Compute!'s Gazette, a beloved magazine for Commodore 8-bit computers, has been revived after a 35-year hiatus. The new publication will maintain its focus on retro computing, specifically covering Commodore 64, VIC-20, PET, Plus/4, and 128 systems. Readers can expect articles on programming, hardware modifications, game reviews, and interviews, aiming to capture the spirit and enthusiasm of the original magazine while offering fresh content for both veteran users and newcomers to the Commodore scene. The magazine will be available in both digital and print formats.
The "Retro Computing Artifacts Stream" showcases a curated, continuously updating feed of historical computing items. It pulls images and descriptions from various online archives like the Internet Archive, the Computer History Museum, and others, presenting them in a visually appealing, infinite-scroll format. The stream aims to offer a serendipitous exploration of vintage computers, peripherals, software, manuals, and other related ephemera, providing a glimpse into the evolution of computing technology.
Hacker News users generally expressed enthusiasm for the Retro Computing Artifacts Stream, praising its unique concept and the nostalgia it evokes. Several commenters shared personal anecdotes about their experiences with the featured hardware, further enriching the discussion. Some questioned the practicality of using a "water stream" analogy for a data stream, suggesting alternatives like "firehose" might be more apt. Others pointed out potential legal issues surrounding copyrighted ROMs and the need for clear disclaimers. There was also interest in expanding the project to include other retro computing resources and platforms beyond ROMs. A few users suggested technical improvements, like adding timestamps and download links.
NTATV is a project aiming to port Windows NT 4, along with later versions like Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, to the first-generation Apple TV. This involves creating custom drivers and leveraging the existing PowerPC architecture of the device. The goal is to achieve a functional Windows installation on the Apple TV, providing a unique and retro computing experience. The project is still under development, but progress is being documented, including details on hardware compatibility and the challenges encountered.
Hacker News users discussed the practicality and legality of running Windows NT on the original Apple TV, expressing skepticism about its usefulness given the hardware limitations. Some questioned the legality of distributing modified Apple firmware and using copyrighted Windows components. Others were curious about the technical challenges involved, particularly regarding driver support and performance. There was some interest in the project as a nostalgic exploration of older operating systems, but overall the comments were more focused on the project's limitations and potential legal issues than its potential benefits. A few users speculated about alternative approaches, such as using a virtual machine, which might offer a more efficient way to achieve similar results.
The author champions their 17-year-old ThinkPad T60, highlighting its repairability, durability, and performance adequacy for their needs. Driven by a desire to avoid the planned obsolescence of modern laptops and the environmental impact of constant upgrades, they detail the straightforward process of replacing components like the keyboard, battery, and screen, often with used parts. While acknowledging the limitations of older hardware, particularly regarding gaming and some modern software, the author emphasizes the satisfaction of maintaining and using a machine for far longer than its intended lifespan, seeing it as a sustainable and empowering alternative to consumerist tech culture.
HN commenters largely agree with the author's appreciation for the ThinkPad's repairability and classic design. Several share their own experiences with older ThinkPads, highlighting their durability and the satisfaction of maintaining and upgrading them. Some discuss the declining quality and repairability of modern laptops, contrasting them with the robust build of older models. A few commenters point out the limitations of older hardware, particularly regarding battery life and performance for modern tasks, while others offer tips for extending the life of older ThinkPads. The discussion also touches upon the environmental benefits of using older hardware and the appeal of the classic ThinkPad aesthetic. There's some debate about the practicality of using such an old machine as a daily driver, but a general consensus that for certain tasks and users, a well-maintained older ThinkPad can be a viable and even preferable option.
Flame is a free and accessible telnet-based Bulletin Board System (BBS) and Multi-User Dungeon (MUD) hosted by the University of Canberra Computer Club. It offers a nostalgic online experience with classic BBS features like forums, file transfers, and games, alongside a MUD environment for text-based roleplaying and exploration. Flame aims to provide a friendly and welcoming community for both experienced users familiar with these older systems and newcomers curious to explore the history of online communities. Users can connect via telnet or through a web-based interface, making it easily accessible.
