Re: Then and Now

[ABLE1 <someone@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 2/4/2016 3:08 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>> Customer of mine has n his keychain a memory chip that one time costs
>> $25,000 for a main frame computer of course worth nothing now
>
> I remember back in my early PC days when I was just a computer geek and
> computer geeks weren't cool...  The owner of a local computer store used to
> keep all his latest generation loose computer memory in a large fanny pack
> on his body at all times in the store.  Now I have single memory chips
> laying on shelves and falling on the floor that are larger than every piece
> of memory he owned combined back then.
>
>
>

LOL You guys are really messing around with some antique memories.

When I bought my first "computer" I got it on a 30 day trial period.  It
was called the "Timex Sinclair 1000" and it had on board 2k of that
memory stuff.  Price tag was $99 as I remember.  I opted to get the
extra 16K added memory module for an additional $39.00.  What a bargain
that was..................

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Sinclair_1000

Just checked on eBay and there are a bunch up for auction or buy it now.
Amazing!!

Ended up returning it and got my money back.
Then I went out and bought a real computer...... the Atari 400. LOL

Adding to my memoirs, I had taught myself on the Timex how to write a
basic language program to generate a 3 digit random number.  On a
Thursday night I was on the phone with my Dad and explaining about this
"computer" thing I had.  He said, what does that thing do??
I tried to explain but he was not getting it.  I said that I wrote this
program that can generate a 3 digit number............. you know Dad,
like the lottery.  I will run it and will see what comes up.  I did and
the number was 272.  I said, the computer says 272, so when you buy your
lottery tickets(which was every week) play 272.  He said, OK and we
shortly hung up the phone.

Needless to say on Saturday night at 7pm I decided to watch the Lottery
drawing on TV.
The machine was running then the balls came up......... 2  .......  7
....... 2
I freaked out and called by Dad right away.  I said, YOU WON!!  The
number came up.

There was a long silence......................
He said, "I didn't buy any tickets, I forgot".

WHAT?!?!?!

He was kicking himself for a long time after that.

BTW if you feel that this is a fabricated story you would be wrong.
Totally true.

Dang it, the memories are still in the gray matter.  SCARY, very Scary.

Later,

Les