First computer you used... and owned?

***Edwin*** · 1 Apr 2005, 11:10 PM

What was the first computer you ever used?

What was the first one you ever owned?

I'll get us started

USED: ZX80

OWNED: ZX Spectrum 16K

=====

BONUS COMPLETE COMPUTER HISTORY
ZX Spectrum 16K, ZX Spectrum 48K, Commodore 64, Amstrad 1512, Philips 8088-based PC, Philips 286 PC, Tandon 386 PC, Compaq 486, Compaq P120, home-built PC with various processors: P166, P233MMx, P300, P500 and currently P1Ghz.

Fenman · 2 Apr 2005, 12:10 AM

I first owned an Amiga. It was pretty well dedicated to my sons' game-playing and I wanted nothing *at all* to do with it.

It was only when they persuaded me to buy a printer and I could see some use to the thing that I gingerly offered my forefinger up to the keyboard for the first time. If only I had known the hours and hours that were to follow!

Fenman

JRobert · 2 Apr 2005, 12:16 AM

Used: IBM RAMAC 305.
It used vacuum tubes and relays and filled an air-conditioned room (with heat, as well as with equipment!). It's 5MB disk unit consisted of a stack of 24" disk platters served by 2 heads that each moved up/down and in/out to find a particular platter and track. The programs were loaded from punch cards onto a magnetic drum, and each program had a matching (interchangeable) jumper board the size of a cafeteria tray that we installed manually as part of the program-load process. Needless to say, it ran one program at a time.

Owned: Digital Equipment Corp. PDT-11.
Slightly small than a laser printer, it contained a (clone of a) PDP-11 micro-computer, with an 8080(?) chip to control it from a stand-alone terminal. It had 2 256K, 8" floppy drives for storage.

-jeff-

**ReuvenNY** · 2 Apr 2005, 12:19 AM

Where do I start... The first computer I used was also the first one I owned. It was the Kaypro II from Kaycorp - a defunct company. It was in 1982; the operating system was CP/M and the computer was a Z-80 CPU 26 lb “portable”.
The talk in the street was that the just announced IBM - PC is not going to make it, as they did not conform to the CP/M standard of the industry. They said that it’s going to ruin their chances in the market place (coming with an obscure operating system called PC-DOS). I guess quite a lot has changed since

http://oldcomputers.net/kayproii.html

**Gankaku** · 2 Apr 2005, 05:48 AM

Oh my gosh, I can't remember the first computer I used. It was at college...

I used the first PCs ever since they came out. I think before that the Apples came out. Those were the first desktop machines. We had those at our labs and my class used them.

The first system I owned was a PC XT. Amber screen...someone built it for me. Was it ever EXPENSIVE!

dragon1 · 2 Apr 2005, 06:18 AM

First used: It has to be the one at work which was tied into the network. I think it was on UNIX (actually their own version of it called Cromix) because that's the kind of microcomputers the company built.

edit: Maybe the first used was the one at college when I took BASIC for the experience. Didn't know much about computers then, so I can't tell you what it was. All I used was a keyboard and terminal of some sort and the output was on paper printout. Back in the late 70s.

First owned: no-name 386/33Mhz initally with a 30MB (?) hard drive upgraded to a 350MB hd running DOS & Windows 3.1. Early 90s.

The Storm · 2 Apr 2005, 06:57 AM

2 computers.

One was an Amiga Commodore and the other a really basic IBM running DOS and X-Tree-Gold

The Storm · 2 Apr 2005, 07:37 AM

But wait theres more!

Order today and you get a fantastic magnetic underlay at no extra cost!

Hehehe joking. I did manage to find a pic of what I think the amiga was http://oldcomputers.net/amiga1000.html

As for the IBM, well I can't find the exact model, maybe it was an Australian only release?

registered_user · 2 Apr 2005, 07:44 AM

Ti-99/4A

Years later, I found one at a thrift store and just had to buy one... ten bucks.