Hacker News users discuss Flame, a BBS and MUD software package. Several commenters reminisce about their experiences with BBSes and MUDs, expressing nostalgia for that era of online interaction. Some discuss the technical aspects of Flame, praising its features and flexibility, and comparing it to other contemporary systems. A few users mention trying to get it running on modern hardware, with varying degrees of success. There's a brief discussion about the challenges of preserving old BBS software and data. Overall, the comments reflect a fondness for the history of online communities and an appreciation for Flame's role in it.
Win98-quickinstall is a project that streamlines the installation of Windows 98SE. It provides a pre-configured virtual machine image and a framework for automating the installation process, significantly reducing the time and effort required for setup. The project includes pre-installed drivers, essential utilities, and tweaks for improved performance and stability in a virtualized environment. This allows users to quickly deploy a functional Windows 98SE instance for testing, development, or nostalgia.
Hacker News users discussed the practicality and nostalgia of the Win98-quickinstall project. Some questioned its usefulness in a modern context, while others praised its potential for retro gaming or specific hardware configurations. Several commenters shared their own experiences and challenges with setting up Windows 98, highlighting driver compatibility issues and the tediousness of the original installation process. The project's use of QEMU for virtualized installs was also a point of interest, with some users suggesting alternative approaches. A few comments focused on the technical aspects of the installer, including its scripting and modular design. Overall, the sentiment leaned towards appreciation for the project's ingenuity and its ability to simplify a complex process, even if its real-world applications are limited.
Blue95 is a passion project aiming to recreate the nostalgic experience of a late 90s/early 2000s home computer setup. It's a curated collection of period-accurate software, themes, and wallpapers, designed to evoke the look and feel of Windows 95/98, packaged as a bootable ISO for virtual machines or physical hardware. The project focuses on free and open-source software alternatives to commercial applications of the era, offering a curated selection of games, utilities, and creative tools, all wrapped in a familiar, retro aesthetic. The goal is to capture the essence of that era's computing experience – a blend of discovery, simplicity, and playful experimentation.
Hacker News users generally expressed nostalgia and appreciation for Blue95's aesthetic, recalling the era of Windows 95 and early internet experiences. Several commenters praised the attention to detail and accuracy in recreating the look and feel of the period. Some discussed the practical limitations of older hardware and software, while others reminisced about specific games and applications. A few users questioned the project's purpose beyond nostalgia, but overall the reception was positive, with many expressing interest in trying it out or contributing to its development. The discussion also touched on the broader trend of retro computing and the desire to revisit simpler technological times.
Lynx, a text-based web browser initially released in 1992, holds the distinction of being the oldest web browser still actively maintained. While its text-only interface might seem antiquated in today's graphical web, Lynx continues to be updated and supported, providing a unique and efficient way to access web content. Its simplicity makes it ideal for users with low bandwidth or accessibility needs, and its focus on text allows for a distraction-free browsing experience. The enduring development of Lynx demonstrates the enduring value of accessible and fundamental browsing technology.
The Hacker News comments discuss Lynx's enduring relevance and unique position as a text-based browser. Several commenters highlight its usefulness for tasks like scripting, accessing websites with complex JavaScript, or simply experiencing the web in a different way. Some appreciate its speed and efficiency, particularly on low-bandwidth connections. Others discuss its accessibility benefits for visually impaired users. A few commenters share their nostalgic memories of using Lynx in the early days of the internet. The discussion also touches on the technical aspects of Lynx's development and maintenance, including its portability and small codebase. A recurring theme is the contrast between Lynx's minimalist approach and the feature-bloated nature of modern browsers.
