Retro Computering

Old world processors and related tools became part of one string of thoughts on Joe Haldeman’s forum over on SFF.NET. I found out that Word 5.5 for DOS was still available from MickeySoft for free. Evidently it was part of some defensive on Y2K problems. I also found out that there were still several other DOS tools available including the outline software called Think Tank.

There are a variety of DOS tools still available such that someone wanting to do fairly sophisticated work on that platform (with enough time and effort) could set up a DOS machine to handle most if not all their computing duties. Of course to do things like decompress graphic files from the Internet, you’d probably have to have a bit more modern CPU and memory than the old DOS era hardware. It’s always something, eh?

It’s tempting, at times, to go retro.

I’m reminded of when I moved to Hawaii and my desktop computer was shipped via the banana boat instead of by air (thank you Lincoln Post Office). My only backup was an XT laptop, 720K floppy drive, Procomm for DOS and a 2400 bps “pocket” modem. I got myself a shell account with an ISP in Hilo and went about my business in a character based world. It always quietly amused me that people would say that they needed to upgrade their old computer so they could get on the Internet.

This DOS business might be a good use for my old IBM 701c ThinkPad (the one with the folding “butterfly” keyboard). I may still try to install an older version of Linux on it (maybe Red Hat 5.0 or so) that might be selectively upgraded but the Sirens of Retro Computing call me to their sharp silicon crystal shores of DOS.

If I was to go with DOS, I’d seriously consider FreeDOS and the associated graphical environment OpenGEM that is mind-bogglingly being developed.

Part of that is my continuing love for WordStar as a word processor. It was my first and I still have fond memories of it. If I make that into a writing computer, its problems with current printer drivers would be no big deal as I’d output to a fan fold dot matrix printer for hardcopy editing and could convert the file via another word processor’s filters if required. Some years back SF writer Rob Sawyer wrote an essay on why WordStar was such a favorite of writers. On Linux there’s an editor called joe that I use for editing configuration files.

Retro Computering

Old world processors and related tools became part of one string of thoughts on Joe Haldeman’s forum over on SFF.NET. I found out that Word 5.5 for DOS was still available from MickeySoft for free. Evidently it was part of some defensive on Y2K problems. I also found out that there were still several other DOS tools available including the outline software called Think Tank.

There are a variety of DOS tools still available such that someone wanting to do fairly sophisticated work on that platform (with enough time and effort) could set up a DOS machine to handle most if not all their computing duties. Of course to do things like decompress graphic files from the Internet, you’d probably have to have a bit more modern CPU and memory than the old DOS era hardware. It’s always something, eh?

It’s tempting, at times, to go retro.

I’m reminded of when I moved to Hawaii and my desktop computer was shipped via the banana boat instead of by air (thank you Lincoln Post Office). My only backup was an XT laptop, 720K floppy drive, Procomm for DOS and a 2400 bps “pocket” modem. I got myself a shell account with an ISP in Hilo and went about my business in a character based world. It always quietly amused me that people would say that they needed to upgrade their old computer so they could get on the Internet.

This DOS business might be a good use for my old IBM 701c ThinkPad (the one with the folding “butterfly” keyboard). I may still try to install an older version of Linux on it (maybe Red Hat 5.0 or so) that might be selectively upgraded but the Sirens of Retro Computing call me to their sharp silicon crystal shores of DOS.

If I was to go with DOS, I’d seriously consider FreeDOS and the associated graphical environment OpenGEM that is mind-bogglingly being developed.

Part of that is my continuing love for WordStar as a word processor. It was my first and I still have fond memories of it. If I make that into a writing computer, its problems with current printer drivers would be no big deal as I’d output to a fan fold dot matrix printer for hardcopy editing and could convert the file via another word processor’s filters if required. Some years back SF writer Rob Sawyer wrote an essay on why WordStar was such a favorite of writers. On Linux there’s an editor called joe that I use for editing configuration files.