|
BobHoward posted:The Amiga was really a 16-bit successor of the Atari8 platform that was doomed by Commodore's bungling, prove me wrong Both parts of that are objectively true but kind of ignore the six years where the Amiga sold millions of units and had a ton of great stuff on it.
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 10:17
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 20:46 |
|
|
Started with a Tandy 1000sl. Two 5.25 floppies. No hdd. Any Deskmate memories were all replaced by ms dos as soon as 3 started getting press. I would see it at the computer fair and it had cool looking games...
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 10:29
|
|
|
First PC was a second hand Dell from my father's office that stank of cigarettes. 200mb HD I was constantly juggling stuff to fit on. Piss slow 486 33mhz and 8mb RAM so everything was a struggle of constant optimisation. Did the CD, modem (14.4!) And sound card installations myself and learned all about IRQs. I didn't know the bios key as I had no manual so I'd disconnect the hard drive if I ever wanted to get into the bios. Best teaching machine ever.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 10:34
|
|
|
well why not posted:Zoomers think iMacs are quintessentially retro kitsch so I have an iMac in my study and I can tell you that Gen X and Millenials think that they're retro kitsch also.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 11:40
|
|
|
G3 iMacs are the most late 90s/early 2000s computer imaginable.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 11:43
|
|
|
Other than a C64 that for some reason was rarely wired up to use, my family's first PC was a IBM XT 286 my Dad rescued when they shut down his local office. That would haven circa '90. A couple of years later we got a Packard Bell 386. What I do remember vividly, was getting my first sound card for Christmas on year. An Orchid SoundWave 32. However it was DOA, so I had to wait a week or so for the replacement. And then being blown away by having proper sound for the first time, specifically the intro to Strike Commander... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xyLfuPGa10
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 12:30
|
|
|
Fil5000 posted:Both parts of that are objectively true but kind of ignore the six years where the Amiga sold millions of units and had a ton of great stuff on it. Oh for sure, it did have some success. But the management rot was always there and those years were Commodore succeeding in spite of itself, simply because the startup they'd bought had some really cool poo poo and they couldn't completely screw it up right away. Speaking of this, one of my favorite things about this era is that Amiga was very nearly an Atari product, not a Commodore product. Atari under Time-Warner ownership invested quite a bit into Hi-Toro AKA Amiga Corporation. Jay Miner (the father of both the Atari8 and Amiga chipsets) was able to get some of his old bosses at Atari to buy in. As a result, Atari had some kind of priority right to buy Amiga out - if anyone else made an offer, Atari could choose to match that price and automatically win. Then Jack Tramiel departed Commodore in high dudgeon after a fight with its board, and bought Atari to get himself back into the personal computer market for a revenge tour. He lured some engineers away from Commodore to build the ST, essentially a 16-bit version of the C64 concept which Tramiel knew and loved. Make something cheap yet capable, and you're sure to move millions of units. What could go wrong? Folks at Amiga got wind of all this beforehand and didn't like it. They were at the stage where they needed either another round of investment or a buyout, and they didn't want to risk working for Tramiel, who had a reputation. Sure he might have poached some Commodore engineers, but if he got wind of Amiga, maybe he'd go with them instead. So they worked hard to quietly shop the company around, hoping to cut a deal that would get lost in the noise and confusion at Atari as Tramiel took over. This worked, but the monkey's paw curled. With the benefit of hindsight, it might well have been worse to end up working for Commodore's management than Tramiel.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 12:32
|
|
|