That was really my parents' though (as were most of those that followed). The first computer I personally owned was a Commodore 64. Saved my allowance for almost a year for it.

DrStrabismus · 2 Apr 2005, 09:45 AM

ICL 2904

Tangerine Microtan 65 with a massive 1K ram

**Shelded** · 2 Apr 2005, 04:03 PM

IBM via GTE timesharing and a Teletype from the kitchen telephone. I played tic-tac-toe and tried some BASIC (is that right?) while Dad wrote Fortran.

Dell PC-AT clone with 1MB RAM and a 40MB Irwin tape drive that sounded like a dentist drill.

David · 2 Apr 2005, 04:16 PM

I was lucky

I had a DEC PDP 11/23 Minicomputer, sitting on my desk at work to play with. This was around 1978 I think.

dragon1 · 2 Apr 2005, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Storm
2 computers.

One was an Amiga Commodore and the other a really basic IBM running DOS and X-Tree-Gold

I still have an unopened box of XTree Gold v.2.5, a file and disk manager for DOS, that I bought for the aforementioned 386/33 'puter. Wonder if it'll fetch anything on eBay?

unhappysoul · 3 Apr 2005, 05:21 PM

Apple IIe with two floppy disk drive.

First game : castlewolfsten

Ran BBS using my parents telephone line.and played some
kind of adventure game via BBS...

I was 16 years old I think and my dad spend arond $3000
for the whole system ( maybe it was less then that not sure
since my dad paid for it but it was lot of money for my family
back then... still now )

euroman · 3 Apr 2005, 09:38 PM

1. First computer - used and owned: an 086 of some kind - can't remember brand. A real dog.

2. First decent computer - an apple LCIII (still own...) Still luv it even though I don't use it much. I have about 6 PCs now and sersiously none compare with the sophistication I experienced with the LCIII.

3. First work computer - a NEC with 40mb of memory and it was just about top of line. (About $3,5000 at time) Running xenix OS and networked with wyse terminals - brilliant.

1 Apr 2005, 11:10 PM	#1
*Edwin* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: UK Posts: 3,118	First computer you used... and owned? What was the first computer you ever used? What was the first one you ever owned? I'll get us started USED: ZX80 OWNED: ZX Spectrum 16K ===== BONUS COMPLETE COMPUTER HISTORY ZX Spectrum 16K, ZX Spectrum 48K, Commodore 64, Amstrad 1512, Philips 8088-based PC, Philips 286 PC, Tandon 386 PC, Compaq 486, Compaq P120, home-built PC with various processors: P166, P233MMx, P300, P500 and currently P1Ghz.

2 Apr 2005, 06:18 AM	#6
dragon1 Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: California Posts: 674	First used: It has to be the one at work which was tied into the network. I think it was on UNIX (actually their own version of it called Cromix) because that's the kind of microcomputers the company built. edit: Maybe the first used was the one at college when I took BASIC for the experience. Didn't know much about computers then, so I can't tell you what it was. All I used was a keyboard and terminal of some sort and the output was on paper printout. Back in the late 70s. First owned: no-name 386/33Mhz initally with a 30MB (?) hard drive upgraded to a 350MB hd running DOS & Windows 3.1. Early 90s. Last edited by dragon1 : 2 Apr 2005 at 06:25 AM.

2 Apr 2005, 04:03 PM	#11
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	The internet of the 1960's IBM via GTE timesharing and a Teletype from the kitchen telephone. I played tic-tac-toe and tried some BASIC (is that right?) while Dad wrote Fortran. Dell PC-AT clone with 1MB RAM and a 40MB Irwin tape drive that sounded like a dentist drill.

