Comments on: Atari user's desk, circa 1983 http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:42:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: JJR1971 http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-158209 JJR1971 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-158209 All right! Let's boot up TELENGARD, whoo-hoo! Way nicer than our makeshift family computer desk (with Apple II+) in 1983, when I was a wee lad...just a plain, painted door laying over two filling cabinets. In fact, that's still what our family computer desk consists of...the TV and computer have upgraded, the Atari is now a PS2...but the desk is the same. I think I still have a PacMan glass somewhere, too. Cool nostalgia picture...thanks! All right! Let’s boot up TELENGARD, whoo-hoo!

Way nicer than our makeshift family computer desk (with Apple II+) in 1983, when I was a wee lad…just a plain, painted door laying over two filling cabinets.

In fact, that’s still what our family computer desk consists of…the TV and computer have upgraded, the Atari is now a PS2…but the desk is the same.

I think I still have a PacMan glass somewhere, too.

Cool nostalgia picture…thanks!

]]> By: LaundroMat http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157960 LaundroMat Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157960 Same desk, now with <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/94438203@N00/461177247/" rel="nofollow">the user</a>. Same desk, now with the user.

]]> By: coaxial http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157706 coaxial Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157706 Hell, my parents still use those glasses! (Alas, we only have the Vader-vs-Luke and the Ewok one.) Hell, my parents still use those glasses! (Alas, we only have the Vader-vs-Luke and the Ewok one.)

]]> By: pentomino http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-158479 pentomino Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-158479 Oh, I almost forgot the one thing that made the Atari 8-bit machines better than other 8-bit branded computers of the day: the happy noises it makes when you boot it up by disk. Listen to the end credits of the first episode of The BBS Documentary; you'll hear it. It makes a happy beeping sound while it loads DOS into memory, and then a silly raspberry sound while it checks the serial bus for a printer, and then more happy beeping sounds while it checks for an AUTORUN.SYS file, or loads the RAMDisk driver, or whatever else. The serial bus had an audio channel, and the POKEY sound chip also drove I/O, so a lot of devices made sounds through the TV speaker, including cassettes. Some just had this awful grinding sound for each block of data, but some programs would load just a few sectors of that, then mute it, so that you could hear the audio track recorded on the other stereo channel. This made loading cassette games much more bearable; even if the tape wasn't set up with loading music, you could still at least count the sectors down. This made it to Digg, btw. http://digg.com/gadgets/Fantastic_Picture_Atari_user_s_desk_circa_1983 Oh, I almost forgot the one thing that made the Atari 8-bit machines better than other 8-bit branded computers of the day: the happy noises it makes when you boot it up by disk.

Listen to the end credits of the first episode of The BBS Documentary; you’ll hear it. It makes a happy beeping sound while it loads DOS into memory, and then a silly raspberry sound while it checks the serial bus for a printer, and then more happy beeping sounds while it checks for an AUTORUN.SYS file, or loads the RAMDisk driver, or whatever else.

The serial bus had an audio channel, and the POKEY sound chip also drove I/O, so a lot of devices made sounds through the TV speaker, including cassettes. Some just had this awful grinding sound for each block of data, but some programs would load just a few sectors of that, then mute it, so that you could hear the audio track recorded on the other stereo channel. This made loading cassette games much more bearable; even if the tape wasn’t set up with loading music, you could still at least count the sectors down.

This made it to Digg, btw.

http://digg.com/gadgets/Fantastic_Picture_Atari_user_s_desk_circa_1983

]]> By: Pretzel http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157716 Pretzel Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157716 What's funny is that I bought that same desk for my dad around the same time. $250 at Service Merchandise, if I remember correctly. And we used it for our Atari 800 (and later, for our PCjr). What’s funny is that I bought that same desk for my dad around the same time. $250 at Service Merchandise, if I remember correctly. And we used it for our Atari 800 (and later, for our PCjr).