Eletriarnation posted:Excellent generation. I bought an i7-920 for Christmas 2008 and it was rock solid for several years until I started tinkering around with cheap Xeons from eBay and discovered I could get an X5660 to 4.6GHz if I put a huge Noctua cooler on it. I used that all the way up until 2018 when I replaced it with a Ryzen 3700X, and my younger cousin is still using it today. It's starting to run into a wall with new games because it lacks AVX support, sadly. This reminds me that I only started using aftermarket coolers in 2020, yes, nearly 11 years after I'd started building computers for myself. That 950, (and the 2500k I eventually upgraded to) miserably hamstrung by this dinky little thing:  The only time I feel its use was justified was when I tried SFF in this case around 2015, but somewhat less justified is me continuing to use stock coolers even when I switched to AMD (though the Wraith Prism included with my 2700x was actually fairly solid compared to Intel's crap). First non-stock cooler was the Fuma 2, and my eyes were finally opened. I really didn't understand fundamental things about PCs until just a few years ago lol Cross-Section fucked around with this message at 15:14 on Dec 9, 2023 |
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 15:06
|
|
|
Yeah, the LGA1366 cooler was a bit bigger and at least had a slug of copper in the center. I remember it being fine for light overclocks on my 920 (like, 3.5GHz). I actually swapped back to it when I upgraded because Noctua gave me an AM4 bracket for the NH-D14 and Westmere runs cooler than Nehalem, so the X5660 is still running fine with a light overclock using the 920's cooler as well. The D14 was made for >200W loads, so despite being an ancient model it's very much overkill for my 5800X3D. The LGA115x cooler is indeed pretty dinky though. I use them on 65W and lower chips because they really don't need more, and because these days I generally have those old platforms doing things where they are mostly idle anyway. It was unfortunate that Intel sold them for so long with 95/85/77W chips which really benefit from more. I see the Wraith Prism as being more like the 920 cooler - you won't set any records on it, but if you're staying at stock on the chip that comes with it you'll be perfectly fine and using it is an acceptable way to go with a budget build since you can always upgrade later. Really, it's what a stock cooler should be. Eletriarnation fucked around with this message at 16:27 on Dec 9, 2023 |
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 16:19
|
|
|
Subjunctive posted:hey friend, have you considered shutting the gently caress up? How many iPad kids have forums accounts now you think?
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 17:24
|
|
|
CBD Corndog posted:How many iPad kids have forums accounts now you think? Other than hbag, I’m not sure.
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 17:38
|
|
|
~Coxy posted:I have an iMac in my study and I can tell you that Gen X and Millenials think that they're retro kitsch also. I was just about to post this same basic sentiment. I have a G3 iMac and I absolutely would rock it as a piece of shelf art, if I didn't actually like playing games and stuff on it too. Because: njsykora posted:G3 iMacs are the most late 90s/early 2000s computer imaginable. I never even owned one when they were new, but their complete permeation of pop culture at the time affected me in the same way as if I'd actually had one. I have complete nostalgia for a computer I never actually owned or used when new
|
|
#
?
Dec 9, 2023 18:25
|
|
|
First computer was probably a Dell dimension with some sort of Pentium 4 I think
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 03:33
|
|
|
First PC was a $500 HP special that I managed to scrape the allowance money to buy over the years, with a 1.3 Ghz Intel Celeron processor in it. I could finally play Morrowind without it crashing whenever a trash mob popped on screen and I was so happy. Used it to learn how to program with Dark Basic (Professional) and it was good times that eventually led to my professional career. 
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 04:33
|
|
|
my first was a 386dx of some sort in ~1991 probably a desktop from a brand long forgotten
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 04:42
|
|
|
Okay, here's a question: how many of you have still bought pre-builts, despite being a hardware hobbyist?
