Posted this to Lemon64.. Feel blue..
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Its middle of night.. Well.. almost 1am..
Just readed new release of Zzap64 PSD..
There was C64 + MMC64 running old C64 classics on my 32" tv.. Like.. Commando, Comic Bakery, Thrust, One Man and His Droid, Sanxion.. Mostly listening those lovely sid tunes.. C64 on big screen, big speakers.. Feels like dream of my childhood..
Today when I was walking around on streets.. Listening those lovely tunes of C64 Takeaway Podcast of iPod..
Yesterday burned Remix64 Megamix 1. to CD.
I am trying to get those old good times back.. Trying so hard.. But I cant.. Not even sure how many C64s I have these days..
Just missing those good old times so bad..
Remember old times when we used to play C64 after school.. We had computer club at school once a week.. Got our own Vic20s.. C64s to school class.. Played games..
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Want those good old times back..
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saundby
- Vic 20 Enthusiast
- Posts: 166
- Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:55 pm
- Website: http://saundby.com/
- Location: Gold Country, CA
I've been enjoying the C64 Takeaway podcast as well. What's even better, my kids have been listening to it and enjoying it as well.
I may not be able to recapture the old time for myself, but I can pass them forward for my kids. They're having their great old time memories now.
The Vic didn't come out until I was out in the working world, so I missed out on any community computer experience in high school. I was the only person in the entire school who owned a computer, and it was one I'd built from ICs on my kitchen table. The school had a computer, or rather, the school district had a computer--a giant card-eating monster that lived in the district administration building. Most everyone thought that that was what a computer WAS. When I brought my little single-board computer to school to show it off, the most common thing I heard was "THAT'S not a computer!"
After all, they KNEW that a computer was huge, had one inch tape drives on them, and a desk sized console with lots of blinkenlights. They'd seen them on TV and everything. I was clearly no authority (even to those who knew I'd been programming the giant ones for two years at that point, apparently.) It was lonely having a home computer, a satellite dish, and a fax machine in 1976...
Fortunately when I went out and got a VIC I talked two of my friends into coming along for the ride. We drove all the way down to Santa Maria (from Los Osos, near San Luis Obispo) to get it. Once we got there they decided to get themselves each one, too. So I finally got my computer community, five years later. We had a great time with them. Some other folks in the area bought some, too, apparently. Because we found out from a person we ran into at the local park that there was a user's group in our little town. We came to the next meeting (the second one, as it turned out) in someone's living room. Three more new people showed up after us. The first order of business was finding a new meeting place since there wasn't enough seating for everyone any more (the first meeting had been three people, who set out to let everyone know there _was_ a club before the second meeting.)
The group included a bunch of Vic users and one lonely guy with a PET (and I was the only other person there who had laid hands on one and knew that Commodore had a better BASIC that they had held back on the Vic users.)
We then did all the usual things--start a newsletter, start giving beginner's lessons before meetings and having "expert sessions" afterward, embark on hopeless "club projects" that went nowhere until someone said "screw it" to the club process and just went and finished the thing, and so on.
Then came the 64...
Fun times, all of it. It'll never happen that way again, and it's too bad. What computers are today is cheesy commodities with a user community whipped into believing they've got to take what the manufacturers give, and that things can't be any better. Whipped out of any belief that they can control or understand their machines. Whipped into treating their machines and their own data like toilet paper. "Time to change the computer, honey, the old one's all used up!"
But, we've still got our old machines, and if you think there's nothing like a couple of retro computerists meeting each other you should see it when a couple of teens who use retro machines run across each other. The excitement and electricity are enough to strip 25 years off the calendar!
So the best recommendation I can give to get something like the old times back is to pass it forward. Show a youngster that 2600 games can be fun, doing simple BASIC tricks with a Vic makes you feel half a wizard, and finishing your first hardware hack or ML program makes you feel you've got the pointy hat and robes on.
(On old games being fun, I took my Atari Super Pong down to the local videogame play shop one night. The owner and I pulled a couple of teens off of Halo 2 to show the thing to them. In less than five minutes we could hardly get them off it to give other kids a try, and the whole shopful were talking smack to each other about their "Mad Pong Skillz" for the rest of the night, and the next two weeks. I had many requests to bring it back down so somebody could put somebody else in their place. The owner has one of his own now, that comes out of the glass case on special occasions.)
