. Not imac. iMac.

 

Apple.. Not Macintosh. Apple MAKES the Macintosh.

 

I'm only here to educate.

[AtariDude]

Nice picture. You are right that the grey color is used a bit too much in the industry. I do like having them side by side to look at though.

[Pie]

Alright.  First my CoCo exposition: I was visiting relatives last year, and I went thrifting in their area.  I found a CoCo joystick.  I had never owned or seen a CoCo in person, but bought it 'cause it was $1.  The next thrift I went to...Boxed CoCo 3.  $8.      So I got about 4 games for it now (Rampage is fun ).  

 

However......  I thought (hoped!)  this topic would be about how some PC company was now making all-in-one type desktop PCs.  Picture something the size of a C=64, but with specs like a modern PC.  And I don't mean fancy pants case mods/hacks.  These huge, loud tower PCs  gotta go.  I mean they make laptops an inch think, why is my modestly equipped desktop so huge and loud?  :/  (and yes, I know those smaller lappie style parts are more expensive/harder to manu.)

 

-deadtech

 

(edited for typos.  grrrrr.)

 

I think this is purely down to standered parts. A current pc can be built with components from any manufacturer, and even old bits will still usually work (up until recently I still had an ancient SoundBlaster in my current pc, and the HDs are also pretty old). If you get rid of this problem then you can make much more compact and modern computers.

 

A couple of the old IBMs I have are great in this respect, small sturdy cases, and can be dismantled entirely without any tools.

[AtariLeaf]

)

iMac.. Not I-mac. Not IMAC. Not imac. iMac.

 

Apple.. Not Macintosh. Apple MAKES the Macintosh.

 

I'm only here to educate.

 

CRAP! Not Crap. Not C-rap. Not cRAP. Just CRAP!

 

Apple MAKES the CRAP!

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist! )

[Flojomojo]

Mac-bashing aside, what's up with HP's design group these days? I have one of these in my office, and it works fine, but it looks like something out of "Logan's Run."

[AtariLeaf]

No Mac bashing. I love them for video editing. I would never use a Windoze machine for that.

[Flojomojo]

No Mac bashing. I love them for video editing. I would never use a Windoze machine for that.

Yeah, though this comes down to software. I wonder why Microsoft hasn't come out with a free iMovie-like program of its own? Oh yeah, the Justice Department.

 

Back on topic, which video game consoles would you say have a "classic" design that will still look good in 10 or 20 years? I'd say:

 

Nintendo GAMECUBE

Dreamcast

Intellivision is nice in a late-70s way. At least it's compact (unlike the 5200) and symmetrical (unlike the Colecovision).

The old Sega Master System (with the red grids on it)

All GameBoy machines since the Pocket

Playstation and Playstation One

2600 Jr.

Vectrex

 

That's about it ... NES and Saturn are fugly boxes, 2600 is a mess of wires with the controls in the back, PS2 and XBOX are straight out of the 80s, N64 is OK but black is so boring while the translucent colors are NOT going to be remembered well.

[AtariLeaf]

Speaking of the NES design, why did they design it the way they did? Anyone know what genius thought this was a good idea? About 95% of NES machines are garbage nowadays because of the way the cartridge has to sit in the slot just perfectly. I've had about 10 of these things in the last couple of years and even the ones with a new connector don't always work well.

 

No wonder the top loaders are so popular. Until I come across one, I won't even bother collecting for the NES.

[Flojomojo]

Confession time: I haven't owned a real NES for years. I get my NESatisfaction from emulators, mostly on Dreamcast and Pocket PC. But at the time, I thought the front-loading style was pretty cool ... or at least as cool as a toaster/VCR hybrid could be.

 

This is the closest thing I have to a legitimate NES now. http://www.9thtee.com/funstuff.htm It looks like I can load NES cartridges into the slot ... might be useful for the Zapper games.

[Happy_Dude]

WTF?

I'v said it countless times but my NES has endured some

really bad treatment and still loads first time, every time.

Even my second NES is the same.

I think top loaders are just a nice looking collectors peice.