Contrast the wireframes of Elite with the lifelike realism of 2020’s Flight Simulator and you might wonder if the old world of computing is worth a second glance. But that’s not to say we can’t reflect on the past and reminisce on some of the things that have been and gone.
In fact, there are plenty of things we – and developers in particular – can learn from the nascent days of computing. Here are 12 things worth celebrating, and remembering, including thoughts from people who helped to make it all happen.
01 So many models to choose from
The dawn of the home computer in the late 1970s felt rather adventurous. Companies new and old looked to introduce millions of people to their magical machines and, in doing so, brought about a change in how people perceived computers.
Suddenly, thanks to the dawn of the microchip, they were no longer taking up entire rooms or priced so high that even major organisations could only afford to have just one. They would help you write letters, organise your finances and even entertain you.
What caught our imagination the most, though, was ongoing innovation from the likes of Acorn, Apple, APF Electronics, Apricot, Atari and Amstrad, as well as Commodore, Dragon Data, Exidy, Franklin, Fujistu, Mattel, Memotech, Radio Shack, Oric,
