IBM 7496 Executive Workstation

IBM 7496 Executive Workstation

The IBM 7496 Executive Workstation is a rare IBM computer from the late 1980s. It gained some measure of fame in the early 2020s, when vintage technology Youtubers got their hands on them and rebuilt them. Their success, or lack thereof in one case, helped elevate this machine in enthusiasts’ minds.

The IBM 7496 Executive Workstation is some kind of a purpose built PC, derived from the PS/2 Model 30. About a dozen examples turned up in the inventory of Computer Reset, a now legendary Dallas-based warehouse of computers dating back to the 1980s that was liquidated from 2019-2022.

Read more

Is Windows XP obsolete or is it retro?

Is Windows XP obsolete or is it retro?

Windows XP is hard to classify. I still remember when it was brand new, and technologically it’s closer to today’s versions of Windows than it is to Windows 98. To my kids, it’s ancient history. But what should we call it? Is Windows XP obsolete? Or is it retrro?

Whatever you call it, it shouldn’t be your everyday operating system anymore. I’ve talked before about what to do if you are still running XP and need something else to migrate to.

Read more

Pros and cons of Compaqs as retro computers

Pros and cons of Compaqs as retro computers

Compaqs get mixed reviews among retro computer enthusiasts. I had one in 1994 so I get it. They have quirks. But the news with Compaq isn’t all bad. So let’s look at the pros and cons of these machines, and why you may or may not want one.

Read more

Tandy 1000 vs Commodore 64

Tandy 1000 vs Commodore 64

In early 1984, IBM released its first home computer, the IBM PCjr. Commodore won that battle handily. But in late 1984, Tandy released its idea of a a PCjr-done-right, the Tandy 1000. When it comes to the Tandy 1000 vs Commodore 64, Commodore didn’t do as well. The Tandy 1000 eventually overtook the Commodore 64 to become the best-selling computer in the United States.

Read more

What happened to Sega

What happened to Sega

When I was in high school, the console to have was the Sega Genesis. While Nintendo thrived, Sega carved out a niche for itself catering to a more mature audience that had outgrown Mario. And for a few years, it worked really well, until it didn’t anymore. What happened to Sega? Why did Sega stop making consoles? Does Sega even still exist?

Sega hasn’t made a game console since 2001. After the commercial disappointment of the Sega Dreamcast, Sega tried, successfully, to reinvent itself as a software publisher.

Read more

What is a DOS game?

What is a DOS game?

It seemed like an innocent enough question to me. Two game developers were talking, one older than the other, and the older said something about developing a DOS game, and then the younger asked, what’s a DOS game?

A DOS game is a game that runs on PC hardware but under MS-DOS or PC DOS rather than Microsoft Windows.

Read more

Tandy 1000 vs PCjr

Tandy 1000 vs PCjr

The Tandy 1000 vs PCjr is a natural comparison. The Tandy 1000 is exactly the computer the IBM PCjr should have been. That means there are similarities, but it also means significant differences. So here’s what they were. It goes a long way toward explaining why one was a notorious flop and the other was a raging success.

Read more

What was a Token Ring network?

What was a Token Ring network?

What was a Token Ring network? Token Ring is an obsolete networking technology that competed with Ethernet in the 1980s and 1990s. It is more of a curiosity today, but sometimes Token Ring network cards turn up and they can be confusing.

Read more

Fix slimy plastic

Fix slimy plastic

Rubberized plastic has a tendency to degrade and get slimy as it ages. So what was once a nice input device becomes too gross to use right about the time it gets retro enough to be cool again. Fortunately you can fix it. Here’s how to fix slimy plastic.

Read more

How to burn a BIOS

How to burn a BIOS

Burning a BIOS isn’t as hard as it sounds. Here’s how to burn a BIOS and what to use to do it.

Read more