I started with a TRS-80 Model III. After being exposed to TRS-80 MODEL I and Apple II through school.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Too Lazy BBS - toolazy.ddns.net:2323 (21:1/182)

a gateway select 900 i still have that machine with me it is named compy4 <3

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... A .GIF is worth a thousand .TXT.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Started out with a Commodore VIC-20.
From there it was a Tandy 1000HX.
After that I upgraded to a Swan XT 8086 IBM clone. Started my Wildcat! BBS on that PC. Was good times back then.

... ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Phantom BBS - bbs.phantombbs.info (21:1/161)

On 04 Jul 2024, Errol Casey said the following...

I started with a TRS-80 Model III. After being exposed to TRS-80 MODEL I and Apple II through school.

A Columbia-PC which I traded for a Columbia-VP luggable version was the first one I "owned." I had use of many others, but the Columbias were the first I could call "mine and mine alone."

Still run a PC fourty years on, but also have had an Mac/iMac for decades. Remember signing a NDA to be able to use a Color Mac before the official launch.

--- Steve K9ZW via SPOT BBS

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/15 (Linux/64)
* Origin: SPOT BBS / k9zw (21:1/224)

On Thu, 4 Jul 2024 08:11:13 -0400
"Errol Casey" (21:1/182) <Errol.Casey@f182.n1.z21.fidonet> wrote:

I started with a TRS-80 Model III. After being exposed to TRS-80
MODEL I and Apple II through school.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: Too Lazy BBS - toolazy.ddns.net:2323 (21:1/182)

The first computer I used was a Video Genie, which was a Hong Kong
manufactured TRS-80 compatible-ish system build a built in tape deck.

My first personal computer was a ZX81. I then got a Vic20 then a BBC
Micro. I was given an old PC from work. It was a Commodore with a CGA
green screen, 256k of memory, something like 10mb hard drive and 5 1/4
floppy. The only thing it was really good for was playing text
adventure games and dial up.
--
End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (21:2/101)

The first computer I used was a Video Genie, which was a Hong Kong manufactured TRS-80 compatible-ish system build a built in tape deck.

We had them here, as the Dick Smith System80. Seeing a pattern with Dick
Smith here? They took a lot of cheap clones and badged them for local consumption.

The system80 was marketed as being compatible with some TRS80 models, but
also saw people having issues with that same compatibility. Mostly in
getting pre-recorded tapes to load anything.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

On 04 Jul 2024, Errol Casey said the following...

I started with a TRS-80 Model III. After being exposed to TRS-80 MODEL I and Apple II through school.

I started out with a Commodore 64, went to both a 64 and a 128 then an Amiga 500 then Amiga 3000 and finally hit the PC world in 95 when Windows 95 came out.. Been in the PC world ever since.. Moved over completely to Debian 12 about a month ago and I feel like I have brand new computers now...

... Just another prisoner of gravity!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (21:4/131)

I started with a C64 and a tape drive. I eventually graduated to a floppy
drive and a modem. But a lot of my exposure started with the Apple ][e
units at the middle school library. Plus, my best friend had a couple
8-bit Ataris. That gave me exposure to several machines. Once I got into
high school, I got exposed to the TRS80 (not sure the model) and
Burroughs 900 mainframe (for doing COBOL).
--Matt

--- RATSoft/FIDO v09.14.95 [JetMail 1.01]
* Origin: STar Fleet HQ - Real Atari! bbs.sfhqbbs.org:5983 (21:3/171.0)

On Fri, 5 Jul 2024 10:40:00 +1000
"Spectre" (21:3/101) <Spectre@f101.n3.z21.fidonet> wrote:

The first computer I used was a Video Genie, which was a Hong
Kong manufactured TRS-80 compatible-ish system build a built in
tape deck.

We had them here, as the Dick Smith System80. Seeing a pattern with
Dick Smith here? They took a lot of cheap clones and badged them for
local consumption.

The system80 was marketed as being compatible with some TRS80 models,
but also saw people having issues with that same compatibility.
Mostly in getting pre-recorded tapes to load anything.

Spec

*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Yes, I know about the System 80. They also had had different names all
over the world, including here in the US.
--
End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (21:2/101)

On 04 Jul 24 08:11:13 Errol Casey wrote...

I started with a TRS-80 Model III. After being exposed to TRS-80 MODEL Apple II through school.

To which Bf2K+ replies...

Atari 800 in 1981.

There was no such thing as a personal computer when I was in school.


--- RATSoft/FIDO v09.14.95 [JetMail 1.01]
* Origin: STar Fleet HQ - Real Atari! bbs.sfhqbbs.org:5983 (21:3/171.0)

IBM PS/1 2011 with the optional 40 MB hard drive and memory expansion card, well pretty sure it was that model of PS1 due to the propriety memory expansion card which ours had.

Was the families first computer & it got some serious use writing up school assignments using the dos version of Microsoft Works and of course gaming!

... Let me have a McFry, a McHamburger and the right McChange

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Yes, I know about the System 80. They also had had different names all over the world, including here in the US.

