Build the computer of your childhood

[NickStone]

I've found a great website for helping you to build a classic computer from yesteryear. It's http://rockybergen.com/papercraft

Brings back happy geeky memories.

[jglen490]

computer NE childhood

My childhood was in the 1950s

Now the first personal computer of my own, was an Amstrad. Don't remember the model, but it was fun!

[Beerislife]

And mine was in the 60's. My first computer was a Dragon 32.

[Snowhog]

Ya?ll are way older (in terms of computers) than me. My first computer was a https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_Edge_Model_D

[oshunluvr]

Child of the 60's here. Began programming on an IBM 360 mainframe in 1977, sophomore year in high school, using punch cards. When I made it to college, we had a mainframe using paper tape and a handful of early desktops: TRS80, Apple II+ and IIe, Commodore VIC-20

Computers I owned
First: Timex Sinclair 1000
Second: Apple II C

Funny thing is computers cost me about the same in dollars now as they did them - about $1500. The Apple IIc cost that much and came with a thermal printer and a 9" green mono monitor. Nowadays I buy the parts I need when I'm ready for an upgrade. Mobo+CPU+RAM - my current choices are about $1500

However, adjusted for inflation that $1500 in 1985 is about $3700 now.

[GreyGeek]

I'm a child of the 40's.
My first analog computer was the Heathkit EC-101, (IIRC), which I built from a kit in the mid 1970s and used it to teach math and physics in HS.
In September of 1978 I bought my first digital computer, an Apple ][+ with 64Kb of RAM and a Panasonic cassette take recorder for program and data storage. Setting on the Apple was a Panasonic 12" color TV driven by a digital to analog converter. I had spent all my summer weekends learning Apple ][ BASIC and writing programs for my math and physics classes, along with my grade book program. The manager of the store I bought it from offered the whole package to me at cost, changing the cassette tape recorder for two Disk ]['s and tossing in an Epson printer IF I'd spend six hours every Saturday afternoon demonstrating the Apple. Which I did. My first sale was an Apple ][ with 64Kb of RAM, 2 Disk ]['s, a color monitor and a centronics 749 printer. The software was VisiCalc. Total retail price $5,000. Profit: $2,500. My share of the profit: $1,250. My take-home teaching salary was $700, and I was the 2nd highest paid teach in the school district. The tail started wagging the dog and my last day teaching was at the end of the 1980 spring semester.

From Startpage
"$5,000 in 1978 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $20,169.79"

Today, computers are dirt cheap. For less than $5,000 one can take this puppy home:

[MoonRise]

Ya?ll are way older (in terms of computers) than me. My first computer was a https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leading_Edge_Model_D

Really!? Mine was the VIC20/C64, and yes, I count that!

[DoYouKubuntu]

1960s and 1970s here! My first computer was a Commodore VIC-20, replaced in short order by a Commodore 64. The store kindly let me exchange them (plus the difference in price) since I had literally just bought the 20 right before the 64 came out. I don't recall the year, but I remember connecting it to my living room TV, adding a cassette tape recorder, and having a blast! That was my daughter's first computer, too!

I'm not sure what went wrong, but she turned out to be a die-hard Apple person. Could be worse, right?

[MoonRise]

I'm not sure what went wrong, but she turned out to be a die-hard Apple person. Could be worse, right?

LOL! Yes, it could!

[DoYouKubuntu]

LOL! Yes, it could!

Funny how I don't even need to mention the 'w' word and my point is totally understood!