-Mark G.
I may not be able to recapture the old time for myself, but I can pass them forward for my kids. They're having their great old time memories now.
The Vic didn't come out until I was out in the working world, so I missed out on any community computer experience in high school. I was the only person in the entire school who owned a computer, and it was one I'd built from ICs on my kitchen table. The school had a computer, or rather, the school district had a computer--a giant card-eating monster that lived in the district administration building. Most everyone thought that that was what a computer WAS. When I brought my little single-board computer to school to show it off, the most common thing I heard was "THAT'S not a computer!"
After all, they KNEW that a computer was huge, had one inch tape drives on them, and a desk sized console with lots of blinkenlights. They'd seen them on TV and everything. I was clearly no authority (even to those who knew I'd been programming the giant ones for two years at that point, apparently.) It was lonely having a home computer, a satellite dish, and a fax machine in 1976...
Fortunately when I went out and got a VIC I talked two of my friends into coming along for the ride. We drove all the way down to Santa Maria (from Los Osos, near San Luis Obispo) to get it. Once we got there they decided to get themselves each one, too. So I finally got my computer community, five years later. We had a great time with them. Some other folks in the area bought some, too, apparently. Because we found out from a person we ran into at the local park that there was a user's group in our little town. We came to the next meeting (the second one, as it turned out) in someone's living room. Three more new people showed up after us. The first order of business was finding a new meeting place since there wasn't enough seating for everyone any more (the first meeting had been three people, who set out to let everyone know there _was_ a club before the second meeting.)
The group included a bunch of Vic users and one lonely guy with a PET (and I was the only other person there who had laid hands on one and knew that Commodore had a better BASIC that they had held back on the Vic users.)
We then did all the usual things--start a newsletter, start giving beginner's lessons before meetings and having "expert sessions" afterward, embark on hopeless "club projects" that went nowhere until someone said "screw it" to the club process and just went and finished the thing, and so on.
Then came the 64...
Fun times, all of it. It'll never happen that way again, and it's too bad. What computers are today is cheesy commodities with a user community whipped into believing they've got to take what the manufacturers give, and that things can't be any better. Whipped out of any belief that they can control or understand their machines. Whipped into treating their machines and their own data like toilet paper. "Time to change the computer, honey, the old one's all used up!"
But, we've still got our old machines, and if you think there's nothing like a couple of retro computerists meeting each other you should see it when a couple of teens who use retro machines run across each other. The excitement and electricity are enough to strip 25 years off the calendar!
So the best recommendation I can give to get something like the old times back is to pass it forward. Show a youngster that 2600 games can be fun, doing simple BASIC tricks with a Vic makes you feel half a wizard, and finishing your first hardware hack or ML program makes you feel you've got the pointy hat and robes on.
(On old games being fun, I took my Atari Super Pong down to the local videogame play shop one night. The owner and I pulled a couple of teens off of Halo 2 to show the thing to them. In less than five minutes we could hardly get them off it to give other kids a try, and the whole shopful were talking smack to each other about their "Mad Pong Skillz" for the rest of the night, and the next two weeks. I had many requests to bring it back down so somebody could put somebody else in their place. The owner has one of his own now, that comes out of the glass case on special occasions.)
-Mark G.
Nice writingsaundby wrote: Most everyone thought that that was what a computer WAS. When I brought my little single-board computer to school to show it off, the most common thing I heard was "THAT'S not a computer!"
.
You know that happends these days too... When people see my Vic20s and C64 they ask.. 'Why you have so many keyboards?'
'What do you do with all those old machines?'
'Why do you need those?'
'Do those even work?'
'Why do you have Pinball machine and Outrun arcade at your home?'
You know those Harley Davidson guys used to have saying..
'If I had to explain, you wouldnt understand..'
But it sucks that people dont understand.. You know after using those machines almost 25 years.. And seen all that history.. You think of computer whole lot of different way than many people.
Yes, I'm missing 'the good old times' too and yes, nobody understands why I'm collecting these computers and what am I doing...
