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Post by Jeff Ledger on Jun 5, 2006 12:42:55 GMT -5
I'm sitting in my office today reloading some poor muck's dead hard drive with Windows XP, sipping coffee, recovering from a great weekend at C4. In mentally reviewing the events of this weekend, I got thinking about the usage the typical retrocomputer owner. I'm writing this message on a PC using Windows XP. Moments before I opened my palm schedule to review my day and see if I had a few mins. to post to the forum. My SX64 is still sitting in the living-room among the luggage brought back from the expo. Obviously my own usage of retrocomputers is what I would refer to as "hobby" level, in other words, it's a great place to play games, and unwind. I'm a big fan of the Linux OS and have given away many copies, & installed systems for people in the attempt to spread a great alternative to Windows. A few years ago, someone challenged me to "put up, or shut up" in regard to Linux. So I backed up my software, formatted my hard-drive and installed Slackware as a full install. For one year, my personal system did not boot to Windows, and I did all of my computing under this system. (If it weren't for the great PC-based tools released for the Commodore, I'd go back in a heartbeat.) Maybe it's lack of sleep, or C= intoxication from expo going, but I'm starting to ponder the idea if this "put up, or shut up" challenge might be doable on a retrocomputer. The demo of the RRnet cart at C4 really demonstrated that the C64 is nearing true Internet abilities without the requirement of a PC. With products like uIEC and IDE64 certainly storage isn't a problem. Software like Dave Mooreman's mouse-based word-processor provides excellent modern options with the option of saving files as standard text. There's a handful of people who read this forum from work because their primary system is a retrocomputer. I can almost hear you shouting "DO IT!", so here's the proposal. For the next year, I'm going to attempt migrate a couple of my retrocomputers from "hobby" status into my computing daily activities. Here's the list of tasks that will need to be handled by cica 80's technology. Internet Access Word Processing Daily Calendar (Will attempt to replace my palm with a model100 during the challenge) Because of the nature of creaky old hardware, parallel copies of all "mission critical" data will be entered on the PC as well. A blog will be established to document the success or failure. I'm not expecting this to be as smooth as the Linux switchover, but it should be a fun experiment, and provide for some entertaining reading for the retro community. Anyone else crazy enough to join me? I'm curious just how many of you have interesting usage for your retrocomputers, besides games of course. Jeff
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Post by thurstan on Jun 6, 2006 9:36:32 GMT -5
For me I could "put up and shut up" with a retro computer if I could access my webmail in a useable format. I telnet a lot and I know there is a new c64 telnet client out there to use with the RR-net. But things like itunes and online gaming need a pc.
So currently my usage is primarily games and then learning to program in BASIC.
At work I could easily swap to Linux as the main database we use has been ported to linux, many of our products run on linux and if I could get a decent linux version of Exchange for email then I would be fine! Though I use virtual machines a lot at work and not sure if they have a linux port of vmware
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Post by miner2049er on Jun 6, 2006 16:24:55 GMT -5
many of our products run on linux and if I could get a decent linux version of Exchange for email then I would be fine! We have an Excahnge server at work that regularly goes AWOL, but our SLOX server has been restarted once in 2 years. The Exchange server probably sees more throughput and bandwidth usage, but the SLOX server has many more users.
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Post by thurstan on Jun 7, 2006 6:26:28 GMT -5
Well I would only need a linux Exchange client, I cant see our company changing to SLOX with over 13,000 users !
For retro use, something like GeOS or SymbOS on the amstrad would do nicely if running at a decent speed.
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Post by kaos116 on Jun 8, 2006 1:27:59 GMT -5
I like fixing them, hacking them and upgrading them. Games are not my primary interest in retros, but I do play. Where is the line drawn in the retro time line? 8 bit only? 1980's vintage? I can't imagine a 1980's vintage machine on todays www. It would choke on Flash and javascript. You could go straight text based, but Ebay wouldn't be much fun. And what about the Retrobits podcast?!?!?! Interesting thread. I look forward to the blog. Todd
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Post by miner2049er on Jun 8, 2006 2:57:46 GMT -5
Well I would only need a linux Exchange client, I cant see our company changing to SLOX with over 13,000 users ! Why not? Where's your sense of adventure?
