One for the AI Phobic

April 26th, 2025

Here’s one for all the people that think AI is some kind of threat or fad. I’ve heard uninformed and uninspired people say this my whole life about every step of computing. So far the world hasn’t ended and the sky hasn’t fallen in. “But this time is different” – yeah they always said that too.

Literally some people said that libraries moving from physical card based catalogues, in wooden cabinets, to searchable computer based catalogues, would be the end of decent research. Then the personal computer, then the Internet, then search engines. Blah Blah, makes you almost wish computers would hurry up then, and end humanity for real!

Read more…

My Apples

April 25th, 2025

I’ve been collecting these for a while, bought a lot more than these and threw a few away, these are the best of my collection. Not an Apple fanatic, I like them, but they’re just another computer company to me, one that has certainly earned it’s place in computing history. The “iLamp” model on the far left actually has a circular motherboard! I like them because back before iMacs all looked the same they were very creative in their design. That 80s (IIc) one, far right, was super leet back in it it’s day. Can you believe that 5.25″ floppy (IBM invention) only stored 1.2MB!

Of course I’d like an Apple 1, but apparently only 200 were made and only 20 still exist in working order! I’ll ha…
Read more…

Apple IIc in Film

April 25th, 2025

Apple IIc in the 1984 adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s “2010 – The Year We Make Contact” – Roy Schneider playing Heywood Floyd preparing to go to Jupiter, using an Apple IIc with a portable screen on the beach.

Note computers had neither portable screens, nor batteries in the 80s, and really wouldn’t like damp sand, however it’s a good example of how futuristic they seemed – this was “40 years into the future”. In retrospect it’s rather huge for a portable computer of 2010!

It’s also a great example of how good Steve Jobs was at marketing. It was only Apple’s second commercial model and it got product placement in a major hollywood film!

Also note we haven’t gone to Jupiter ye…
Read more…