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 04:46
|
|
|
gradenko_2000 posted:Okay, here's a question: how many of you have still bought pre-builts, despite being a hardware hobbyist? I splurged on a Falcon Northwest in 2021 for two reasons. 1. because it was impossible to get a 3090 otherwise and 2. Satisfy my much younger self's fantasy of buying a Falcon Northwest or Alienware circa late 90s when I'd drool over their ads in magazines.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 05:11
|
|
|
gradenko_2000 posted:Okay, here's a question: how many of you have still bought pre-builts, despite being a hardware hobbyist? My current PC is a pre-built. I have the pieces for a new PC in boxes in my office because I tried to put it together but had to RMA the motherboard and I desperately wish I'd gotten another pre-built.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 05:18
|
|
|
gradenko_2000 posted:Okay, here's a question: how many of you have still bought pre-builts, despite being a hardware hobbyist? My PC before this one was because at the end of the day it was the same price if not a bit cheaper and I couldn’t be hosed to build one. Even this new one once I got the parts I was wondering why TF I am bothering lol
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 05:25
|
|
|
The first computer I remember using was a 286 and loading commander keen 1 off some 5 1/4" flopppys
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 06:27
|
|
|
My first computer was an Epson Equity II+, rocking a fun switch to "boost" from 8 Mhz to 12 Mhz. The package included a monochrome monitor and a dot matrix printer.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 06:58
|
|
|
I bought a prebuilt in about 2007 because my existing machine broke and I was just about to have a kid (I think it actually broke on my son's due date) so I just needed the problem sorting. It was a terrible mistake because for what I paid I could have had something significantly better but I managed to make it last a good few years.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 10:41
|
|
|
Fil5000 posted:I bought a prebuilt in about 2007 because my existing machine broke and I was just about to have a kid (I think it actually broke on my son's due date) so I just needed the problem sorting. It was a terrible mistake because for what I paid I could have had something significantly better but I managed to make it last a good few years. I dont know if it's actually possible but I hope you can forgive yourself some day
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 10:51
|
|
|
Aware posted:I dont know if it's actually possible but I hope you can forgive yourself some day It's been a decade and a half but I'm getting there. One day at a time.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 10:54
|
|
|
The first PC I remember building with my Dad was some kind of Pentium 100 based machine, it's a bit foggy. I do remember upgrading it to a Pentium 200mmx and then I think our next full build was a slot based P400 machine. Dad wasn't in IT but was a bit of an enthusiast. My first solely my own PC was some dual PIII 800 monstrosity because we got sold on a dual socket motherboard at the PC shop. It was pre windows 2000 so there was no actual uplift until 2k released and even then it was basically only Quake 2 engine games making use of it. There was a website, 2smp.com I think, that was basically the only resource I remember having for all things multithreaded back then. It was a beast at compiling for Gentoo installs I remember.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 10:58
|
|
|
Thinking about it, I've pretty consistently gone between team blue and team red over the various different computers I've had. I don't think it's been a conscious decision, either - it just sort of worked out that way between deals and being semi-averse to the whole "buy one very expensive part every so often" because it ends up costing more in the long run.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 13:21
|
|
|
The Athlon era was a great time, competition and value wise.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 13:39
|
|
|
Always thought having a triple core CPU was so badass during the Phenom days.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 14:51
|
|
|
Blurb3947 posted:Always thought having a triple core CPU was so badass during the Phenom days. It still is. Everyone's got an even number of cores, but you? TRIPLE CORES
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 14:58
|
|
|
Commodore 64 here. My folks never bought "nice" stuff like that, so when my dad brought home a C64 and 1541 for Xmas (must have been 82 or 83) we were all *shocked* - but I loved it. Eventually got a 1702 monitor and a modem and tried BBS for the first time including COMPUSERVE! Back in the time in long distance calls were like $1/minute or some loving thing. I'm also the only person that I know of that actually got a Spartan, Apple 2 emulator (which was actually an Apple 2 you plugged into the back of the C64) and a board which turned your 1541 into a Apple floppy drive. Eventually sold the whole thing to a friend and got an Amiga 500 which was awesome. In retrospect, I really should have kept that Spartan. I was, and still am anal with my stuff, kept all boxes and packaging so it would be mint and worked really well for the bits of Apple software I threw at it. Sold that in the late 80s and my first Win PC was a 1st gen Pentium 200 with win 95. Custom built form a ma and pa shop. Every couple years after that built something new, until the last while where I'm able to have something for several years now. Probably replace the 9900k with the next gen Ryzen 3D whenever that comes out. Ended up buying a C64 from a PC store about 15 year ago. Someone came in and wanted to consign it and the owner went  no, so they just dumped it there.I bought it for off him for $20. Minty C64, 1541 and 1702. Still have them in the garage. Fired them up during COVID quarantine and played Flight Sim 2 and Ghostbusters. Yeeesh, some things are better left as memories.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 17:18
|
|
|
edit: wrong thread... i think.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 18:12
|
|
|
I had an Atari 800XL. It was already the early to mid 90's, I was just late to the game.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 19:02
|
|
|
slidebite posted:I bought it for off him for $20. Minty C64, 1541 and 1702. Still have them in the garage. Fired them up during COVID quarantine and played Flight Sim 2 and Ghostbusters. Yeeesh, some things are better left as memories. There are only a few games on the C64 that I enjoyed replaying, the rest just kinda sucks, unfortunately. Sam's Journey is genuinely cool though. I did spend the time transferring my old disks to my PC though, so my old programming experiments weren't lost. Donated the disks to a local Atari 8-bit User Group afterwards, sacrilege!