]]> By: warloc66 http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157729 warloc66 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157729 Wow. Best. Nostalgia. Ever. Wow. Best. Nostalgia. Ever.

]]> By: someToast http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157985 someToast Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157985 Nice organization! I couldn't manage to keep the space around my 130XE <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sometoast/462737498/" rel="nofollow">nearly as clean</a>. Nice organization! I couldn’t manage to keep the space around my 130XE nearly as clean.

]]> By: filepromptdotcom http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157748 filepromptdotcom Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157748 I still prefer the days of the commodore 64, with its slow disk drive, even slower tape, and printer that was noisy enough to set off car alarms http://www.fileprompt.com I still prefer the days of the commodore 64, with its slow disk drive, even slower tape, and printer that was noisy enough to set off car alarms

http://www.fileprompt.com

]]> By: chromal http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157497 chromal Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157497 Nice nostalgia dose. The Atari 800 was my family's first computer, Christmas 1983, and I fondly remember playing '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Apshai">Temple of Apshai</a>,' 'The Quest,' '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania_(computer_game)">Transylvania</a>,' 'Ultima III: Exodus,' and other 8-bit Atari diskette classics. Nice nostalgia dose. The Atari 800 was my family’s first computer, Christmas 1983, and I fondly remember playing ‘Temple of Apshai,’ ‘The Quest,’ ‘Transylvania,’ ‘Ultima III: Exodus,’ and other 8-bit Atari diskette classics.

]]> By: Shawn Wolfe http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157498 Shawn Wolfe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157498 Very little has changed, right down to the nerdlinger gew gaws. Very little has changed, right down to the nerdlinger gew gaws.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157755 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157755 I never did get an Imsai I never did get an Imsai

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157501 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157501 that's absolutely terrifying. I hope the owner is safely locked up. No rotting pizza, no underwear draped over the monitor,no spilled cans of pop.....shudder!! that’s absolutely terrifying. I hope the owner is safely locked up. No rotting pizza, no underwear draped over the monitor,no spilled cans of pop…..shudder!!

]]> By: CheapEngineer http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157757 CheapEngineer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157757 I used to sell these in '82-83. The 800 went for $699, and I believe the 810 single-density drives went for $399 each. The printer should be a SIO interface, so I assume the reason the 850 Interface Module is there, is to connect a RS232 serial modem (probably a Hayes 1200 external). AtariWriter on Cartridge, with a data disk in the first drive, and a 410 cassette deck on the SIO loop. New, that's probably close to $2000 there, on a good day. Since that's a Sony, it might actually have a Video Input (there was a 5-pin DIN plug on the back of the computer that gave you Composite Video and Mono audio). The only thing missing is the Hole-puncher to pop a notch in the other side of the floppy, so you could flip to the other side of the disk. Cheap "Damn, I'm Old" Engineer I used to sell these in ’82-83.

The 800 went for $699, and I believe the 810 single-density drives went for $399 each.

The printer should be a SIO interface, so I assume the reason the 850 Interface Module is there, is to connect a RS232 serial modem (probably a Hayes 1200 external).

AtariWriter on Cartridge, with a data disk in the first drive, and a 410 cassette deck on the SIO loop.

New, that’s probably close to $2000 there, on a good day. Since that’s a Sony, it might actually have a Video Input (there was a 5-pin DIN plug on the back of the computer that gave you Composite Video and Mono audio).

The only thing missing is the Hole-puncher to pop a notch in the other side of the floppy, so you could flip to the other side of the disk.

Cheap “Damn, I’m Old” Engineer

]]> By: mizerock http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157503 mizerock Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157503 That's some sweet action. Double floppy! Printer! Tape Drive! Modem! And the rotary TV on channel 3, good times. That’s some sweet action. Double floppy! Printer! Tape Drive! Modem! And the rotary TV on channel 3, good times.