Masswerk's Virtual Punch Card Creator lets you design and visualize your own punched cards using a web-based interface. It emulates the classic IBM 80-column format, allowing you to input characters and see their corresponding hole punches in real-time. You can then download your creation as an SVG image or share a unique link to your design. The tool offers various customization options, including card colors and corner cuts, adding a touch of personalization to this nostalgic piece of computing history.
HN commenters were fascinated by the virtual keypunch simulator, praising its attention to detail and the nostalgic feeling it evoked. Some shared personal anecdotes of using actual keypunches, reminiscing about the satisfying chunk sound and the physicality of the process. Others discussed the history and mechanics of keypunches, including the different models and their quirks. Several expressed appreciation for the simulator's educational value, allowing younger generations to experience a piece of computing history. The tactile feedback and the limitations of the technology were highlighted as aspects that fostered a different kind of focus and intentionality compared to modern coding environments. A few commenters pointed out related projects, such as a virtual teletype simulator.
This blog post details the creation of a PETSCII image on a Commodore 64, using a Python script to convert a source image into the limited character set and colors available. The author outlines the challenges of working within these constraints, including the reduced resolution, fixed character sizes, and dithering required to simulate shades of gray. They explain the conversion process, which involves resizing and color reduction before mapping the image to the nearest matching PETSCII characters. Finally, the post demonstrates loading and displaying the resulting PETSCII data on a real Commodore 64, showcasing the final, retro-styled image.
Hacker News users discuss the Commodore 64 PETSCII image, primarily focusing on the technical aspects of its creation. Several commenters express fascination with the dithering technique employed, and some delve into the specifics of how such an image could be generated, including discussions about ordered dithering algorithms like Bayer and Floyd-Steinberg. Others reminisce about the C64's unique character set and color limitations, while a few share their own experiences and experiments with creating similar images. There's also a brief tangent about the challenges of representing images with limited palettes and the artistic value of these constraints. Overall, the comments reflect an appreciation for the technical ingenuity and artistic constraints of the era.
"Mac(OS)talgia" is a visual exploration of Apple's interface design evolution from System 1 to OS X Yosemite. It showcases screenshots of key applications and system elements, highlighting changes in typography, iconography, and overall aesthetic over time. The project acts as a nostalgic retrospective for long-time Mac users, demonstrating how the interface has progressively shifted from simple black and white pixels to the refined, flat design prominent in modern macOS versions. The curated collection emphasizes Apple's consistent pursuit of user-friendly and visually appealing design, tracing the gradual development of their signature digital aesthetic.
Hacker News users generally expressed appreciation for the Mac(OS)talgia project, praising its attention to detail in recreating the look and feel of older Macintosh systems. Some commenters shared personal anecdotes about their experiences with early Macs, evoking a sense of nostalgia for simpler times in computing. A few users pointed out specific inaccuracies or omissions in the recreations, offering corrections or suggestions for improvement. There was also some discussion about the challenges of emulating older software and hardware, and the importance of preserving digital history. A recurring sentiment was that the project effectively captured the "soul" of these classic machines, beyond just their visual appearance.
The 6502 assembly language makes a great first foray into low-level programming due to its small, easily grasped instruction set and straightforward addressing modes. Its simplicity encourages understanding of fundamental concepts like registers, memory management, and instruction execution without overwhelming beginners. Coupled with readily available emulators and a rich history in iconic systems, the 6502 offers a practical and engaging learning experience that builds a solid foundation for exploring more complex architectures later on. Its limited register set forces a focus on memory operations, providing valuable insight into how CPUs interact with memory.
Hacker News users generally agreed that the 6502 is a good starting point for learning assembly language due to its small and simple instruction set, limited addressing modes, and readily available emulators and documentation. Several commenters shared personal anecdotes of their early programming experiences with the 6502, reinforcing its suitability for beginners. Some suggested alternative starting points like the Z80 or MIPS, citing their more "regular" instruction sets, but acknowledged the 6502's historical significance and accessibility. A few users also discussed the benefits of learning assembly language in general, emphasizing the foundational understanding it provides of computer architecture and low-level programming concepts. A minor thread debated the educational value of assembly in the modern era, but the prevailing sentiment remained positive towards the 6502 as an introductory assembly language.