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 19:40
|
|
|
My first computer was the family computer: a 1987 IBM PS/2 model 25 with a monochrome display, a 20 meg (?) hard drive and no modem. Although I used Apple IIe's and the like in school, we did not get an internet-capable computer until - true story - 1999. I'm convinced that using DOS is one reason why I'm so comfortable in the Linux terminal today. The first PC I owned was a Dell Dimension 4600 desktop with Windows XP in 2003. That machine lasted for around six years, which seems impressive these days.
|
|
#
?
Dec 10, 2023 22:38
|
|
|
gradenko_2000 posted:Okay, here's a question: how many of you have still bought pre-builts, despite being a hardware hobbyist? My last two have been pre-built Lenovo ThinkCentre and Dell Optiplex. Once I realized you can get them for basically free and then just throw in a GPU to make a very usable machine, that was that. I've been meaning to build a new one again but I've been putting off due to GPUs being unobtainable or overpriced without a good use case.
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2023 02:01
|
|
|
mobby_6kl posted:My last two have been pre-built Lenovo ThinkCentre and Dell Optiplex. I did this years ago with a 1050ti that didn't need a 6 or 8 pin power connector. Is that still the case for these machines or do they have room for upgrades?
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2023 02:36
|
|
|
Just Another Lurker posted:I was the first person in the family to have a computer; Amiga 500, so much fun with Deluxe Paint back then.... i learned Guru Meditation as well. You were really able to keep your balance on the joyboard? Kudos. You must be awesome at yoga  Edit for history: First computer: SVI 738 X’Press with a bunch of the greatest Quickshot controllers. Then an Olivetti (PCS-46 chassis) 486 SX-25, 4 MB RAM, 170 MB Conner HD. Original SB16 and 2x CD drive. Upgraded with a DX2-50 in the separate Overdrive CPU slot, 8 MB RAM. SB AWE32 and a 540 MB Conner HD. So many ScreamTracker mods and 3D Studio 3 animations made on that thing. Also hours of POV-ray renders… My next computer was a P166 MMX in 1998 that got a 3DFX later in life, then Voodoo2. After that a Celeron 266 that I clocked to ~400 MHz (yeah, that legendary one). Then PIII, Plextor 4x SCSI burner (also legendary, soooo many 100-disc spindles went trough that thing) before I went AMD Athlon64 3000+ that I ran WinXP 64-bit edition for no other reason but being able to. Then Plextor went ATAPI and shat themselves on quality, my two 60 GB hoarding drives died and taught me the value of backups, and I got a TiBook. Still have the 200GB mp3 library from back then with so much stuff you can’t find today unless you search for literal years. Takes me back. F4rt5 fucked around with this message at 03:52 on Dec 11, 2023 |
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2023 03:29
|
|
|
gradenko_2000 posted:Okay, here's a question: how many of you have still bought pre-builts, despite being a hardware hobbyist? My first 4 computers were an XT clone, a 286+EGA, 386+VLB VGA, and a 486 with an ATI something or other, all in the span of 1995-1997. After that, every primary personal PC I've ever had has been built by me. I don't see why that would ever change, either.
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2023 03:33
|
|
|
Blurb3947 posted:I did this years ago with a 1050ti that didn't need a 6 or 8 pin power connector. Is that still the case for these machines or do they have room for upgrades? that's still mostly the case - these office machines tend to have 250-300w PSUs that do not have PCIe power connectors, and then they also can't be changed out because the PSU form factor and/or the connectors are proprietary
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2023 03:50
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 20:46 |
|
|
I feel like, if anything, they've made the office PCs even more hostile to upgrade than before, to stop this very use.
|
|
#
?
Dec 11, 2023 03:54
|
|