4 ms·

I have a TRS-80 from 1984 and it still works fine, that's pushing 40 years and I have zero doubt I'll still be able to use it in another ~10.

by cpsns 5y ago

zepto 5y ago
What can it do?
- ecliptik 5y ago
  A couple days ago there was a post [1] on using an Atari 800 in a modern setting which is a few years older than the TRS-80 [2], 1. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30033895 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30033895 2. https://www.auvik.com/franklyit/blog/atari-800-online/ https://www.auvik.com/franklyit/blog/atari-800-online/
  - zepto 5y ago
    That article is about an Atari 800XE which was far newer than a TRS-80 to begin and was then heavily modified with a 20x faster CPU and 20x the original RAM. Really that article has zero relevance to my question.
- drewzero1 5y ago
  With the right peripherals, a lot. On my 1980 TRS-80 Color Computer I can write documents and save them to tape, print them, or send the text over serial to a modern computer. (It can also function as a serial terminal, but that's kind of cheating.) It boots to BASIC, no disks required (but can run a version of DOS if a drive is present). There's some early database/PIM software, home automation controllers, graphics tablets, and of course games. With full access to the serial and joystick ports, it's essentially able to function as a microcontroller, though I'll admit I mostly just use mine for writing, drawing, and games.
- cpsns 5y ago
  Pretty much anything I program it to do, with obvious exceptions. I've replaced both floppy drives with floppy emulators, installed a FreHD "hard drive", and use an esp8266 based wireless modem* for access to the outside world. Is the machine practical? In a modern context probably not, but I can read the news, get the weather, type up documents, manage household stuff, chat, etc, plus I just enjoy programming it. It's a refreshing break from the modern computers I use 8 hours a day during my job. Programming on my Macbook feels like work, even after hours, programming on the 4P feels more like hobby programming. *Some would say this is cheating, but I'm not of that mindset.

I have a TRS-80 from 1984 and it still works fine, that's pushing 40 years and I have zero doubt I'll still be able to use it in another ~10.

by cpsns 5y ago

I have a TRS-80 from 1984 and it still works fine, that's pushing 40 years and I have zero doubt I'll still be able to use it in another ~10.

zepto 5y ago

What can it do?

ecliptik 5y ago
A couple days ago there was a post [1] on using an Atari 800 in a modern setting which is a few years older than the TRS-80 [2], 1. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30033895 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30033895 2. https://www.auvik.com/franklyit/blog/atari-800-online/ https://www.auvik.com/franklyit/blog/atari-800-online/
- zepto 5y ago
  That article is about an Atari 800XE which was far newer than a TRS-80 to begin and was then heavily modified with a 20x faster CPU and 20x the original RAM. Really that article has zero relevance to my question.
drewzero1 5y ago
With the right peripherals, a lot. On my 1980 TRS-80 Color Computer I can write documents and save them to tape, print them, or send the text over serial to a modern computer. (It can also function as a serial terminal, but that's kind of cheating.) It boots to BASIC, no disks required (but can run a version of DOS if a drive is present). There's some early database/PIM software, home automation controllers, graphics tablets, and of course games. With full access to the serial and joystick ports, it's essentially able to function as a microcontroller, though I'll admit I mostly just use mine for writing, drawing, and games.
cpsns 5y ago
Pretty much anything I program it to do, with obvious exceptions. I've replaced both floppy drives with floppy emulators, installed a FreHD "hard drive", and use an esp8266 based wireless modem* for access to the outside world. Is the machine practical? In a modern context probably not, but I can read the news, get the weather, type up documents, manage household stuff, chat, etc, plus I just enjoy programming it. It's a refreshing break from the modern computers I use 8 hours a day during my job. Programming on my Macbook feels like work, even after hours, programming on the 4P feels more like hobby programming. *Some would say this is cheating, but I'm not of that mindset.