The original BBC Micro Elite source code, written in 6502 assembly, has been released and extensively commented by its author, Ian Bell. This release provides a fascinating look into the technical ingenuity behind the classic space trading game, revealing how Bell managed to cram a complex universe simulation, including 3D wireframe graphics and combat, into the limited resources of the 8-bit machine. The heavily commented code offers valuable insights into the optimization techniques employed, such as clever use of lookup tables and bit manipulation, making it a great resource for those interested in retro game development and 6502 programming.
Hacker News users discuss the newly released and heavily commented source code for the 8-bit game Elite. Many express excitement and nostalgia, praising the code's clarity and the detailed comments which provide insights into the game's development process. Several commenters highlight the impressive feats accomplished on such limited hardware, like the use of clever algorithms for 3D graphics and procedural generation. Some discuss the historical significance of Elite and its influence on subsequent games. A few users share personal anecdotes about playing Elite in their youth, while others analyze specific coding techniques used. There's also discussion about the challenges of working with 6502 assembly and the ingenuity required to overcome hardware limitations. The overall sentiment is one of appreciation for the release of this historical artifact and the opportunity it provides to learn from the pioneers of game development.
This project aims to port the Amsterdam Compiler Kit (ACK) to the Cray X-MP supercomputer. The ACK, a retargetable compiler suite popular in the 1980s and early 1990s, is being adapted to generate code for the Cray's unique architecture, including its vector registers and specific instruction set. The current state of the project involves modifying the backend of the C compiler within ACK to target the Cray X-MP. This involves adjusting code generation, register allocation, and other compiler internals to accommodate the Cray's hardware. The project is a work in progress, with the goal of eventually producing a functional C compiler for the Cray X-MP using the ACK framework.
Hacker News users discuss the Amsterdam Compiler Kit (ACK) for the Cray X-MP, primarily focusing on its historical significance and the challenges of porting and maintaining software for such old hardware. Several commenters reminisce about using ACK and similar tools in the past, highlighting the intricacies of vectorization and optimization for Cray architectures. The discussion touches on the complexities of the Cray instruction set, the cleverness of ACK's code generation, and the difficulties in preserving historical software due to bit rot and lack of accessible hardware. Some express interest in exploring the code further, while others contemplate the effort required to get it running on modern systems or emulators. There's also mention of ACK's broader application beyond Cray systems, and its use in other academic and research contexts.
"ELIZA Reanimated" revisits the classic chatbot ELIZA, not to replicate it, but to explore its enduring influence and analyze its underlying mechanisms. The paper argues that ELIZA's effectiveness stems from exploiting vulnerabilities in human communication, specifically our tendency to project meaning onto vague or even nonsensical responses. By systematically dissecting ELIZA's scripts and comparing it to modern large language models (LLMs), the authors demonstrate that ELIZA's simple pattern-matching techniques, while superficially mimicking conversation, actually expose deeper truths about how we construct meaning and perceive intelligence. Ultimately, the paper encourages reflection on the nature of communication and warns against over-attributing intelligence to systems, both past and present, based on superficial similarities to human interaction.
The Hacker News comments on "ELIZA Reanimated" largely discuss the historical significance and limitations of ELIZA as an early chatbot. Several commenters point out its simplistic pattern-matching approach and lack of true understanding, while acknowledging its surprising effectiveness in mimicking human conversation. Some highlight the ethical considerations of such programs, especially regarding the potential for deception and emotional manipulation. The technical implementation using regex is also mentioned, with some suggesting alternative or updated approaches. A few comments draw parallels to modern large language models, contrasting their complexity with ELIZA's simplicity, and discussing whether genuine understanding has truly been achieved. A notable comment thread revolves around Joseph Weizenbaum's, ELIZA's creator's, later disillusionment with AI and his warnings about its potential misuse.
