Remember when computers were fun? When you would turn them on and get a friendly "READY" message? Remember when you would load up the new game, or type the entire game in from a computing magazine? Remember when the entire computer was discoverable and it invited you to learn about it and maybe write a little code instead of just doing everything through a browser?
Those 8-bit machines challenged us, excited us, and made us consider a world of possibility.
Maybe you were too young to rememeber those days, or didn't have the chance to participate in them, but the fun and excitement of those computers need not be a thing of the past.
The Oregon Computer Club's members celebrate and continue to explore and learn about computers such as the Commodore 64, the Atari 800, the ZX Spectrum, and many others of the 1980s.
There has also been a resurgence of interest in computers like these. Many projects recreate these computers in modern hardware, or create completely new computers using hardware and technology from that time!
Vintage Computers
Some of the classics you may remember:Neo-Retro Computers to Check Out
- The Commander X16
- The OtterX (a Commander X16 clone)
- The Commodore 64 Ultimate (I know, right?!)
- The ZX Spectrum Next
- The Mega 65
- The MiSTer Project