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Post by Jeff Ledger on Jun 8, 2006 21:53:30 GMT -5
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detnyre
Junior Member
detnyre
Posts: 99
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Post by detnyre on Jun 14, 2006 13:58:16 GMT -5
I'm game with this.
I think my system of choice would be a C-128 because of the 80 column text in 128 mode.
I think I would need to following applications for my day to day existence:
Word Processing Spreadsheet Calendar Internet Browser Email Access Ability to update my personal blog. Ability to listen subscribe and listen to PodCasts.
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Post by Golan Klinger on Jun 14, 2006 15:42:12 GMT -5
These days it seems like people spend the majority of their time using web browsers and with the emergence of web-based applications like Writely and Google Spreadsheets, that trend seems likely to continue. For an 8bit computer to be truly usable and relevant in this day and age, it needs a modern, compliant browser and I fear that is quite beyond the capabilities of our beloved machines. [Flame Retardant Mode ON] While I appreciate the spirit of attempting to make a go of things using only a Commodore, I fear it requires making concession after concession and ultimately, it's a pointless exercise. Of course it can be done, provided you're willing to live with what you have to give up, but why? After almost 25 years of dutiful service, I don't think it's insulting to relegate the 64 to hobby horse or nostalgic token status. What can I say? I just don't understand Luddism.
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Post by Jeff Ledger on Jun 14, 2006 17:31:33 GMT -5
Whoa! Had to quick look that one up..
Lud·dite n.
1. Any of a group of British workers who between 1811 and 1816 rioted and destroyed laborsaving textile machinery in the belief that such machinery would diminish employment. 2. One who opposes technical or technological change.
I'm also in doubt that my old retrocomputers can replace my modern technology. However, I'm game to push them as far as I can. This is intended more for fun than anything else.
One of the problems I'm having with this is that the 64 is becoming a dumb terminal to solve my email needs. In some ways my PC becomes a dumb terminal when I use the browser to connect to my gmail account so it's hard to draw the line. How much of the function is either computer doing when they are used this way.
I have solved the word processing issue, and will post about it soon in the blog. I can inter-connect with my PC to transfer my documents back and forth easily.
Jeff
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Post by appleiiguy on Jun 14, 2006 18:43:28 GMT -5
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Post by Golan Klinger on Jun 14, 2006 20:18:13 GMT -5
One of the problems I'm having with this is that the 64 is becoming a dumb terminal to solve my email needs. Yeah, that's a gray area. There are a few people who proudly contend that they use their Commodores for everything including browsing the web and reading email but upon further inquiry you'll learn that they using a terminal program to dial into their ISP's shell server. The shell server is the computer running programs like Lynx and PINE so the 64 isn't really browsing the web or accessing a mail server. It's a subtle difference that some are unable, or perhaps unwilling, to recognize. I saw Leif Bloomquist give a demo once where he used Contiki to browse the web over a broadband connection (using an RRNet). That was the real deal and it was very impressive. That being said, the browser wasn't capable of processing/viewing the vast majority of web content. When it comes to the web, the 64 isn't a replacement for a modern computer. As strange as it may sound, this is one area where I prefer 8bit computers over modern computers. My word processing needs are pretty simple. I don't so much need a word processor as a text editor and I find today's word processors to be far too busy for my taste. All I want is a blank screen with a cursor.
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Post by thurstan on Jun 15, 2006 5:13:33 GMT -5
I have the RR-net with Contiki and the web browsing is limited at best. Fine for text only webpages , but you cant stop the screen scrolling down or scroll back up again! (or i have not worked out how to).
Only worth it for the impending CML written webpages . . .
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Post by Jeff Ledger on Jun 15, 2006 11:15:41 GMT -5
Only worth it for the impending CML written webpages . . . Yeah, Hint taken... I will be buying an RRnet/MMC64 combo as soon as I build up my retro/toy fund again. (My mad money for expo going. ) With all the development going on with the RRnet card, it looks like thats the direction to go in, even with CML. Jeff
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Post by Jeff Ledger on Jun 15, 2006 11:20:53 GMT -5
I don't so much need a word processor as a text editor and I find today's word processors to be far too busy for my taste. All I want is a blank screen with a cursor. I'm the same way.. I like the ability to express myself in simple text with color. My poor vision thanks me for 40 column text. (Notice that most of the webpages are using columns of around 40 columns?) There's only one feature that I really use in my word processor... Spell check.. Jeff
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