Oldest Computer ...

[takisan]

A random thought crossed my mind today- try to see if people have older computers than I do.

Apple IIe running AppleDOS 3.3.

[swoll1980]

Oldest OS I have is Commodore basic. You left that of your poll.

edit C=64 is on there. Didn't see it hiding behind the apple II

[RiceMonster]

There's an old box in my basement that runs 95. Haven't turned in on in a few years though.

[Dayofswords]

Abacus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus)



ok... old windows 98, though it is currently blank

[chessnerd]

I've got an old Gateway 2000 P5-200 from 1996 that has a crippled, although bootable, copy of Windows 95 installed on. Specs are: 200 MHz Pentium I, 32 MB of RAM, 4 GB of HDD. I want to find a use for the machine again, but even a Linux CLI install wouldn't do so well. When I do another round of updates on my desktop this summer I'll end up with a spare 20 GB HDD that might let me use it as a small server, but even then I'm not so sure it'll be very useful...

[Dayofswords]

I've got an old Gateway 2000 P5-200 from 1996 that has a crippled, although bootable, copy of Windows 95 installed on. Specs are: 200 MHz Pentium I, 32 MB of RAM, 4 GB of HDD. I want to find a use for the machine again, but even a Linux CLI install wouldn't do so well. When I do another round of updates on my desktop this summer I'll end up with a spare 20 GB HDD that might let me use it as a small server, but even then I'm not so sure it'll be very useful...

why not Damn Small Linux?

[blueshiftoverwatch]

I have a beige box running Mac OS 7.

[lisati]

Oldest OS I have is Commodore basic. You left that of your poll.

The oldest computers I have are 2xCommodore 128s which I haven't used for a while... Next oldest is one which came with Windows 98SE but currently has a CLI copy of Ubuntu 6.06.

[CharmyBee]

Commodore 64 Basic. Second to that, Commodore 128 Basic.

:D

[swoll1980]

The oldest computers I have are 2xCommodore 128s which I haven't used for a while... Next oldest is one which came with Windows 98SE but currently has a CLI copy of Ubuntu 6.06.

Were those newer than the 64s' or just a better model?

[MasterNetra]

Oldest OS I have is Commodore basic. You left that of your poll.

edit C=64 is on there. Didn't see it hiding behind the apple II

When I was a teen, my parents manged to get a hold of a commodore. This was like the late 90's. Next computer after that was a Packard Bell running Win95. My first GUI based system...can't remember how many times i needed to re-install the system, used to dig into the system files and where ever I could get into just to see what was there and see what did what, ah the sense of adventure...good times...good times...

Oldest computer i have now though is my 2002 Gateway 500se

[swoll1980]

My c=64 is in my mothers closet 100 miles away. Last time I fired it up was 2 years ago, but it still ran like it was 1985.

[MasterNetra]

My c=64 is in my mothers closet 100 miles away. Last time I fired it up was 2 years ago, but it still ran like it was 1985.

I wouldn't know how it ran in 1985 sense i was born a year after. ;)

It could probably be sold to a museum now. :p

[Phrea]

The oldest computer running is an Apple ][, but I have other machines of similar age [Sharp, Sinclair, etc], some of which are still running to this day.

I had my mind set on a Philips P5000, but I think that's a no go. :\

[swoll1980]

I wouldn't know how it ran in 1985 sense i was born a year after. ;)

It could probably be sold to a museum now. :p

It took like 10 minutes to load double dragon


LOAD "*" ,8,1

or some crap like that. Alot of times it would say "press play on tape" even though it was a floppy, and I never understood why. I didn't learn until 15 years later that they actually had games on cassette tapes.

[MasterNetra]

It took like 10 minutes to load double dragon


LOAD "*" ,8,1

or some crap like that. Alot of times it would say "press play on tape" even though it was a floppy, and I never understood why. I didn't learn until 15 years later that they actually had games on cassette tapes.

I didn't have double dragon instead I had lame sports floppies.

[Psumi]

Apple II GS running MacOS 7.5

My mother bought it when she was younger, for a little over 1000 USD due to its high specs for the time.

Yes, 7.5 came on floppies.

We also had a bigger screen monitor than the one shown on wikipedia. We also had an apple laser printer.

But I may be wrong on the model, it looks A LOT like the Apple II GS, but it had an integrated floppy drive.

[lisati]

Were those newer than the 64s' or just a better model?