The Mac Mini G4 strikes a sweet spot for classic Mac gaming, balancing performance, affordability, and size. Its PowerPC G4 processor handles early 2000s Mac OS X games well, including some Classic environment titles. While not as powerful as the Power Mac G5, its smaller footprint and lower cost make it more practical. The option for an internal optical drive is beneficial for playing original game discs, and it supports various controllers. Though not perfect due to limitations with certain later-era games and the eventual demise of Rosetta, the Mini G4 remains an excellent entry point for exploring the older Macintosh gaming library.
Hacker News users generally agree with the article's premise that the Mac Mini G4 is a good choice for classic Mac gaming. Several commenters praise its relatively compact size, affordability, and ability to run OS 9 and early OS X, covering a wide range of game titles. Some highlight the ease of upgrading the RAM and hard drive. However, some dissent arises regarding its gaming capabilities compared to earlier PowerPC Macs like the G3 or G4 towers, suggesting they offer superior performance for certain games. Others point to the lack of AGP graphics as a limitation for some titles. The discussion also touches on alternative emulation methods using SheepShaver or Basilisk II, though many prefer the native experience offered by the Mini. Several commenters also share personal anecdotes about their experiences with the Mac Mini G4 and other retro Macs.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43671861
Hacker News users reacted to Compute's Gazette's return with a mix of nostalgia and cautious optimism. Several commenters fondly recalled their childhood experiences with the magazine, specifically mentioning the included type-in programs and the excitement of getting it in the mail. Some expressed concerns about the viability of a print magazine in the digital age, and questioned the focus on retro computing. Others wondered about the target audience and the content's relevance to younger generations. Despite these reservations, there was a general sense of goodwill and hope that the revived publication could capture some of the magic of the original. A few users questioned the business model and suggested exploring digital distribution alongside print. The most compelling comments highlighted the unique community fostered by early computing magazines and expressed hope that the new Compute's Gazette could recapture that spirit.
The Hacker News post about the return of Compute!'s Gazette magazine after 35 years, with a focus on retro computing, generated a fair amount of discussion with a generally positive and nostalgic tone.
Many commenters expressed excitement and fond memories of the original Compute!'s Gazette, recalling typing in programs from the magazine, the thrill of getting a new issue, and the impact it had on their early computing experiences. Several people specifically mentioned the educational value of the publication, teaching them about programming, hardware, and the inner workings of computers. One commenter described it as their "gateway drug to programming." The feeling of community fostered by the magazine was also highlighted.
Some commenters discussed the challenges of recreating the experience of Compute!'s Gazette in a modern context. The tactile experience of the physical magazine, the anticipation of waiting for the next issue, and the shared experience of typing in programs with others are difficult to replicate digitally. However, some suggested that the online format offers advantages, such as the ability to easily copy and paste code, access to a larger community, and the potential for interactive elements.
Several commenters expressed interest in seeing coverage of specific retro platforms or aspects of retro computing, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Apple II, and early PC gaming. There was also discussion of the potential for the revived magazine to cover modern retro-inspired projects and the demoscene.
A few commenters questioned the viability of a print magazine in the digital age, but others argued that there is still a market for physical publications, particularly among enthusiasts of retro computing. The tactile nature of a physical magazine and the collectibility aspect were cited as reasons for supporting a print edition.
Some discussion focused on the content of the website linked in the post, computesgazette.com. Commenters noted the presence of PDF downloads and the ability to subscribe, indicating that the project appears to be actively producing content.
Overall, the comments reflect a strong interest in the return of Compute!'s Gazette and a sense of nostalgia for the original publication. While there are some concerns about adapting to the modern media landscape, there is also optimism about the potential for the revived magazine to capture the spirit of the original and reach a new generation of retro computing enthusiasts.