On the other hand I do not care too much about what other people think about my hobby, there are a lot more hobbies which seem to be even strange to me
Today I'm totally missing the excitement and the satisfaction we got 25 years ago when we finally got our Basic program to do what we want, or the incredible proud when owning the first disc drive etc. Not to talk about learning 6502 assembler by our own (and of course the inevitable Programming the 6502 by Rodnay Zaks )
*sigh*
Björg
On the other hand I do not care too much about what other people think about my hobby, there are a lot more hobbies which seem to be even strange to me
Today I'm totally missing the excitement and the satisfaction we got 25 years ago when we finally got our Basic program to do what we want, or the incredible proud when owning the first disc drive etc. Not to talk about learning 6502 assembler by our own (and of course the inevitable Programming the 6502 by Rodnay Zaks
) *sigh*
Björg
I had once a discussion with a mountaineer who didn't understand it either and mentioned that in a bit nasty way. So I replied: "You climb a mountain up and down and after a day of hard work you end up at the same spot where you started. And don't forget the many times you are about to drop dead, literally. Yeah, I really can image the fun of this." Still wonder why he throwed nasty looks at me.Schlowski wrote: nobody understands why I'm collecting these computers
Then start soldering. I promise you you get the same kick again :)Schlowski wrote:Today I'm totally missing the excitement and the satisfaction we got 25 years ago when we finally got our Basic program to do what we want
FYI, I started working on this ISA expansion board. So in the future I can connect a real 80 columns card to my VIC.
Code: Select all
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/ / |_/ Met vriendelijke groet, Ruud Baltissen
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\___| URL: www.baltissen.org
I still get excited about the potential of my VIC. But perhaps that's because I am only NOW learning to do the stuff in BASIC that I always wanted to do as a kid. So there is a lot for me to look forward to.
I don't much care if people think owning a VIC is strange. I don't go out of my way to mention it (as I think their first reaction will be to think I am geeky - because they don't understand), but I think it's very cool to be involved in such a 'fringe' hobby.
I feel a bit like a mad scientist poking around in old BASIC and with the guts of old 8-bits.
Just like how people once though old analogue synthesizers were uncool, and old Ataris were uncool (around the early 1990s)....and now everyone wants one....I am sure it will one day dawn on the fickle masses that those early computers had their charm, too. See how game-boys and mid 80's video game sounds are now starting to become used in mainstream music.
But if it doesn't happen, I'm still happy.
In a way, I find my VIC-20 a relief to work with in comparison with my PC or even my Amiga. It's simple, I can fix it if it gets broken, and I don't have to worry about falling behind on the next big expensive upgrade (because there will never be any)! A VIC is a VIC and will always be just as it is.....it's unchanging in a world of change....
I don't much care if people think owning a VIC is strange. I don't go out of my way to mention it (as I think their first reaction will be to think I am geeky - because they don't understand), but I think it's very cool to be involved in such a 'fringe' hobby.
I feel a bit like a mad scientist poking around in old BASIC and with the guts of old 8-bits.
Just like how people once though old analogue synthesizers were uncool, and old Ataris were uncool (around the early 1990s)....and now everyone wants one....I am sure it will one day dawn on the fickle masses that those early computers had their charm, too. See how game-boys and mid 80's video game sounds are now starting to become used in mainstream music.
But if it doesn't happen, I'm still happy.
In a way, I find my VIC-20 a relief to work with in comparison with my PC or even my Amiga. It's simple, I can fix it if it gets broken, and I don't have to worry about falling behind on the next big expensive upgrade (because there will never be any)! A VIC is a VIC and will always be just as it is.....it's unchanging in a world of change....
Some great messages in this thread guys.
I love the old computers partly because I am smarter and better off than I was at 12.
I used to dream of owning a floppy drive, and knew I'd never have one. Today I do. All those carts I used to look at in the shops for hours before I went to the sweet shop to buy my 1.99 game are mine now!
As I kid I really couldn't figure out who to do a scroller in BASIC... Duh.
I still love modern tech. My house is a kind of geek consumer heaven. If I ever find myself in the no money - no job position I can guarentee my PC will be sold off before any of the older toys
If I end up living in a box I'll be sharing it with my Vic and Mega STe
I love the old computers partly because I am smarter and better off than I was at 12.
I used to dream of owning a floppy drive, and knew I'd never have one. Today I do. All those carts I used to look at in the shops for hours before I went to the sweet shop to buy my 1.99 game are mine now!
As I kid I really couldn't figure out who to do a scroller in BASIC... Duh.