They can run C64 software in a compatibility mode, but have a few more bells and whistles. If memory serves correctly, they also have a Z80 processor. I have a CP/M disk that can be used with them, but no CP/M software. (Historical note: CP/M came before MS-DOS, and provided some of the inspiration for the "behind the scenes" stuff used by MS-DOS and subsequently some versions of Windows)

[irishrick]

I still have a Commodore 16 that I bought in 1984. It still runs but there was never any software for it. It had to be user programmed in Basic to get it to do anything. I have an 8086 running dos 3, a 486 running dos 6 with windows 311 an HP pentium 120 running windows 95 and a Toshiba laptop 120 MHz running windows 98. All are still working and the latter 3 are able to go on the Internet.

[spcwingo]

I had a TI-99 when I was a kid that I got second-hand from my grandfather around 87-88. BTW, anybody remember this:


10 print "Insert random curse word here"
20 goto 10

[CharmyBee]

They can run C64 software in a compatibility mode,

I'd call it dual-booting. Holding down that key felt like that to me more than what a modern-day compatibility layer is.

[plurworldinc]

COM 64, it was my fathers, but it still runs...

[lisati]

I'd call it dual-booting. Holding down that key felt like that to me more than what a modern-day compatibility layer is.
Good observation. With the CP/M disk I have for it that would make it a form of triple-booting.

[a.walker]

I have a franklin computers Apple IIe clone at my parent's house (from before Franklin got basically sued out of existence by apple).

[takisan]

Oldest OS I have is Commodore basic. You left that of your poll...

Commodore 64 Basic. Second to that, Commodore 128 Basic.
Commondore BASIC is the Software. Sorry that I switched to the Software, but I consider a C=64 to be both the OS and the Hardware.

I said Apple ][e Above, but I have 2 Early Pentiums that I got Recycled, a i486 that I'm itching to recycle, a Intel Celeron Laptop (Gateway Solo 2500,) a Gateway Desktop (Pentium III, my primary,) and a Power-Macintosh G4 Quicksilver running Tiger but for a moment was dual-booting with Ubuntu.

[cascade9]

Oh dear...looks like I might be winning this one. Or is it losing?

Theres a Exidy Sorcerer in a shed a long way a away that I still own. A what you ask? This evil beast-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exidy_Sorcerer

No idea if its even running anymore, but its there.

BTw, no, I didnt buy it. It was my dads, he did buy it..new. For truly obscene amounts of money.

[forrestcupp]

I wish I still had my C64. I knew that thing inside and out. I don't think I've ever loved any computer as much as that one.

What about the Tandy TRS80?


They can run C64 software in a compatibility mode, but have a few more bells and whistles. If memory serves correctly, they also have a Z80 processor. I have a CP/M disk that can be used with them, but no CP/M software. (Historical note: CP/M came before MS-DOS, and provided some of the inspiration for the "behind the scenes" stuff used by MS-DOS and subsequently some versions of Windows)
C128s could also have a width of 80 characters on the screen instead of 40. They also could have bitmaps with twice the horizontal resolution. I never knew anyone who actually used CP/M on a C128.

[samalex]

A random thought crossed my mind today- try to see if people have older computers than I do.

Apple IIe running AppleDOS 3.3.

The oldest system I have is an original first generation Apple ][ from 1977. It's in storage, but hopefully some day I'll pull it out and find something cool to do with it. Given I was born in 1976 I never used it in its prime, but rather traded some work for it many years ago.

I used to have a complete IBM 5150 system from 1981 with keyboard and monitor, but I took it to Goodwill a few months ago. Yeah, I'm still kicking myself.

Personally I cut my tech teeth on the TRS-80 Color Computer series (hence my avatar).

Sam

[witeshark17]

A random thought crossed my mind today- try to see if people have older computers than I do.

Apple IIe running AppleDOS 3.3. Pics please! :KS

[koleoptero]

It took like 10 minutes to load double dragon


LOAD "*" ,8,1

or some crap like that. Alot of times it would say "press play on tape" even though it was a floppy, and I never understood why. I didn't learn until 15 years later that they actually had games on cassette tapes.

Double dragon on c64! Ah the memories :) I had it on tape not floppy. It took some time to load the game, and sometimes it wouldn't even do it properly LOL. But back then I preferred the tapes over the floppies cause the damn floppy drive was too heavy for an 8 y.o. to carry :P

[swoll1980]

Double dragon on c64! Ah the memories :) I had it on tape not floppy. It took some time to load the game, and sometimes it wouldn't even do it properly LOL. But back then I preferred the tapes over the floppies cause the damn floppy drive was too heavy for an 8 y.o. to carry :P

I always liked the cartridges. You just popped them in, and instant Jungle Hunt. Though it seemed like alot of the really good games never came out on cartridge.

[koleoptero]

I always liked the cartridges. You just popped them in, and instant Jungle Hunt. Though it seemed like alot of the really good games never came out on cartridge.