I didn't actually know. The description sounded like the DS model, so I had a look. I guess it makes sense they'd be all over. I seem to remeber, and I
could be wrong, DS used to market them as being Australian.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Re: What was your first computer?
By: Errol Casey to All on Thu Jul 04 2024 08:11 am

Howdy,

I started with a TRS-80 Model III. After being exposed to TRS-80 MODEL I and Apple II through school.

I started my computing on a TRS-80 Model 1, Level 2, with a cassette player, hooked up to the TV - cant remember what channel on the TV I had to tune it to.

I still have it. Its in a box in the cupboard, and I dont think I've turned it on for 40+ years. One day I will...


...δεσ∩
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: I'm playing with ANSI+videotex - wanna play too? (21:2/116)

The first computer I ever worked on was a TRS-80 model III. As a matter of
fact we still have one that we use everyday at work. It runs an old
engraving machine.

The first computer I ever owned was a Tandy SX 2500 386. Wish I would've
kept it just for the fact of it being my first.

|02-=|10Cozmo|02=-

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Lunatics Unleashed BBS (21:3/135)

My first comp was a 286 with 2MB of RAM and a 40MB HDD. It was a supersonic fighter jet back then. Everyone in my neighbourhood came to my house to check out my supercool machine... It quickly dropped down to an old tin can when newer hardware came out. That AT 286 was a gift from my uncle. A few years after I changed it for a computer I bought myself with money I had earned working. That was a 486 DX4 100Mhz with 8MB of RAM. That machine I modded and expanded beyond recognition!! That's when my 'computers as a hobby' started to become something in my life.
I added a mouse, a trident color board with 1MB of RAM, a 128k dial-up modem, a matrix printer with a somewhat more advanced hardware (EPSON AP2000), a CD-ROM reader drive...
I got better at my programming skills, I started connecting to BBS boards and had a board installed myself, taking calls, for a few months...
I have the most dearest memories of those days and all I did with that computer.
The DX4 ran at 100Mhz. It lacked the MMX extensions, but went 10mhz faster than the then-current Pentium 1 90mhz chip.
Real fond memories...
Anyhow, cheers!!

Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)

My first comp was a 286 with 2MB of RAM and a 40MB HDD. It was a supersonic fighter jet back then. Everyone in my neighbourhood came to
my house to check out my supercool machine... It quickly dropped down to

Awesome! You were the man of the neighbourhood with that computer.

I got better at my programming skills, I started connecting to BBS
boards and had a board installed myself, taking calls, for a few
months... I have the most dearest memories of those days and all I did with that computer.

I had a Tandy SX2500 386 it had Deskmate on it. I remember opening the Terminal program and wondering what the hell is this used for. Some how I figured it out and found a number for a local BBS which I had no Idea what A BBS was so I called it and heard that magical sound of the modem connecting. I was in amazement. I was hooked! Still am. Yes those are great memories. A magical time for sure. Kids now days missed out on all that.

|02-=|10Cozmo|02=-

... Reward for a job well done: More work

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Lunatics Unleashed BBS (21:3/135)

I had a Tandy SX2500 386 it had Deskmate on it. I remember opening the Terminal program and wondering what the hell is this used for. Some how
I figured it out and found a number for a local BBS which I had no Idea what A BBS was so I called it and heard that magical sound of the modem connecting. I was in amazement. I was hooked! Still am. Yes those are great memories. A magical time for sure. Kids now days missed out on all that.

Think of that amazement when the modem on your machine was installed and configured all by yourself...!!
Back then computers (motherboards, actually...) came with too few components embedded. Now there's a lot less you'd add to your machine because it already comes packed with a lot of tech right out of the box.
Cheers.

Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)

the very first computer i touched was a 386 i remember the person who raised
me playing doom on - my circuits weren't fully formed for games like that yet but i had loads of fun with KYE on Win3.11

the one i first had all for myself was a pentium 166mhz with 32MB RAM where
i cut my teeth learning DOS commands to launch games, then a discarded
still mostly functional 486 NEC laptop where i first learned QuickBasic

couple of decades later and i'm an embedded systems engineer by trade and repairing vintage computers as a side gig :) can't complain much

|08- |05maple "|13mavica|05" syrup |07(|10byte/byteself|07 or it/its)
|09https://maple.pet/

... Some people have no idea what they're doing, and are really good at it!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
* Origin: Retro32 BBS (21:1/215)

My first comp was a 286 with 2MB of RAM and a 40MB HDD. It was a supersonic fighter jet back then. Everyone in my neighbourhood came to
my house to check out my supercool machine... It quickly dropped down to an old tin can when newer hardware came out. That AT 286 was a gift from my uncle.

<3 286s are amazing machines! i aam using one to type this

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... DOS=HIGH? I knew it was on something...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

<3 286s are amazing machines! i aam using one to type this

No way!! And you're on a 56k dial-up?

Cheers!
Malvinas.

Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas!

... Islas Malvinas, siempre Argentinas.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
* Origin: The Vault BBS (21:4/167)

No way!! And you're on a 56k dial-up?

yeah way! i am useing an ethernet card because i have no land line! XD

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... It said "insert disk #3", but only two will fit...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)