I still love modern tech. My house is a kind of geek consumer heaven. If I ever find myself in the no money - no job position I can guarentee my PC will be sold off before any of the older toys
If I end up living in a box I'll be sharing it with my Vic and Mega STe
Hi,
great thread !
Yes i mis the old VC-20 days too. Okay i have VC-20 now and i play, write programms and so on. But in the good old time i have a lot of friends who do the same. And we collect software play games.
Now i am alone. I collect VC stuff, soft and hardware.
And i hope and dream about an new VC-20. But i think i will dream about to end of my life.
I see that Atari sold 500.000 Units from her Atari Flashback I, and now there come ore is Flashback II
Why this is not possible with the VIC ???
I have modern computers too, i need it. I am programmer and networker.
I have an PS2 with harddisk usw. I have Apple G5 and iBook G4.
BUT when i have time to play, i play with emu`s or better with REAL VC-20.
Cheers
Mobsie from Germany where the summer will not start
great thread !
Yes i mis the old VC-20 days too. Okay i have VC-20 now and i play, write programms and so on. But in the good old time i have a lot of friends who do the same. And we collect software play games.
Now i am alone. I collect VC stuff, soft and hardware.
And i hope and dream about an new VC-20. But i think i will dream about to end of my life.
I see that Atari sold 500.000 Units from her Atari Flashback I, and now there come ore is Flashback II
Why this is not possible with the VIC ???
I have modern computers too, i need it. I am programmer and networker.
I have an PS2 with harddisk usw. I have Apple G5 and iBook G4.
BUT when i have time to play, i play with emu`s or better with REAL VC-20.
Cheers
Mobsie from Germany where the summer will not start
It would be great if they made an Atari Flashback or C64-DTV type device based on the VIC-20. But I don't think it will ever happen. The Atari 2600 still has a large nostalgia base and a lot of popular titles, so it sold on those features.Mobsie wrote:I see that Atari sold 500.000 Units from her Atari Flashback I, and now there come ore is Flashback II
Why this is not possible with the VIC ???
The C64 DTV sold partly on the nostalgia, but also the hardware will allow programming of new games that are at about at the NES level of complexity (or slightly higher?), so the hardware itself can be sold to companies that want to market new, original DTV games (like the HUMMER DTV game).
The VIC didn't have as large a following as the C64 or Atari 2600, and the hardware itself is a little too limiting to be marketable for new DTV games. It would cost the same to produce a C64 DTV as a VIC-20 DTV, so most companies would choose the more capable C64 hardware.
I would love to see it but I don't think it's going to happen.
However, there is the C-ONE.
Yep, if there was a generic DTV (µ-C1 ?) that could take a Flash memory card with a hardware abstraction emulator and data files (i.e. games) to load, it could be a big hit. The DTV has already been adapted to take a 1541, and if Yeahronimo (then Tulip) made a move towards Toy Lobster about the retro factor and existing users, they could both have a standard IEC port on the joystick to allow it loading from disk, and design an official Flash memory device using the IEC bus - at the same time backwards compatible with the old VIC-20, C64 etc.
Anders Carlsson
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For me, what I miss is less of the "computering" itself, and more of the fact that I had the free time to work on these kinds of fun/educational things. Plus there was some really good comaradarie with friends in the computer club, related to but not necessarily focussed on the computers.
These days I just run around like crazy trying to keep up with everything and hardly get to see friends. Hardly have the time to do all the things I have to do, never mind hobby time. It's not just me, though, I arranged to go for dinner with friends and the only date that worked for all of us was 2 months away!
But I agree with ruud - try something new and different, like electronics projects. At age 13 I got a huge thrill out of making a BASIC program to flash my name on the screen - not any more though. But hooking up a LED or a motor to the user port and seeing it come to life under program control, now that's neat!
These days I just run around like crazy trying to keep up with everything and hardly get to see friends. Hardly have the time to do all the things I have to do, never mind hobby time. It's not just me, though, I arranged to go for dinner with friends and the only date that worked for all of us was 2 months away!
But I agree with ruud - try something new and different, like electronics projects. At age 13 I got a huge thrill out of making a BASIC program to flash my name on the screen - not any more though. But hooking up a LED or a motor to the user port and seeing it come to life under program control, now that's neat!