3 Apr 2005, 05:21 PM	#14
unhappysoul Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 504	Apple IIe Apple IIe with two floppy disk drive. First game : castlewolfsten Ran BBS using my parents telephone line.and played some kind of adventure game via BBS... I was 16 years old I think and my dad spend arond $3000 for the whole system ( maybe it was less then that not sure since my dad paid for it but it was lot of money for my family back then... still now )

2 Apr 2005, 12:10 AM	#2
Fenman Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: UK (East Anglia) Posts: 737	I first owned an Amiga. It was pretty well dedicated to my sons' game-playing and I wanted nothing at all to do with it. It was only when they persuaded me to buy a printer and I could see some use to the thing that I gingerly offered my forefinger up to the keyboard for the first time. If only I had known the hours and hours that were to follow! Fenman

2 Apr 2005, 12:16 AM	#3
JRobert Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 1,561	Used: IBM RAMAC 305. It used vacuum tubes and relays and filled an air-conditioned room (with heat, as well as with equipment!). It's 5MB disk unit consisted of a stack of 24" disk platters served by 2 heads that each moved up/down and in/out to find a particular platter and track. The programs were loaded from punch cards onto a magnetic drum, and each program had a matching (interchangeable) jumper board the size of a cafeteria tray that we installed manually as part of the program-load process. Needless to say, it ran one program at a time. Owned: Digital Equipment Corp. PDT-11. Slightly small than a laser printer, it contained a (clone of a) PDP-11 micro-computer, with an 8080(?) chip to control it from a stand-alone terminal. It had 2 256K, 8" floppy drives for storage. -jeff-

2 Apr 2005, 12:19 AM	#4
ReuvenNY Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York Posts: 4,259	Where do I start... The first computer I used was also the first one I owned. It was the Kaypro II from Kaycorp - a defunct company. It was in 1982; the operating system was CP/M and the computer was a Z-80 CPU 26 lb “portable”. The talk in the street was that the just announced IBM - PC is not going to make it, as they did not conform to the CP/M standard of the industry. They said that it’s going to ruin their chances in the market place (coming with an obscure operating system called PC-DOS). I guess quite a lot has changed since http://oldcomputers.net/kayproii.html

2 Apr 2005, 05:48 AM	#5
Gankaku Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 3,264	Oh my gosh, I can't remember the first computer I used. It was at college... I used the first PCs ever since they came out. I think before that the Apples came out. Those were the first desktop machines. We had those at our labs and my class used them. The first system I owned was a PC XT. Amber screen...someone built it for me. Was it ever EXPENSIVE!

2 Apr 2005, 06:57 AM	#7
The Storm Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: SE Queensland, Australia Posts: 314	2 computers. One was an Amiga Commodore and the other a really basic IBM running DOS and X-Tree-Gold

2 Apr 2005, 07:37 AM	#8
The Storm Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: SE Queensland, Australia Posts: 314	But wait theres more! Order today and you get a fantastic magnetic underlay at no extra cost! Hehehe joking. I did manage to find a pic of what I think the amiga was http://oldcomputers.net/amiga1000.html As for the IBM, well I can't find the exact model, maybe it was an Australian only release?

2 Apr 2005, 07:44 AM	#9
registered_user Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 164	Ti-99/4A Years later, I found one at a thrift store and just had to buy one... ten bucks. That was really my parents' though (as were most of those that followed). The first computer I personally owned was a Commodore 64. Saved my allowance for almost a year for it.

2 Apr 2005, 09:45 AM	#10
DrStrabismus The "e" in e-mail Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 2,804	ICL 2904 Tangerine Microtan 65 with a massive 1K ram

2 Apr 2005, 04:16 PM	#12
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	I was lucky I had a DEC PDP 11/23 Minicomputer, sitting on my desk at work to play with. This was around 1978 I think.

3 Apr 2005, 09:38 PM	#15
euroman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 136	1. First computer - used and owned: an 086 of some kind - can't remember brand. A real dog. 2. First decent computer - an apple LCIII (still own...) Still luv it even though I don't use it much. I have about 6 PCs now and sersiously none compare with the sophistication I experienced with the LCIII. 3. First work computer - a NEC with 40mb of memory and it was just about top of line. (About $3,5000 at time) Running xenix OS and networked with wyse terminals - brilliant.