First off, I'm not going to pretend to be one of the "original" computer users for I am way too young to have a claim to that title. However, I do sort of pride myself for being able to say that my first computer experience was on an Amiga. At least, that's the first experience I remember - there are pictures of me in a diaper pounding away on a C64 keyboard.
Those were the days...installing a game? Psh, yeah right! We played Secret of Monkey Island on 14 floppy disks...and WE LIKED IT! There were so many wacky games for that old computer. The Great Giana Sisters sticks out as a marvelous Mario clone. Blood Money was a delightful little side-scrolling and overhead shooter. In fact, it was so advanced it had A voice sample in the game. A gravelly, barely understandable howl of "Bloooood Moneeeeeey" and then a high-pitched "it's a whole new world, yeeaaah" or something. And it broke into a nice techno dance beat as you mowed down various flying craft. Of course, I can never forget Zany Golf...how I long for the old Amiga system. Oh, the wonders of emulation - THAT'S what I need to do! If anybody plans to reach me soon, screw it - I'm shooting a round of Zany Golf. Or maybe I'll command a tribe of Lemmings. Maybe. Later.
As much as I loved the Amiga, our first Compaq was probably my first foray into modern computer-type areas. Decked out with Windows 95 and a little over a Gig of hard drive space, our little computer kicked butt! Memorable games included Space Ace, the Horde, Lode Runner, the Incredible Machine, and oh so many more. One program in particular actually reminds me of a sort of forerunner to the blogs. It was called Echo Lake, and you essentially created a book to log a journal or notes or what have you. Sadly, it was lost in a reformat many a year ago...
How about the old DOS command prompt? No fancy things to click here. Not familiar with how the ol' directory systems work? Guess we'll have to load up Buttons. There was something distinctly cool about accessing a program through straight commands.
This Mac is nice, don't get me wrong...but damned if my heart doesn't sing when I hear that familiar Windows "tadah!" In fact, my first step in the customization of Windows XP is always to change the startup and shutdown sounds. Oh, and I make sure to do away with that hideous green and blue bubbly theme. Give me ol' navy and grey any day of the week!
I can recall first getting connected to the Internet...the hideous screeching of the dial-up modem was music to my ears. Suddenly I knew more about videogames than what Nintendo Power told me. Sometimes I feel a pang of nostalgia for the old web sites with their shoddy lay outs and plain ol' texts. Graphics? We didn't need that crap! Not to the extent of today's sites, anyway.
Computer technology is changing. Everything is getting faster and sleeker...but if you grew up with an older system, respect the history! You're a lucky one if you got the joys of hearing a screeching dial-up modem or actually had to use screensavers to keep an image from burning into the monitor...maybe I'm just a nostalgic old coot. Heck, I'm nearly 19 and already longing for the old days. Is the career of a bitter old man in my future? Only time will tell...only time will tell...
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2 comments:
Yes, you will be a bitter old man. But I'm a bitter young man, so that must mean that in a few years, I shall become super-prick! And I despised dial up. That sound haunts my nightmares. Your pc experience is far greater than mine, however. My earliest pc experiences came with playing Wolfenstein 3D at my mom's work when I was fourish. And that's how my love of first person shooters combined with a hatred for Nazi's and their damn dogs started. The End.
Well, it's nice to know that I won't be alone in my disdain for the young punks. Oh, what a future to look forward to!
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