New users: Introduce yourself

[RobertB]

When I was a teenager, I had all the time in the world to work with my Commodores, but I had very little money. Now, that I have the money, I've got so little time...

How true that is, Carl. 

                   Truly,
                   Robert Bernardo
                   Fresno Commodore User Group
                   http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                   Notacon 6 / Blockparty 3 on April 16-19
                   http://www.notacon.org , http://www.demoparty.us

[smj]

I'm Stephen Jones and I don't consider myself a 'retro-computer-user' as I never really stopped using my old computer equipment.   My first computer experience was in 1977 on a Teletype Model 37 which my dad brought home from his office (Bell Labs).  I already knew our home telephone number but the second number I learned was the Lab's modem bank and we'd dial in (at about 150 baud) to a PDP-11 running UNIX.  My dad's login was 'sjones' and his password was 'xyzzy'.  Its funny the things you remember.

We later had a Teletype Model 43 which could do 300 and 1200 baud.  I stayed at 1200 bps through out the 80s and upgraded to 9600 in 1992.

Robert Bernardo invited me here.

[Rorshach]

I too had a chance to use a PDP-11 in my high school years in the 80's on a couple of those computers. Instead of unix they had RSX-11M+ and RSM-11 if my memory has not failed me. Also was not xyzzy a reference to the original zork series?

[Ruud]

My name is Ruud Baltissen. I started with a C64 in 1985. Why? It had the most interesting hackable hardware compared to other systems When I started to work for a firm that assembled PC's and I got good access to all kind of PC hardware, I lost a great deal of interest for my C64. But that returned about 1992 when PC's got less hackable because of their SMD IC's and PCI slots.
From then on I also got more interested in other older computers as well. On my site you can find more info about me, my computers and projects: http://www.baltissen.org . Have fun !!!

[Badders]

Hi! I'm Pete from Durham, UK.

I got my first computer for xmas '83 and it was a Commodore 64 which is still in use today. The first computer I ever used was a VIC-20 which I thought was amazing, even more so after I used a Spectrum 16k 

I now have the following:

C64 "Breadbin" x 2
C64c x 1
VIC-20 x 1
Plus/4 x 1
128D x 1
PET 2001 x 1 (current repair project)
BBC B with CF adapter x 1
Spectrum 48k x 2
Spectrum +2 (Grey) x 1
Macintosh SE FDHD x 1 (picked up for £10)
Amiga 600 x 1
Amiga 1200 x 1
Atari 800XL (new acquisition)

I also have various tape decks/disk drives for the Commodore machines and use the 1541U+ on the VIC-20/C64/Plus/4 machines. Fantastic device!

I hate Windows with a passion, my main computer is an iMac.

I'm also the chairman of the Commodore Computer Club. Any Commodore owners who are interested, pop along to www.commodorecomputerclub.co.uk, we're a friendly bunch and don't bite too often 

I think that'll do for now.

Pete.

[RobertB]

     Good to see you here, Pete.  Now I have to get this amateur film ready for Blockparty.  The film is due in 4 hours, and I still have to film one scene, edit the video one more time, and drop in the music.

                  Almost all C= problems solved here,
                  Robert Bernardo
                  Fresno Commodore User Group
                  http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                  Notacon 6 / Blockparty 3 happening now!
                  http://www.notacon.org , http://www.demoparty.us

[HanSolo]

Howdy,

Hans here. The only vintage computers I got are the VIC-20 and the VIC-64. But unfortunately the VIC-20 doesn't start at all.

I started programming on an Apple IIe, and later bought my own VIC-20 as a teenager. I've gone through so many different languages and systems that I lost count. A few years back, my second son wanted to learn to program, and he struggled with C++ and other languages, but couldn't really get the basic grip of things. So I let him borrow my 64, and the very simple intro books. He got through them in a week or less, and had very little problem after that. I realized it can be quite intimidating to learn to program on today's system, and those old systems have a certain charm... I don't know what it is.

Anyway, I'm here now. Hi everyone.

[Paul]

Welcome aboard, HanSolo!  Maybe we can help you get that old Vic 20 up and running; they're a specialty of mine.  What does it do?

Does your 64 computer actually say Vic-64?  If so, you may have a real valuable vintage computer on your hands worth lots of money!  Can you get a picture of it, and post it in the Commodore 64 forum?

[RobertB]

The only vintage computers I got are the VIC-20 and the VIC-64. But unfortunately the VIC-20 doesn't start at all.

And if worse comes to worse, you could always buy a VIC-20 from our group or have it repaired by Ray Carlsen. 

                Depending on where you are,
                Robert Bernardo
                Fresno Commodore User Group
                http://videocam.net.au/fcug
                The Other Group of Amigoids
                http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
                Southern California Commodore/Amiga Network
                http://www.sccaners.org/