Amazing development of technology

[Oyabun]

I've followed the developments of computer science and computer gaming as a sideline for the last ~30-35 years (well, it is not true as I wasn't following for the last 10), but this is an amazing way to show the journey we went through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nLZ_qFYvpI

[iceman]

My 1st computer was a 'build it yourself' 8 bit set of chips with a tape port (cassette tape), less than 1K or ram and 8-digit display much like a calculator - I then progressed through to my 1st 'BASIC' language computer, again self built from a set with a black and white display - 1K ram cost £49! My 1st ever x2 CD writer cost over £900 and blanks were horendously expensive.

Now everone has holographic watches, teleport ports in their homes and PCX's as nice 'novel' means of transport to keep it old-school

[Mel46]

Since I have a Computer Science degree and was a Software Engineer, it was natural for me in 1980, when the PC first came out to take one apart with friends to see how it was assembled. Then we started working on ways to make it run faster. We wrote Assembly code programs, and connected it to the university mainframe. I guess you could say that we were some of the original hackers.

[homie]

Can't remember the last time I purchased an over the counter computer. Must have saved a bundle because they certainly last a lot longer when they are not integrated. Do most replace their entire computers every two years? At least that's how it goes with my friends and family. It might be a pain to learn how to piece them together but we are talking 5 to 7 years of service by upgrading everything along the way but the motherboard. So build on the very best board you can afford or get a kid to build one for you.

[you you]

Since I have a Computer Science degree and was a Software Engineer, it was natural for me in 1980, when the PC first came out to take one apart with friends to see how it was assembled. Then we started working on ways to make it run faster. We wrote Assembly code programs, and connected it to the university mainframe. I guess you could say that we were some of the original hackers.

Pfft. Youngsters. I can remember punched paper vs magnetic strip arguments.

Now my mobile phone (!!!) or computer in my pocket (!!!) that connects to the internet(???) without wires (wtf!) that has a quarter of a tb memory..

And I'll fill it with selfies and whatsapp pictures.

[relic]

I own a flip phone-never bothered with vcr dvd or blu-ray or gps
got my first credit card-they ran those things under a roller to make an imprint and then you had to provide a signature - when I was 35 and a telephone # at 40
bought an apple mac LC11 in 1992 and souped up the memory to 8 MB and thought I was leading edge
it is stored in the same box as my 14400 bps fax modem
arrested development?
and you you I remember those punched cards
and do you remember having to go to a bank and presenting a withdrawal slip to a teller for some cash?
Like the credit card -computers - the telephone number not so much

[alx123]

I just hate that batteries on phones nowadays won't last like they used to. Our house is full of chargers it's confusing. lol

[iceman]

I just hate that batteries on phones nowadays won't last like they used to. Our house is full of chargers it's confusing. lol

Good ol nokia's last over a week on one charge, modern phones with large full colour screens and wifi/blutooth always on, well, the little lithium batteries do well. Still find it amazing how thin modern displays, phones and laptops can be, and once they get rid of 3.5mm sockets they will be even thinner.

[you you]

I just hate that batteries on phones nowadays won't last like they used to. Our house is full of chargers it's confusing. lol

Check out Gearbest. Plenty of phones with large batteries.

[you you]

I own a flip phone-never bothered with vcr dvd or blu-ray or gps
got my first credit card-they ran those things under a roller to make an imprint and then you had to provide a signature - when I was 35 and a telephone # at 40
bought an apple mac LC11 in 1992 and souped up the memory to 8 MB and thought I was leading edge
it is stored in the same box as my 14400 bps fax modem
arrested development?
and you you I remember those punched cards
and do you remember having to go to a bank and presenting a withdrawal slip to a teller for some cash?
Like the credit card -computers - the telephone number not so much

paper embossed credit card transaction you had to sign

[kramnala58]

Pfft. Youngsters. I can remember punched paper vs magnetic strip arguments. ..........

A number of years back (30 to be exact), I worked for a department of a large telecommunications company that produced those cards. The little 'chads' (noted in US election results of 2004, I believe - hanging chads and dimpled chads) were great for confetti at a wedding. We also had the habit of putting them in the air vents of friends' cars. Sometimes years later one would be blown out the vent or they would work their way down to the fan and make an annoying tic-tic-tic sound.

[you you]

Pfft. Youngsters. I can remember punched paper vs magnetic strip arguments. ..........

