Thread: Poll: you and computers

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EDIT 8/2/10 Let's see if newer folk have anything to add.


I'm curious about when you folks embraced computers. Please mark the appropriate catagory as applies to you AFTER reading all the choices because more than one may apply but I'd like to see the one most applicable to your situation.

Don't see the survey Bob.

Need one more catagory Bob. I didn't get mine at home till 2003 and didn't use one at work till 2004.


Don

Pat, looks like others can see it so you may need to clean your cache or reboot/log off-on.

Pops, that's outside the window I am looking at right now, but so you and anyone else can be part of it go ahead and just put a response in text as you've done above. Thanks.

Maybe one of his pole dancin aquaitences borrowed it........
I have seen some pics he has posted ,those ladies look suspect to me......

I'm not sure....how do I know if I'm using a computer......?

Originally Posted by Firechicken

I'm not sure....how do I know if I'm using a computer......?

You lived down wind of the Asarco plant too long didn't you!?

I worked for Zenith for 18 1/2 years (I know, a glutton for punishment) and had I the foresight I would have gotten in to them in the early '80's when Zenith first began producing monitors.

i hate computers

Ok, so I added another choice I was a Unix man in a DOS world back in the early 80's

I was lucky ..I guess, I had a commador vic 20 in 80 ,81 when they first came out ....I was age 11 approx.Then at 14 I was able to attend a summer college course on basic os....not sure of the laguage name anymore,but still remember the basics.

Then ,I drifted away from them untill around 97 ,now I am back into them ,not only using them , but able to build them now also.
It has reduced my television time to almost 0 now ...a good thing...and has given me the ability to research or look up anything in the world I want,most network stations broadcast all content on the internet ,plus the news ,weather etc can all be obtained by me when I need it.
Most radio stations broadcast on the internet,I would say my primary use is the internet or being online ,whichever terminology you prefer.

I use mine as a tool ,entertainment a learning aid etc,but I must admit ,its the closest thing I have seen to time travel or time loss.... .... you can loose 3 to 5 hours in a few minutes on a computer......

Prior to 1980 (your first choice) I was dealing with IBM 360's (actually as early as 1965) No such thing as a PC back then. We had IBM 407 Accounting Machines and IBM 360-20'2, 30's and a 40. Used punch cards and actually had fun.

Move forward a couple of years, I worked on a Commodore and a Sinclair, then graduated to a Radio Shack TRS80 (Trash 80). Then it was an Osborne (CP/M machine). Got my first IBM PC in 82 at work, and followed it up with a Compaq portable for home. Have had 5 store bought (2 desktops and 3 laptops) and 5 home built PC compatibles desktops since. Currently own one desktop and two laptops, last one acquired in 2006.

I don't think I will ever not have a PC of some flavor again. Too much fun.
Of course this association with computers is solely responsible for my mental state today.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

You lived down wind of the Asarco plant too long didn't you!?

Yaa we try'd ta sue 'em cuz uv all thu problums, but the liar said we din't have enuf led in our blud 'er sum'n lyk thet ta bee apart uv it. I offerd ta increese hiz blud/led mixture but, he din't tayk me upon ma offer tho...

Seriously though, my first computer at home was in '96 and my first one at work was in '96 as well.

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Ok, so I added another choice I was a Unix man in a DOS world back in the early 80's

Oh sure, that's just great! Tamper with the data and skew all of the survey results. Destroy the pure scientifically collected results we could have had. Go ahead and add items that weren't selectable by the rest of us....Now we'll never know what the true results would have been. I can see that you were a rebel back then and time hasn't changed you....sheesh!

Unix huh? I spent some time with Linux a while back. Wish I had more time to learn it. Just not high enough on my list of priorities though I guess.

I had a Commodore 64 with a dot-matrix printer back in the late 80's that I used as a word processor. Since I never really did anything else with it, I don't count it. Later, in the early 90's, I had an old IBM at school that I used only as a word processor again. Finally, in 1996, the school offered a week-long computer basics course for teachers and I took it. Before that week was over I had bought my first "real" computer and went online. Been surfing the 'net ever since.

I have a love-hate relationship with these things. When it's working good, I love it ; when it doesn't do what I expect, it can put me into a screaming rage in a matter of seconds. I have threatened to stick my 12-gauge in the CD slot and blow it to Hell; I have threatened to throw it through the window behind it; I have threatened to pummel it with my 10-pound sledge hammer; I have threatened to plug it into some 220 power and watch it burn! The stupid thing just ignores me when I get like that which makes me even more irate. Actually I think this thing has a mind of its own and it likes to go visit the computer tech guy at the local Staples store. I take to him, pick it up a couple of days later, and the dumb thing is happy again for another year or so...