Sdružení přátel historických počítačů je dobrovolná zájmová organizace, jejímž cílem je popularizace výpočetní techniky a její historie mezi širokou veřejností a zachování historické výpočetní techniky pro budoucnost.

11.12.07

1956: 5MB pevný disk IBM

clipped from www.snopes.com

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS?




Its a hard disk in 1956....


The Volume and Size of 5MB memory storage in 1956.


In September 1956 IBM launched the 305 RAMAC, the first computer with a hard disk drive (HDD). The HDD weighed over a ton and stored 5MB of data.

Makes you appreciate your 4 GB USB drive, doesn't it?

The 350 Disk Storage Unit consisted of the magnetic disk memory unit with its access mechanism, the electronic and pneumatic controls for the access mechanism, and a small air compressor. Assembled with covers, the 350 was 60 inches long, 68 inches high and 29 inches deep. It was configured with 50 magnetic disks containing 50,000 sectors, each of which held 100 alphanumeric characters, for a capacity of 5 million characters.

An IBM RAMAC 305 with a 350 disk storage unit leased for about $3,200 per month back in 1957. Over a thousand of the 305 systems (one of IBM's last vacuum tube units) were manufactured before production ended in 1961, and the 305 was withdrawn in 1969.
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10.12.07

Před čtvrt stoletím byl C64 králem...

clipped from www.wired.com

Back in the 1980s, prospective computer buyers looked to the Commodore 64 for its tremendous software collection -- more than 10,000 programs were published by the time the machine was discontinued 12 years after its release.


But, as some joked, you could die waiting for any of those programs to finish loading. While the C64 had a cartridge slot, many programs came on a floppy disk, or worse yet, a data cassette tape -- each of which required expensive, slow, failure-prone peripherals to transfer data.


On the upside, display and controller connectivity was a cinch. The unit could be connected directly to a TV, and with two standard 7-pin connectors, most any paddle, mouse or joystick of the era could plug right in, including those for the wildly popular Atari 2600.

Image: Commodore

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28.11.07

Acorn Electron v Soutěži počítačové historie (Extra PC 10/07)

clipped from www.extra-pc.cz

Acorn Electron byl poprvé představen v roce 1983, tento kus byl pořízen v roce 1986 a jeho pořizovací cena (bez příslušenství) odpovídala asi třem měsíčním platům.

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27.11.07

Variace na téma Pac-Man: vzpomínejte!

clipped from www.racketboy.com
Pacman Championchip Edition Screen
10.jpg
Ms Pacman Maze Madness Screenshot
Pac-Mania Screenshot
Pac-Mania Amiga Screenshot
Pac-Man Arrangement Screenshot
Crush Roller Screen
3-Demon Screen
Pac The Man X Screen
Mad Mix Screen
Mad Mix 2 Screen
Pac Maniac Screen
Pacz Screen
Pacz Screen

Ivo tried a bunch of shareware titles for this article, hoping to find something exceptionally good. He didn’t, and although he found plenty that were exceptionally bad, there were actually some good ones that may be worth the registration fee for the full version. The beauty of shareware is that you can decide for yourself after playing the free trial (and I already saved you the trouble of wading through the worse stuff). All three involve one of the best ideas to tweak the Pac-man formula: weaponry (I couldn’t find any nice shareware Pac-man spin-off that didn’t involve shooting - go figure).

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18.11.07

Vzpomínky na IBM PC

This old box logo
IBM PC front shot

In the early '80s, IBM had built a stellar reputation for itself selling mainframe computers to big businesses. But the back rooms of conglomerates weren't enough for Big Blue — or as it was known back then, Medium-Sized Teal (no, not really).

Despite their previous failure to sell an affordable microcomputer with the IBM 5100, the company decided to try again after seeing the success of the Commodore PET, Apple II, Tandy's TRS-80s and the Atari 8-bit computers.

Bill Gates accepted IBM's offer, but Microsoft wasn't up to the challenge of writing an operating system itself. Microsoft instead bought the rights to QDOS (the "Quick and Dirty Operating System") for $50,000, written by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products. QDOS itself was based heavily on the CP/M operating system. Paterson had bought a CP/M manual and used it as a basis to write QDOS in six weeks — with just enough changes to fly on the upside of legal.

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5.11.07

Vintage Computer Festival 10.0

clipped from www.vintage.org

Vintage Computer Festival 10.0


Saturday, November 3rd and Sunday, November 4th
Computer History Museum
Mountain View, California



The 10th annual Vintage Computer Festival will be held on Saturday, November 3rd and Sunday, November 4th, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

The doors open at 9:30am each day. Speakers begin at 10:00am and end at 2:00pm. The Exhibit and Marketplace open at 2:00pm and end at 6:00pm. The Film Festival begins at 11:00am.

Admission is $20 per person per day for full access to Speakers, the Exhibition, the Marketplace and the Film Festival, or $12 per person per day for Exhibition, Marketplace and Film Festival access only.  Kids 17 and under are admitted free of charge, and parking is free.

Please select one of the links on the right for more information.

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3.11.07

8bitový retro game sound synthesizer

basic
basic64

It's not a straight emulation, but is based around the SID chip with some extras for that 8-bit retro game sound, lofi gritty noises or just plain oddness
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3.9.07

Computer Chronicles: archiv online

Computer Chronicles byl asi nejpopulárnější televizní pořad o počítačových technologiích v letech 1983-2002. Vysílal se na více než 300 amerických stanicích a byl vysílán i v dalčší stovce zemí v řadě jazyků. Doporučuji:

  • Gary Kildall Special - o tvůrci CP/M
  • The Macintosh Computer - o nejlepším compu všech dob
  • Programming - v roce 1984 se uvažovalo o vývojových prostředích pro COBOL (od roku 1986 jsem používal Microfocus, kde jsou ty časy...
  • Apple II Forever - jak jinak!
  • Computer Games - začátkem 90. let byly jako novinky takovéto fláky: Wordtris, Crisis in the Kremlin, Earl Weaver Baseball II, Railroad Tycoon, Playmaker Football 2.0, King's Quest V, The Games: Winter Challenge...

eBay.ca: rudá ruská myš

29.8.07

OldCon 2007 - Rokycany - již 15. září!

Rok se s rokem sešel a jako každoročně, tentokrát třetí víkend v září, se koná pravidelné setkání zájemců o staré počítače všech typů a značek v Rokycanech na většině již známém místě u Gregora v domečku.

Tímto všechny fandy staré výpočetní techniky jeho jménem i celého výboru SPHP na sobotu 15. září do Rokycan srdečně zvu.

Zájemci se mohou hlásit na adrese sphp(at)seznam.cz, kde jim budou případně poskytnuty podrobnější informace.

25.8.07