How do you protect your classic computers?

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:22 am

It reminds me of this Tandy 1000SX currently on eBay. The description is worth a look even if you're not interested in the item.

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:15 pm

I love auctions where the seller has a sense of humour. It increases exposure which probably leads to a higher selling price so it's a clever thing to do.

Ian Colquhoun · Post by **Ian Colquhoun** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 10:04 pm

The line, "She likes it when you put your disk in real slow," reminds me of a screen saver a guy had at work years ago that said, "I love the way you stroke my keys."

vic user · Post by **vic user** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:42 am

sounds like Centallica

Timster · Post by **Timster** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:56 pm

Reviving an old thread, and returning WAYYY back to the original subject...

Just wanted to share an almost opposite-end-of-the-spectrum experience I had a little over a year ago.

Most everyone at work knew I was a vintage computer/game-console collector. This one lady on my team was planning a birthday party for her son (turning 10) and his 8 y/o brother with approx six 8-10 boys. She asked if I'd be willing to bring over some 'video games' for them to play. I was a little anxious at first, but decided it would probably be fun. I obviously wasn't thinking about the types of things that could've happened, as like what happened to the OP. With his FAMILY, no less.

Anyway - the day of the party, my stepson came over, and we packed up the following to bring to the party: Atari 7800 w/ 2600/7800 games, Genesis w/ games, Dreamcast w/ games, N64 w/ games, XBox w/ games, and Atari Lynx and Sega Gamegear for anyone not involved in console play. We also brought TVs, power-strips, and all the applicable controllers, hook-ups, etc... This took about an hour and it pretty much filled the back of my SUV with the back seats down. We had to take two cars so my wife and I, and step-son and GF could all get there with the stuff!

We got to her house around 1pm and spent about an hour hooking everything up. The boys all arrived, and within about 15 minutes, there was at least one person on each system. And they'd rotate after awhile. After awhile, most had congregated to the XBox - but every one of them tried every console, and came back to replay all of them throughout the day. And I was actually shocked at the level of respect and curiousity they had for all the hardware! They asked questions about some things - like the old handhelds and the 7800. I laughed thinking how long some of this stuff had been around BEFORE any of them were born.

They had access to everything for about 8-9 hours w/ minimal adult supervision (SOMEONE had to stay on the deck, cooking, eating, partying, etc... he he he). But when we broke everything down to pack up to bring home, EVERYTHING was as we brought it, and everyone of them had had a blast.

The ONLY reason I probably won't do such a thing again is because of the logistics. I had never given much thought to how much WORK would be involved in pulling something like this off!

It was definitely worth it - but like my wife and I taking the train from NJ to FL for our Honeymoon - a great, great time - but something I'd never do again!!! LOL!

--Timster--

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:51 pm

At last year's Retro Gathering here in Sweden, I think it was Stonan's nephew (how old is he - about 10 years old?) who within an hour became obsessed with Basic programming, let it be it was on a SX-64. Someone had brought the C64 manual, and he eagerly typed in the demo program that lets a balloon sprite fly over the screen. I sat with him and helped him when the program crashed due to typos, and his sudden interest seemed genuine; not sure if he had shown it before.

Timster · Post by **Timster** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:05 pm

Awesome! And scary to think I typed in that exact same program (probably many times before obtaining a storage device) almost 25 years ago!

--Timster--

PaulQ · Post by **PaulQ** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:44 pm

I find my 7 year old son is very respectful of my vintage collection. He was amazed that when he typed in ?5+5+5 and hit return, the computer knew the answer. What imressed him was the fact that this old computer, well before his time, seemed to know the answers to all of the math questons. I'm fairly certain it's the Baby Boomer generation that is the enemy to our vintage collections, while the new generaton of kids tend to look at these computers in awe and respect.

MacbthPSW · Post by **MacbthPSW** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 4:24 pm

Yeah, I've had no problems with kids and my stuff. I've got 5 of my own kids, and the middle kid (6 year old boy) wanted a video game party for his birthday earlier this month.

So I set up the Gamecube, N64 and Atari 2600 in the basement and just let the kids at it. No problems. I ended up playing quite a few 2600 games with one of the boys. Freeway was quite popular.

I also taught a programming class last year with our homeschool group, and I set up 4 C64's in a church classroom, and 8 kids paired up on them. It was good fun, and one of the boys really took to it. I lent him a C64, and he programmed like mad on it for about a month.

Some details here: http://psw.ca/robin/?p=157 and elsewhere in my blog.

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 3:41 am

So, how long before one of your adepts joins PSW?

MacbthPSW · Post by **MacbthPSW** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 3:54 am

carlsson wrote:So, how long before one of your adepts joins PSW?

I'll have to put on a membership drive

Well, I'll try and run another set of classes this summer if I have some time off between contracts. I think I'll put a bit more of an emphasis on making games if I get some returning students, as they'll have the groundwork already done.

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:29 am

vic user wrote:sounds like Centallica

Except if I tried to do the sexy voice it would make your nads hide like a turtle man

Brian

Centallica · Post by **Centallica** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:33 am

Hey Macbeth,

Did you ever attend back in 82/83 in Thunder Bay, they had a Vic-20 club up above a hanger at the airport? I attended a few of the meetings...

Brian

MacbthPSW · Post by **MacbthPSW** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:02 pm

Centallica wrote:Did you ever attend back in 82/83 in Thunder Bay, they had a Vic-20 club up above a hanger at the airport? I attended a few of the meetings...

No, this is the first I heard of it. Do you have any other details/memories about it?

Do you think this is the group that evolved into Thunder Bay's local Commodore user's group later? (CBUG, I think). I went to few of those meetings, but that was in the later 80s.