frey@uiucdcs.UUCP (04/24/84)
#N:uiucdcs:10400137:000:391
uiucdcs!frey Apr 23 21:58:00 1984
My parents are going to buy me a computer for graduation, but we
don't know much about them . I am in CS and know that this is a big
investment for my future. Can anyone reccommend one which is not too
expensive but would be able to fulfil my needs in the future(such as
connecting up with other computers via phone, fast baud rate, etc.).
jim
geller@rlgvax.UUCP (David Geller) (04/25/84)
brain not enough thoughtware available for such an advanced parallel processor fingers mean time between failures (calloused fingers) is too small abacus generally not sold with floating point hardware calculator you remember how fun they were on April 15th... Sinlair it certainly is cute - what else? Atari 400 great graphics - WHERE's the KEYBOARD? Apple ][ ah humm.... Atari 800 great graphics - but Alan Kay resigned! Apple ][e wow! - they finally figured out that lower case meant! Commodore 64 not bad but they need a better ad agency IBM PCjr Are they kidding! Apple III Haven't you ever thought the keyboard looked like it could be separated? Oh well. Apple MAC new wave technology at its best - cute machine - a bit on the pricey side - has a cute carrying case - definitely worth looking into - not a great hackers machine, though. IBM PC vanilla design proves to be a big plus. A good development machine. Status symbol. IBM PCXT same as for PC except it has a round thing in it that whirs. Bigger status symbol. Compaqs Come on! Was it really designed on a napkin??? Xerox Star Now we are getting into the good stuff - a bit pricey, though. etc., etc. I guess I like the brain the best - it's the cheapest. It's by far the most advanced. rlgvax!geller (these are solely my own views and may not be those of my employer)
grunwald@uiuccsb.UUCP (04/27/84)
#R:uiucdcs:10400137:uiuccsb:4400061:000:222 uiuccsb!grunwald Apr 27 00:12:00 1984 Buy a $700 terminal and a modem if you want to work at home. Buying a machine in college is nice in theory, but when will you have time to use it? I used to own a Heath H-8 --- sat idle most of the time, till I sold it.
geller@rlgvax.UUCP (David Geller) (04/29/84)
I had my ATARI 800 system at college for two years. It got more use than my text books. Therein lies the reason for me now being out of college. Such are the perils of hacking and of life... rlgvax!geller
bbanerje@sjuvax.UUCP (04/30/84)
>> My parents are going to buy me a computer for graduation, but we >> don't know much about them . I am in CS and know that this is a big >> investment for my future. Can anyone reccommend one which is not too >> expensive but would be able to fulfil my needs in the future(such as >> connecting up with other computers via phone, fast baud rate, etc.). >> >> >> jim Best Computer for you to buy at this time - none. Reasons as follow : Currently you may be interested in Computers, but this may change once you are in College. As a present teacher, and past TA, I have seen plenty of students who changed their minds about majoring in CSI following the first x semesters. Buying a Computer now means that you pay full list for it. If you buy one in College, you can i. Make a more educated decision as to your requirements. ii. Avail of substantial discounts that may be offered. Some schools are offering the Apple MAC for about the same price as the ][e. The Univ. I am currently at, is giving a 62% discount to its students to buy the DEC Rainbow (not my decision). You can probably get more Computer for your Cash. iii. Just hacking around with a Personal at this moment is probably not going to help you too much with your future plans. One of the favourite gripes of TA's that I spoke was the "Know it all *ssh*l*" Who generally wrote goddawful code, and was certain that there was nothing left for them to learn. Also, don't be so certain that a Computer Course/knowledge is necessary from the high school level. I had never SEEN a computer till I found myself in Grad School in an MS program (due to a set of rather unusual circumstances). My case may be pathological, but I'm sure its not all that uncommon. Anyhow, best of luck in your choice. PS. Send me flames for inappropriateness of posting this. I love mail. Regards, -- Binayak Banerjee {allegra | astrovax | bpa | burdvax}!sjuvax!bbanerje
berry@zinfandel.UUCP (05/04/84)
#R:uiucdcs:10400137:zinfandel:15200029:000:683 zinfandel!berry Apr 26 14:37:00 1984 >>brain not enough thoughtware available for such an >> advanced parallel processor >> >> rlgvax!geller Not enough thoughtware!!! Good grief! What do you think public libraries are? Chopped liver? They have referenceware (dictionary, encyclopaedia), utilityware (how to make big money stuffing veeblefetzers at home in your spare time), some of the best 'Adventure' style -ware of the last 5000 years (The Odyssey, the Illiad, Shakespeare, Raymond Chandler, Heinlein, Anderson, etc.). SOme of the biggest libraries have CATALOGS you can't read in six months! No thoughtware???? Sheesh!!!! Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) (415)932-6900
seaburg@uiucdcs.UUCP (05/06/84)
#R:uiucdcs:10400137:uiucdcs:10400142:000:999 uiucdcs!seaburg May 6 11:21:00 1984 I agree with the previous response. Wait a while. If you know you'll be able to access your school's computer systems, an inexpensive ($500+) terminal and modem would be your best bet. (Incidently, I would NOT get a Commodore 64 or Vic 20 with a modem and use it as a terminal. Many friends of mine did this, and they end up coming over to my room and using our Hazeltine 1500 instead of theirs because the quality isn't that great for extensive programming. Especially if your program lines go out past 60 columns!) Also, look around for a used terminal and you might save yourself $200. Why buy a computer if you don't know what you're going to do with it? All that stuff about not doing well in college because you "lack the necessary computer skills" is baloney. I'm a graduating senior in CS at U. Illinois. I thought about getting my own computer, but I have access to school computers and I can do practically anything I'd want to from my roommate's terminal. (I own the modem.)
miller@uiucdcs.UUCP (05/08/84)
#R:uiucdcs:10400137:uiucdcs:10400143:000:1253 uiucdcs!miller May 7 20:44:00 1984 "Incidently, I would NOT get a Commodore 64 or Vic 20 with a modem and use it as a terminal. Many friends of mine did this, and they end up coming over to my room and using our Hazeltine 1500 instead of theirs because the quality isn't that great for extensive programming." It depends on what you want. Sure, the c64 has its limitations. But then again, for a couple of hundred bucks I'm satisfied. I can run things like vi on my c64 with no problems. My biggest mistake was getting a 300, rather than 1200, baud modem. Commodore's big (only?) advantage is that it will give you *something* for little cash. "All that stuff about not doing well in college because you 'lack the necessary computer skills' is baloney." I couldn't agree more. I really dislike Commodore's commercials, especially the one with the train and the implied message that "if you don't buy a computer for little Johnny, he's going to flunk out of college and it's going to be YOUR fault". After viewing that, a friend remarked that no doubt many more kids have flunked out of school *because* they owned a computer than those that flunked because they didn't. Face it, 90% of the people spend 90% of their time on a micro playing games. A. Ray Miller Univ Illinois
geller@rlgvax.UUCP (05/08/84)
When I stated that there wasn't enough thoughtware available for the brain I was implying that there were not enought known tools to take advantage of the incredible processing power of our chemically based grey bodies. Sure there are libraries and books and catalogs. There are also scrolls of papyrus, abacuses, etc. Why use the net -because it's better, faster. My message/joke was meant to allude to the fact that our brains are, perhaps, one of the most sophisticated of logic manipulating mechanisms. Don't worry -we all appreciate your liberal education. rlgvax!geller David P. Geller