2 ms·

Oh by, Trash 80s! I learned FORTRAN programming on a collection of TRS-80 Model III/IV in high school. (Yes, for the programming class we were not allowed to us

Oh by, Trash 80s! I learned FORTRAN programming on a collection of TRS-80 Model III/IV in high school. (Yes, for the programming class we were not allowed to use basic, so we used FORTRAN). Seen my old computer/math teacher last summer, he now owns a brewery he bought in retirement, and we laughed about how things have changed in such a relative short period of time. He was excited, though, to find out that I did work as a FORTRAN programmer for a period of time after college. He is pretty sure I was the only of his former students that every wrote a line of FORTRAN after those classes. I have some old images made from some of my old school floppies. I'll have to give this emulator a try, pop up to the brewery with a laptop, and let my old teacher look over my shoulder as I debug code, again.

musicale 4y ago
Seems a bit mean-spirited to call these systems trash - they look like cool 8 and 16-bit systems, and they can run their own custom OS (and other software, presumably including games?) as well as standard environments like CP/M and Unix/Xenix. After all, this is HN where we love classic microprocessors like the 6809, Z-80 and 68000. (And CP/M.) Imagine if Radio Shack (or Commodore, Atari, etc.) were still a successful computer company in the 2020s like their competitor Apple.
- FullyFunctional 4y ago
  I'm not sure the OP meant it as negatively as it seems. The "trash 80" seems to be a common enough nickname for these that even I knew it, never having even seen one until recently. Adrian's Digital Basement has featured lot of videos on restoration of many TRS-80 versions. Seemed like a nice machine for its time.
  - mkovach 4y ago
    Yep, TRS = Trash. It was a nickname. They are pretty good computers. I still use my TRS Model 102 (portable computer, includes basic and a few decent apps). Tandy Radio Shack (TRS) make some decent computers. My first IBM compatible PC was a Tandy 1000. Used that through-out college. Good stuff that got stuck with a bad nickname.
    - gp2000 4y ago
      It really was a term of derision. Sure, some may have used it affectionately and even more might do so now, but by and large it wasn't used in kindness. To cite a reference, the first issue of "80 Microcomputing", a magazine dedicated to the TRS-80 line of computers. See the second paragraph of Wayne Green's editorial "80 Remarks" on page 8: https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1980-01/page/n7/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1980-...
      - mkovach 4y ago
        We'll agree to disagree then, but remember nothing is set in stone. That is an article from 1980. I spent 10 years working at Radio Shack, and the TRS was typically referred to as 'trash' but more people I spoke with. Of course then, plenty of people working for the company could have been opening trashing it in front of corporate.
- mkovach 4y ago
  Trash 80s were a nickname based on the TRS (Tandy Radio Shack) name. Nothing bad about them. In fact, the TRS Model III - 102, that I still own is still used. (And has a basic written by Bill Gates). They were great computers!

musicale 4y ago

Seems a bit mean-spirited to call these systems trash - they look like cool 8 and 16-bit systems, and they can run their own custom OS (and other software, presumably including games?) as well as standard environments like CP/M and Unix/Xenix. After all, this is HN where we love classic microprocessors like the 6809, Z-80 and 68000. (And CP/M.) Imagine if Radio Shack (or Commodore, Atari, etc.) were still a successful computer company in the 2020s like their competitor Apple.

FullyFunctional 4y ago
I'm not sure the OP meant it as negatively as it seems. The "trash 80" seems to be a common enough nickname for these that even I knew it, never having even seen one until recently. Adrian's Digital Basement has featured lot of videos on restoration of many TRS-80 versions. Seemed like a nice machine for its time.
- mkovach 4y ago
  Yep, TRS = Trash. It was a nickname. They are pretty good computers. I still use my TRS Model 102 (portable computer, includes basic and a few decent apps). Tandy Radio Shack (TRS) make some decent computers. My first IBM compatible PC was a Tandy 1000. Used that through-out college. Good stuff that got stuck with a bad nickname.
  - gp2000 4y ago
    It really was a term of derision. Sure, some may have used it affectionately and even more might do so now, but by and large it wasn't used in kindness. To cite a reference, the first issue of "80 Microcomputing", a magazine dedicated to the TRS-80 line of computers. See the second paragraph of Wayne Green's editorial "80 Remarks" on page 8: https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1980-01/page/n7/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1980-...
    - mkovach 4y ago
      We'll agree to disagree then, but remember nothing is set in stone. That is an article from 1980. I spent 10 years working at Radio Shack, and the TRS was typically referred to as 'trash' but more people I spoke with. Of course then, plenty of people working for the company could have been opening trashing it in front of corporate.
mkovach 4y ago
Trash 80s were a nickname based on the TRS (Tandy Radio Shack) name. Nothing bad about them. In fact, the TRS Model III - 102, that I still own is still used. (And has a basic written by Bill Gates). They were great computers!