A number of years back (30 to be exact), I worked for a department of a large telecommunications company that produced those cards. The little 'chads' (noted in US election results of 2004, I believe - hanging chads and dimpled chads) were great for confetti at a wedding. We also had the habit of putting them in the air vents of friends' cars. Sometimes years later one would be blown out the vent or they would work their way down to the fan and make an annoying tic-tic-tic sound.

Inside closed umbrellas was my favourite

[Mel46]

I actually became interested in computers when I worked in the data corrections department of a Brokerage Firm in 1968. If there was a mistake, we had to create punch cards to sell of the mistake, another card to buy the mistake, another to sell correct amount, and yet another to buy the correct amount. Do that with 100 errors per day and you make 400 cards per day. What a pain. We had to manually make each card. Computers have come a long way since then.

[k2apache6.0]

I've followed the developments of computer science and computer gaming as a sideline for the last ~30-35 years (well, it is not true as I wasn't following for the last 10), but this is an amazing way to show the journey we went through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nLZ_qFYvpI

Computers? Gaming? Now you're talkin Oya. Heres my self built gaming rig. (Prime 95 stable 12.5hrs small fft's)
Intel i7 3770k @ 4.9Ghz
2 x Asus Strix GTX 970's in SLI
32GB G Skill Ares DDR3 2400Mhz memory. 2 Pumps, 2 rads, 11 fans. 4.25 TB data (HDD's) and system drive (ssd)

[chicaboo]

My water cooling is a little bit more low-key than that.

[Mel46]

k2apache6.0, I am drooling over that computer of yours! Unfortunately, my wife has just reminded me that I already have multiple tablets, an Apple Macbook Pro, and Apple Airbook, a Home Theater PC that I custom built, and a Linux machine in the basement that just burned up yesterday. (I will be tearing that one down soon to see what happened.) All of them are connected to my ASUS AC68U router. So, she says that I don't need yet another one. ...she just doesn't understand. :-\

[k2apache6.0]

k2apache6.0, I am drooling over that computer of yours! Unfortunately, my wife has just reminded me that I already have multiple tablets, an Apple Macbook Pro, and Apple Airbook, a Home Theater PC that I custom built, and a Linux machine in the basement that just burned up yesterday. (I will be tearing that one down soon to see what happened.) All of them are connected to my ASUS AC68U router. So, she says that I don't need yet another one. ...she just doesn't understand. :-\

Hahaha, maybe that's why I remained single, the 'significant other' always took a back seat to the 'significant hobby'. They always like to tell you how YOUR own money should be spent don't they lol? Yup once the honeymoon's over, ... Ah well, you're doing pretty well there Mel, now the Linux is kaput you have a reason, all that remains is some sneaky incremental budget finagling.

[Mel46]

When I got married many, many years ago I knew that I would be giving up some things, like money, but it has been worth it. If you get married in the hope of becoming rich, forget it. Women have a relationship with money.
Luckily I really don't care that much about money. I care about what will make people realistically happy. Money doesn't do that. After you buy something there is a good chance you will tire of it and want something else.
I have grandchildren who are turning into little consumers. There isn't much that they don't have, but they want more. Life is going to be miserable for them, thanks to their consumer parents. We did NOT raise our kids that way, but their friends turned them.
Heck, when one of their friends turned 16 their parents gave them a BMW convertible, which they promptly crashed. We told our kids that if they wanted a car they had better start saving. They didn't, so they didn't get a car until they were on their own after high school.

[k2apache6.0]

Agreed it's not so much 'kids today' it's 'parents today' ..BMW's for first cars! ..Ridiculous, but that's what peer pressure can do. Problem is where do you go from there? I built a custom PC for my friends 15 year old. Imagine a computer much like my own that most adults can't afford to splurge on or at least justify, yet there you go, where does the kid go to from there, a quantum computer? ...It took me years to get to that level, on my own earnings. Now it's instant gratification courtesy of todays soft touch parents and their spoiled kids.

[Mel46]

I remember when I built one of the many computers I have built. There was another guy at my work that wanted to build one at the same time. We discussed parts. He had more money than I did. He bought more expensive parts. I built mine so that I could swap out processors as I was able to. My pcx was still running long after his had reached the end of its useful life.
Just because you have money does not make you smarter than others. Parents should be teaching get their kids how to shop smarter, not how to impulse buy so that you can have it first. But, and this is a big one, the kids won't be as popular with the other consumer kids if they don't get it first. I think we now should start teaching our kids about giving.