Well, this is a curious artifact - this image was used to explain what a digital computer was to people who were used to human computers. (Source.)
Rob Crowther
@robertcrowther.bsky.social
Software Developer who likes retro games, non-retro games and American Football.
Football Manager (by Kevin Toms) kicked off a whole genre in the early '80s. Football Manager (by Sports Interactive) is a modern institution. What happened in between and why was the name up for grabs? New post on Football Manager 2: www.superchartisland.com/football-manager-2
Football Manager 2 – “Extra training”
In Kevin Toms’s Software Star, released on his Addictive Games label in 1985, you run a games publisher. You name new games, decide how to promote them (including whether to lead with Hype or Hones…
superchartisland.com
Cheating for #RandomGameSaturday with something that isn't really a game, it's Heather Couper's Starfinder for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron. Comes with an astronomy textbook. I like to remember that there were plenty of people in the 80s using their computers for things other than games.
It finally happened after a surprisingly large number of months, I finished editing a video. The research and building of stuff for the video has been a lot of fun, even if it took far longer than I expected. youtu.be/qSgnDD83m-U
The History of Cray
YouTube video by RetroBytes
youtu.be
I got this amazing thing a while back and recorded my first impressions. I am stunned how good it is. Video is over on the @ready-player-two.bsky.social channel.
Retroid pocket 6 First Impressions
YouTube video by ReadyPlayer2
youtu.be
Massively chuffed to get a whole bunch of RML380Z manuals from Ash on Masotodon. Even when the machines I used at school were new I never saw a manual so this is great! Cheers Ash if you see this 😄
As this is doing the rounds on my feed currently, here's one I made earlier. #My9Games my9games.com/en/s/1dbe0ad...
Rob Crowther@robertcrowther.bsky.social · 7mo agoMy 9 Games (retro edition) 1. Gridrunner (VIC-20) 2. Summer Games 3. Boulder Dash 4. Commando 5. Uridium (all C64) 6. Tales of the Unknown: Volume I - The Bard's Tale 7. John Madden Football 8. Stunt Car Racer 9. Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (all Amiga) #My9Games my9games.com/s/1dbe0add01...
I just backed The Rubber-Keyed Wonder: The Sinclair ZX Spectrum Story on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/48k...
The Rubber-Keyed Wonder: The Sinclair ZX Spectrum Story
Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1982 - 2027)
kickstarter.com
A look back at episode 50 of our storied show from September 2021, for our monthly and annual supporters. www.patreon.com/thisweekinre...
Event: "Pubs, Programming and Panic: 40-ish Years of Shipping Games and Not Losing My Mind" Join Adrian Brown who will be sharing 30 years of games development experience, here at The Retro Collective. Taking place on Sunday 18th October. Book now: www.retrocollective.co.uk/view-event.p...
Here is the complete "Doctor Who - Full Circle" set for your enjoyment. I'm not how if there was much value in trying to preserve these, but it was definitely something to do... #3DViewMaster 1. Doctor Who, Romana and K9, ready for lift off
After Ocean's conversion of Technos beat-'em-up Renegade, its arcade successor Double Dragon became a huge hit... and Ocean missed out on the licence. So in true Ocean fashion, they invented their own Renegade sequel instead. New post on Target: Renegade: www.superchartisland.com/target-renegade
Target: Renegade – “The skin-heads, the Beastie Boys, the bouncers”
Yoshihisa Kishimoto and Technos set some key standards in early beat-’em-ups with 熱血硬派くにおくん, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun or, as it was known in the West, Renegade. Having launched Kunio-kun as the main…
superchartisland.com
EA Sports FC 27 is out today. To commemorate, here is a previously unpublished piece about my compulsive relationship with FIFA 18's Ultimate Team mechanics, and why I'm glad I stopped playing www.superchartisland.com/fifa-18
FIFA 18 and why I stopped playing FIFA games
I wrote this article for GameTripper in 2022, but it didn’t end up being published. I have made a few minor edits but have left largely as-was. It…
superchartisland.com
Had a root around in the loft for #RandomGameSaturday and came across my Amiga copy of Sim City Classic. Love this game, many hours spent trying to find the ideal placement of city blocks.