Yeah and cartridges were also hard to damage. God knows how many times I have beat my mega drive or thrown it out the window when playing mortal kombat.

[lisati]

I never knew anyone who actually used CP/M on a C128.

I've booted fom the CP/M disk out of curiosity but never actually used the thing for anything productive - lack of suitable software for one thing! At one point I had visions of setting things up to exchange data with my old desktop but never got very far with researching how to set the 5.25" disk drives to be able to read MS-DOS formatted floppies. (I did see something online once but it was over my head)

Both the 128s I have were given to me be other people, one by a friend and one by one of the local librarians. Apart from the occasional game, about all I've used them for were a home-grown program to help with the family budget and another home-grown one for putting simple titles on VHS videos.

[MasterNetra]

I always liked the cartridges. You just popped them in, and instant Jungle Hunt. Though it seemed like alot of the really good games never came out on cartridge.

What would be awesome if it kinda came back with using Flash Drives. I hate having to use Disc's they are too easily damaged.

[kellemes]

A random thought crossed my mind today- try to see if people have older computers than I do.

Apple IIe running AppleDOS 3.3.

That actually was my first pc.. early 80's.
Very nice you still have it running.

[undecim]

Does this count?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Replica-of-first-transistor.jpg

[donkyhotay]

I finally got rid of it a few years ago but my oldest (and first) system for years was a C64. Absolutely loved that thing.

[takisan]

What would be awesome if it kinda came back with using Flash Drives. I hate having to use Disc's they are too easily damaged. I prefer cartridges and cassettes over flash drives and cds.

[The Real Dave]

My oldest computer is a Packard Bell from the Dos/95 era. My blog post on it, with pics of course, can be found here (http://linuxexpresso.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/cyrix/). Its got a 225Mhz Cyrix chip, with a whopping 28Mb of RAM and a 3.1Gb HDD.

The best part is though, that it works perfectly, and at a decent speed. Scary :)

[lisati]

Does this count?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Replica-of-first-transistor.jpg

Nice.

[themarker0]

Oldest i have is a C128. I have tons of old stuff. Like the first Mac laptop somewhere.

[takisan]

That actually was my first pc.. early 80's.
Very nice you still have it running.
Yes my IIe is still running. I only have the system base for it, but it works.


Does this count?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Replica-of-first-transistor.jpg
No, I would not count that.

By popular demand, pictures (and maybe a video) coming soon.

[djsroknrol]

I've got a Kaypro that runs CP/M in storage....I drag it out for giggles and grins every now and then :popcorn:

[thanat05]

'altair 8800'

[_h_]

Heh.

A little Hewlett Packard Intel Pentium 233MHz with 32mb RAM with Windows 3.1 (xD) back from like the 1980's...even before I was born.

Too bad it's dead. :(

[beetleman64]

The oldest PC I OWN is a Pentium Pro with 64MB RAM and Win 98 but it doesn't work (and by that I mean I heard a loud bang the the screen went black)

The oldest PC I run is a 2003 Q-Tech with a 1.2 GHz Athlon Processor, and 1 GB RAM (upgraded) which currently has Haiku on it and a flat CMOS battery which means that I must enter the date/time every time I boot up.

[gsmanners]

No love for Atari, Amiga, or TRaSh-80? You're not very old if the only 8-bit machines you can think of are C64 or A][s.

[BrokenKingpin]

Windows 7. All my computers are on either the latest version of Ubuntu or Windows.

[xc1024]

I own around 4 computers. Plus one can be assembled if the parts weren't fried ;-P.

Anyway, the oldest thing I OWN is Amstrad CPC 464 (check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC#CPC464.2C_CPC664.2C_CPC6128). This thing is seriously old. I found it somewhere and took it because I wanted to make it into a keyboard mod, but I'll keep it for some more time and see if any museum wants it. I tried to run it, but didn't succeed. I didn't have the power adapter so I hooked it up to a modern PSU by some hokey-pokey and I'm afraid it may be completely fried. If it ran, I've got no way of checking that because there seems to be no beeper and I don't own a screen.

The oldest WORKING PC is a Pentium 2 350mhz. It has 96 MB of RAM and 3 GB hard drive. The creepiest thing about it? - It runs XP (!) without unbearable lag. Respect to whoever managed to do this. I want to do something useful with it, but it may be hard.

[TenPlus1]

Oldest system I've used is Commodore 16 basic... made my 1st art/animation program using that :)

[benerivo]

I have a broken ZX Spectrum, which was very popular in the UK during the early and mid '80's. I also used to have an Amiga 500 but sadly that is lost somewhere.

[mr-woof]

I've got a commodore 64, spectrum 48k, spectrum 128k and an amiga still, along with a mass of consoles :)