]]> By: hanov3r http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157506 hanov3r Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157506 I don't know anyone named "Jennifer Brown"... how the heck did she get a picture of my desk? Oh, wait. That's not my desk - I had an Epson MX-80 printer. That's a great setup. I love the fact that he had both versions of the 810. I don’t know anyone named “Jennifer Brown”… how the heck did she get a picture of my desk? Oh, wait. That’s not my desk – I had an Epson MX-80 printer.

That’s a great setup. I love the fact that he had both versions of the 810.

]]> By: kuanes http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157507 kuanes Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157507 i had all of those "Return of the Jedi" glasses from burger king! note the past tense. *sigh* i had all of those “Return of the Jedi” glasses from burger king!

note the past tense.

*sigh*

]]> By: daen http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-158790 daen Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-158790 Aha, happy, happy days. I had a similar setup (Atari 400 first, though, then the 800, and only one 810). The 850 also has a Centronics interface on it, good enough for my Epson RX80 printer. And I remember the fun I had building a RTTY decoder from "Electronics and Music Maker" magazine (all parts from Maplin electronics) and hooking it up to a SW receiver from Waters and Stanton Radio shop (£100!). I could read all the RTTY radio news - IRNA, TASS etc ... This was in early 1986, so I got the news about Challenger, Chernobyl etc before it was on the telly. I remember printing off the Chernobyl news story and running downstairs shouting "Mum, dad! A nuclear reactor's blown up!". I use XFormer these days to still play the occasional game of Star Raiders. Aha, happy, happy days. I had a similar setup (Atari 400 first, though, then the 800, and only one 810). The 850 also has a Centronics interface on it, good enough for my Epson RX80 printer. And I remember the fun I had building a RTTY decoder from “Electronics and Music Maker” magazine (all parts from Maplin electronics) and hooking it up to a SW receiver from Waters and Stanton Radio shop (£100!). I could read all the RTTY radio news – IRNA, TASS etc … This was in early 1986, so I got the news about Challenger, Chernobyl etc before it was on the telly. I remember printing off the Chernobyl news story and running downstairs shouting “Mum, dad! A nuclear reactor’s blown up!”. I use XFormer these days to still play the occasional game of Star Raiders.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157769 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157769 Well, Old Guy, remember the tech in 1975's Three Days of the Condor? The "scanner"? Well, Old Guy, remember the tech in 1975′s Three Days of the Condor? The “scanner”?

]]> By: gATO http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157518 gATO Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157518 Sweet! The Atari 800 was my first computer. I was dissapointed, I thought I was getting a Colecovision for Christmas, but instead got the Atari; 30-odd years later, I'm a certified code monkey / office occult-tech guru / all-around geek. I wonder what would've happened, had I got the Coleco. Sweet! The Atari 800 was my first computer. I was dissapointed, I thought I was getting a Colecovision for Christmas, but instead got the Atari; 30-odd years later, I’m a certified code monkey / office occult-tech guru / all-around geek. I wonder what would’ve happened, had I got the Coleco.

]]> By: The Lizardman http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157521 The Lizardman Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157521 I have to go with Takuan on this one, my nostalgic episode was completely ruined by the totally artifical cleanliness, it strains credulity I have to go with Takuan on this one, my nostalgic episode was completely ruined by the totally artifical cleanliness, it strains credulity

]]> By: Hounskull http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-158035 Hounskull Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-158035 Ah, good old Channel 3. Ah, good old Channel 3.

]]> By: Clay http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-158553 Clay Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-158553 Look closely to the right and bottom of the monitor... There is some sort of thin metal shield there. A half-Faraday cage to protect picture quality from the leaky peripheral cables perhaps? Look closely to the right and bottom of the monitor… There is some sort of thin metal shield there. A half-Faraday cage to protect picture quality from the leaky peripheral cables perhaps?

