Through science, we’ve discovered ways of levitating our floppy diskettes.
Discussion topic of the week: Have you ever spilled a drink or any other liquid on your computer? How did you clean it up?
You could eat off of this logo.
This week, I present to you the TurboGrafx-16 logo in relatively high resolution lossless PNG format for all to use and enjoy (click on the image above for the big version). Nice and clean. I’ve always considered this logo to be an exceptional example of good graphic design.
Discussion topic of the week: What’s your favorite game system logo of all time?
You’ve probably heard of Epic Games by now — you know, the company behind Gears of War and the Unreal Engine. We read a lot about those blockbuster products these days, but Epic’s story stretches back much farther than that. For example, did you know that the very same Epic was once one of the world’s foremost shareware game publishers?
In January of this year, I had the immense honor of exploring Epic’s rich history in a sit-down interview with Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic. Over lunch at a local restaurant, we discussed his early programming years, the genesis of ZZT (Epic’s first game), Jill of the Jungle, Apogee Software, the shareware wars, his thoughts on id Software’s early work, the future of game graphics, and much more.
After some time on the back burner, this long, in-depth interview has finally seen the light of day over at Gamasutra. Shareware fans and general history computer buffs shouldn’t miss it. Heck, I did the interview and I’m reading it again. I hope you enjoy it.
The Un-Mouse (click for full advertisement)
Discussion topic of the week: This ad compares Macintosh and Windows environments circa 1990. So here we go: Which, in your opinion, was the superior computing experience: MS-DOS + Windows 3.0 or Mac System 6?
“Hot. Mean. Radioactive.”
Discussion topic of the week: What’s your favorite computer RPG of all time?
Every once and a while, I receive emails from people looking for a certain game, electronic toy, or computer from their distant past. This time, a friendly fellow named Daniel has sent me a puzzling inquiry regarding an action-adventure game from the early 1990s. As usual, I’m not an oracle of infinite knowledge, so I need your help to crack the case.
[ Continue reading [ Fuzzy Memory ] The Secret Illusion of Evermore Mana » ]
“Don’t wait till it’s too late to insure your computer.”
Discussion topic of the week: Have you ever been the victim of computer theft? How about computer damage in a fire or other disaster? Tell us about it.
That kid is one heck of an evil overlord.
Discussion topic of the week: In your opinion, what’s the best Zelda clone out there?
“Zenith Data Systems Innovates Again”
I’ve used my fair share of hefty laptops like the Zenith Supersport SX and 286e seen above. Their relatively large size by modern standards made them no less miraculous for their time.
Even in 1990, we’d come a long way from foot-breaking luggables like the Osborne 1, the Kaypro II, and the Compaq Portable. Gone were the bulky CRT displays; in their place sat thin LCD panels that would vastly expand in capability over the next 19 years. The LCDs in most early laptops started off monochrome with no backlighting, low contrast, poor viewing angles, and slow refresh rates, but that was worth suffering through if it meant you could have a full-powered PC on the go.
Interestingly enough, computers like those seen above — even with their display limitations — are not completely obsolete: I still use old monochrome laptops for writing outside because you can easily see the displays in full sunlight. If you try that with most modern laptops, you’ll see nothing but a dark blur.
Discussion topic of the week: What’s the largest portable computer you’ve ever used?
Yep, here’s one more Game Boy 20th Anniversary article from yours truly, this time on Ars Technica. It covers six strong reasons why the Game Boy was so successful during its long run. Judging by your RSOTW discussion answers yesterday, many of you already agree with me, so odds are that you might enjoy reading the piece.
But don’t worry, folks. The torrent of Game Boy coverage will soon be over.