Found this in my archives. It's the source of the "dino.exe" name that #GTA1 inherited (via it's DINO.BAT) It was listed as "Darrens Dino Game" Unless this was Attack! I have no idea what this game concept was.This would have been the demo that I drew the Isometric picture for that then spawned GTA
Am not coughing anymore so wondering if I'm safe enough (and able) to get to the hospital again to see Flo, it's been SO long I've been going out of my mind and I'm sure she has too. And I need to tell her about the GoFundMe, so she's not worrying about work/bills. www.gofundme.com/f/flo-and-rob
Donate to Help Flo and Rob with Flo's Stroke Recovery, organized by Emma Leadley
Flo is an artist, sci-fi and fantasy writer and regular attendee at conventio… Emma Leadley needs your support for Help Flo and Rob with Flo's Stroke Recovery
gofundme.com
GigerPunk@gigerpunk.bsky.social · 2w agoMeanwhile, friends have suggested we set up a gofundme to help alleviate money worries while trying to get Flo back on her feet again. And then they did all the hard work setting it up as well. So if you'd like to help, please have at it. And if you can't that's fine too. gofund.me/d0d4004d7
The Jupiter Ace was launched this day in 1982. Happy Birthday, little plastic Forth buddy! #jupiterace
In 1980s Britain, snooker was enjoying a boom that began with colour TV. Several saw the Spectrum as a similar opportunity. CDS & Mike Lamb made a great game and brought in a world champion too, with lasting results. New post on Steve Davis Snooker: superchartisland.com/steve-davis-snooker
Steve Davis Snooker – “Colour wanted”
In 1969, the controller of BBC Two, one David Attenborough, had a bit of an issue. He had a few colour cameras, and a desire to put something unique on his channel that would maximise the use of th…
superchartisland.com
Did you ever attend one of these shows? #KevinToms #Commodore #C64 #C128 #ComputerShow #RetroComputers #HomeComputers #Microcomputers #80sComputers #UKComputers #UKRetro
New Podcast Episode ! This time we explore Vintage Computer Festival Midwest! youtu.be/LamG412IQgA
Kate & Veronica - E02 - VCF Midwest 2026 - The Largest Vintage Computer Festival!
YouTube video by Kate and Veronica Podcast
youtu.be
Today on #RandomGameSaturday I am a little sad that I can't afford a Switch 2 to play the latest Fire Emblem game, but I'm happy that I can play Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia on my #3DS whenever I want.
A great start to today’s Domesday at 40 anniversary event! 👏🏼 We have heard talks from Chris Turner, Mike Tibbetts and Jardine Barrington-Cook. Our brilliant MC for the day is @delverie.bsky.social 🎙️ Looking forward to the rest of the day! #Domesdayat40
I'm at the @computinghistory.org.uk for the Domesday at 40 event, celebrating the 1986 BBC Domesday Project (itself a celebration of 1086 Domesday Book).
Here is the full packaging for the upcoming Mr Benn dvd release. All the cartoons have been restored & look Fabulous. There are loads of extras, including a cd of Mr Benn - The Music. We hope you love it!! Please pass the word...
Working today on a BBSs to feature in my game. In this alternate universe @visitthecave.bsky.social's @retrocollective.co.uk was already a thing, and had its own BBS! I just need to figure out the old landline format for a phone based in Stroud,UK in 1989 🤔 #GlyphisIOBBSTheProxyTapes1989
It's the 40th anniversary of the Apple IIgs! Apple's Curtis Sasaki appeared in a September 1986 episode to demo EA's "Music Construction Set," which developer Will Harvey ported from his original Apple II version. www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr... #retrocomputing #apple #midi
Computer Chronicles Revisited 64 — The Music Studio, EZ-Track, Soundscape, the Apple IIgs, and the CompuSonics DSP-1000
The Computer Chronicles discusses MIDI music.
computerchronicles.blog
Okay, starting a @thelongdark.bsky.social stalker survival run. I’m mostly an interloper player, which is technically the hardest mode since items are limited and the weather is worse. With stalker, the wildlife is more aggressive, but you get extra stuff, incl. guns.