Greetings all,

Getting back into the retro computing. I started back in 1982 at a young age with my Texas Instruments TI99 4/a. Next computer was a used C128 with a bunch of software and a modem. That is where really got into BBS systems and anything with telephones.

Currently using VICE C128 emulator on a iMac gettin back into the game.

Best,
Infiltrator

Re: Hello from Connecticut
By: Infiltrator to All on Wed Jun 14 2023 03:00 am

Greetings all,

Getting back into the retro computing. I started back in 1982 at a young age with my Texas Instruments TI99 4/a. Next computer was a used C128 with a bunch of software and a modem. That is where really got into BBS systems and anything with telephones.

Currently using VICE C128 emulator on a iMac gettin back into the game.

Best,
Infiltrator

I feel like the story of the TI994/A is one of squandered potential.

I remember in ~1980 saving my pennies from my paper route and trying to decide which computer to get.

I'd had my heart set on the TI, but then I started reading articles in Computer Shopper about how its fully closed, proprietary architecture would limit third party software development, and decided in all my 11yo wisdom that the Atari would be a better choice.

I have no regrets about that, I loved and still love the Atari to bits, but it's interesting to look back and think about the choices you made as a younger person :)

Have fun with the emulators! I do a bunch with emulation myself. The only actual retro hardware I own is an Atari 800XL but I'm also an Amiga enthusiast and get a ton out of Amiga Forever.

-Chris

Re: Hello from Connecticut
By: Feoh to Infiltrator on Sat Jun 24 2023 05:34 pm

I feel like the story of the TI994/A is one of squandered potential.

I remember in ~1980 saving my pennies from my paper route and trying to decide which computer to get.

I'd had my heart set on the TI, but then I started reading articles in Computer Shopper about how its fully closed, proprietary architecture would limit third party software development, and decided in all my 11yo wisdom that the Atari would be a better choice.

I have no regrets about that, I loved and still love the Atari to bits, but it's interesting to look back and think about the choices you made as a younger person :)

Have fun with the emulators! I do a bunch with emulation myself. The only actual retro hardware I own is an Atari 800XL but I'm also an Amiga enthusiast and get a ton out of Amiga Forever.

-Chris

Chris,

Thanks for the response. I did not have much input to the purchase, it came as a gift when I was 8 years old. I spent a lot of time learning to program BASIC and with the speech emulator making it talk. Of course the games. I lost the orginial but was able to find one in the box for $75 three years ago. The previous owner never used it an it sat on a shelf for 40 years. It is attached to a Commodore monitor, which I think is funny. I often think about getting a Commodore setup as well, but priorities. That is where the emulator gets me by.

Biggest challenges for me is the "new" BBS software and the editors and emulator key mappings.

-Bruce

Re: Hello from Connecticut
By: Feoh to Infiltrator on Sat Jun 24 2023 05:34 pm

I'd had my heart set on the TI, but then I started reading articles in Computer Shopper about how its fully closed, proprietary architecture would limit third party software development, and decided in all my 11yo wisdom that the Atari would be a better choice.

I have no regrets about that, I loved and still love the Atari to bits, but it's interesting to look back and think about the choices you made as a younger person :)

Have fun with the emulators! I do a bunch with emulation myself. The only actual retro hardware I own is an Atari 800XL but I'm also an Amiga enthusiast and get a ton out of Amiga Forever.

My first computer was the Atari 800XL and I thought it was the best there was. I still think it was the best looking 8bit computer from the 80s. My parents got me the 800XL, but I had to save for a tape drive and a book on BASIC programming. I never owned a single game or program for it. I was knee-deep into D&D, so I wrote some useful programs and saved them to tape.

Today, I own two C64s, two C64Cs and some floppy drives. I also have a DOS 5.0 PC, which is what I'm using to connect with Procomm Plus. I've got a $600 budget for an atari setup but I need to get a second desk for it first. If anyone knows of a good deal on an 800XL, give me a shout!

James