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Retrocomputing
Retrocomputing is the current use of older computer hardware and software. Retrocomputing is usually classed as a hobby and recreation rather than a practical application of technology; enthusiasts often collect rare and valuable hardware and software for sentimental reasons.
Occasionally, however, an obsolete computer system has to be "resurrected" to run software specific to that system, to access data stored on obsolete media, or to use a peripheral that requires that system.
Retrocomputing and retro gaming has been described as preservation activity and as aspects of the remix culture.
Retrocomputing is part of the history of computer hardware. It can be seen as the analogue of experimental archaeology in computing. Some notable examples include the reconstruction of Babbage's Difference engine (more than a century after its design) and the implementation of Plankalkül in 2000 (more than half a century since its inception).
Some retrocomputing enthusiasts also consider the "homebrewing" (designing and building of retro- and retro-styled computers or kits), to be an important aspect of the hobby, giving new enthusiasts an opportunity to experience more fully what the early years of hobby computing were like. There are several different approaches to this end. Some are exact replicas of older systems, and some are newer designs based on the principles of retrocomputing, while others combine the two, with old and new features in the same package. Examples include:
As old computer hardware becomes harder to maintain, there has been increasing interest in computer simulation. This is especially the case with old mainframe computers, which have largely been scrapped, and have space, power, and environmental requirements unaffordable by the average user. The memory size and speed of current systems enable simulation of many old systems to run faster than that system on original hardware.
One popular simulator, the history simulator SIMH, offers simulations for over 50 historic systems, from the 1950s through the present. The Hercules emulator simulates the IBM System/360 family from System/360 to 64-bit System/z. A simulator is available for the Honeywell Multics system. An online simulator is available for the Altair 8800 and it runs the actual Altair BASIC
Software for most older systems was not copyrighted, and therefore fall into public domain so there is a wide variety of available software to run on these simulators. In a few cases, software for older systems was released into open source by the copyright holders, such as Groupe Bull (the copyright holder of Multics) which released the source code for MR12.5, the final official 1992 Multics release, to MIT in 2006. The release of Multics source code enabled enthusiasts to fix bugs or make improvements, with later open source releases of Multics were released as late as 2023.
Hub AI
Retrocomputing AI simulator
(@Retrocomputing_simulator)
Retrocomputing
Retrocomputing is the current use of older computer hardware and software. Retrocomputing is usually classed as a hobby and recreation rather than a practical application of technology; enthusiasts often collect rare and valuable hardware and software for sentimental reasons.
Occasionally, however, an obsolete computer system has to be "resurrected" to run software specific to that system, to access data stored on obsolete media, or to use a peripheral that requires that system.
Retrocomputing and retro gaming has been described as preservation activity and as aspects of the remix culture.
Retrocomputing is part of the history of computer hardware. It can be seen as the analogue of experimental archaeology in computing. Some notable examples include the reconstruction of Babbage's Difference engine (more than a century after its design) and the implementation of Plankalkül in 2000 (more than half a century since its inception).
Some retrocomputing enthusiasts also consider the "homebrewing" (designing and building of retro- and retro-styled computers or kits), to be an important aspect of the hobby, giving new enthusiasts an opportunity to experience more fully what the early years of hobby computing were like. There are several different approaches to this end. Some are exact replicas of older systems, and some are newer designs based on the principles of retrocomputing, while others combine the two, with old and new features in the same package. Examples include:
As old computer hardware becomes harder to maintain, there has been increasing interest in computer simulation. This is especially the case with old mainframe computers, which have largely been scrapped, and have space, power, and environmental requirements unaffordable by the average user. The memory size and speed of current systems enable simulation of many old systems to run faster than that system on original hardware.
One popular simulator, the history simulator SIMH, offers simulations for over 50 historic systems, from the 1950s through the present. The Hercules emulator simulates the IBM System/360 family from System/360 to 64-bit System/z. A simulator is available for the Honeywell Multics system. An online simulator is available for the Altair 8800 and it runs the actual Altair BASIC
Software for most older systems was not copyrighted, and therefore fall into public domain so there is a wide variety of available software to run on these simulators. In a few cases, software for older systems was released into open source by the copyright holders, such as Groupe Bull (the copyright holder of Multics) which released the source code for MR12.5, the final official 1992 Multics release, to MIT in 2006. The release of Multics source code enabled enthusiasts to fix bugs or make improvements, with later open source releases of Multics were released as late as 2023.