4 ms·
Ok, are any of the old fogeys here other than me reminded of the Cauzin Softstrip when they see the printable/scannable code? Back in the day, way back, actual
by slantyyz 7y ago
Ok, are any of the old fogeys here other than me reminded of the Cauzin Softstrip when they see the printable/scannable code?
Back in the day, way back, actually, you would manually type in source code from print magazines for applications (and sometimes bug fixes wouldn't show up until a month or two later in a subsequent issue of the magazine).
The Softstrip was an alternative (that required buying a special scanner) so you wouldn't have to type in all the source code manually.
Another novel way of distributing code (without typing) via print magazine was thin a strip of vinyl that you would play on a record player (and weigh it down with a coin) that you would wire into the audio in port (or cassette port) of your computer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauzin_Softstrip https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauzin_Softstrip
https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/15/science/personal-computers-supermarket-bar-codes-are-applied-to-software.html https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/15/science/personal-computer...
- kesiev 7y agoIncredible! I used to type in C64/ZX Spectrum games sources from magazines all the times... never known that were such creative alternatives! I wonder if they came to Italy in the past... Thanks for sharing - I'll try to learn more about that! Thanks!
- RodgerTheGreat 7y agoFrom the article, shortsighted, or prophetic? > The vast majority of personal computer owners have two or three programs that they use regularly, and that is all they really need.
- prox 7y agoThe answer, as always, is : it depends. Some folks use their laptop as a fancy and expensive browser window and nothing else, while others use 20 apps concurrently.