]]> By: MiceHead http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157533 MiceHead Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157533 As as I recall, on being unable to read a disk, the <a href="http://www.atarimuseum.com/computers/8bits/400800/810/810.html" rel="nofollow">Atari 810 floppy drive</a> would become angry and bellow at the user like an angry rhinoceros. To this day, I'm not sure if the drive's designers just hated us, or simply did not want us to be able to use them while other people in the house were alseep. As as I recall, on being unable to read a disk, the Atari 810 floppy drive would become angry and bellow at the user like an angry rhinoceros.

To this day, I’m not sure if the drive’s designers just hated us, or simply did not want us to be able to use them while other people in the house were alseep.

]]> By: Sawdust http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157802 Sawdust Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157802 That is a great desk. Wouldn't that over-sized LCD clock pretty have been pretty high-tech in 1983? There were LCD clocks, of course, but they were usually all the same, smaller size. That is a great desk. Wouldn’t that over-sized LCD clock pretty have been pretty high-tech in 1983? There were LCD clocks, of course, but they were usually all the same, smaller size.

]]> By: Hunty http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157552 Hunty Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157552 I still have an Ewok glass. I wonder what those are worth now... I still have an Ewok glass. I wonder what those are worth now…

]]> By: Hunty http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157553 Hunty Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157553 ...ebay says $1. Good thing I sold all my He-Man figures and Transformers for $800 before the dotcom crash! …ebay says $1. Good thing I sold all my He-Man figures and Transformers for $800 before the dotcom crash!

]]> By: Cowicide http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157558 Cowicide Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157558 Nice, (s)he has the tape cassette storage AND floppy drives. Wow, I remember how amazing it was to go from cassette tape storage to floppy on my Atari 800 (which I upgraded from the 400 after mowing lawns, working construction, selling plumbs off our plumb tree for money, etc.) Than you gotta add the Star Wars glasses?! Oh, the nostalgia Nice, (s)he has the tape cassette storage AND floppy drives.

Wow, I remember how amazing it was to go from cassette tape storage to floppy on my Atari 800 (which I upgraded from the 400 after mowing lawns, working construction, selling plumbs off our plumb tree for money, etc.)

Than you gotta add the Star Wars glasses?! Oh, the nostalgia

]]> By: ink http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157559 ink Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157559 Apple Disk2 drives would also bellow at you when there were disk errors. It sounded more like a machine gun than an angry rhino, though. Apple Disk2 drives would also bellow at you when there were disk errors. It sounded more like a machine gun than an angry rhino, though.

]]> By: cshepherd http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-157561 cshepherd Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-157561 I adore the Atari 8-bit and still use a 130XE to this day, for playing Gateway To Apshai and the various APX gems. However, I am eternally grateful that tractor-feed printers and CRT television-set-as-display exist mostly in the dungeons of history these days. I adore the Atari 8-bit and still use a 130XE to this day, for playing Gateway To Apshai and the various APX gems. However, I am eternally grateful that tractor-feed printers and CRT television-set-as-display exist mostly in the dungeons of history these days.

]]> By: johnqpublic http://boingboing.net/2008/04/03/atari-users-desk-cir.html#comment-159097 johnqpublic Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-159097 Mine's in a box in the basement. It played great games and was fun to program. I had the 1050 disk drive and put in the Happy board. I actually used it to bring work home on IBM PC 5 1/4 diskettes, 180 KB. Then there were the modems, 300 baud at first, all the way up to 2400. Compuserve was really cool! I need to get those emulators working one of these days...nothing beats a good game of Archon, Mule or Seven Cities of Gold. Check out http://www.atariarchives.org/ for a boatload of Atari documentation. Mine’s in a box in the basement. It played great games and was fun to program. I had the 1050 disk drive and put in the Happy board. I actually used it to bring work home on IBM PC 5 1/4 diskettes, 180 KB. Then there were the modems, 300 baud at first, all the way up to 2400. Compuserve was really cool! I need to get those emulators working one of these days…nothing beats a good game of Archon, Mule or Seven Cities of Gold.

Check out http://www.atariarchives.org/ for a boatload of Atari documentation.

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