[DanaC]

Our Kid had an Atari games system when we were kids. Played Pong and Skeet. I got a Commodore Vic20, Christmas '83 ( iirc). I loved it, but was hugely disappointed that it had no modem or the capacity to hack into anything (ala Wargames). I diligently taught myself commodore basic using the book that came with the bundle. Oh yes. I sent that seagull flying across my screen.


My favourite games on Vic20 were: Hunchback, Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time, Jetpac and the cartridge text adventure The Count.

It eventually died a death around about the same time I started to lose interest in computers generally. I never got over the disappointment of how far behind they were from my expectations of computers.

Got back into computers when i met J. Played about on his old C64; then got an Amiga 500; followed by an Amiga 1200.

First 'proper' computer was around 1993/4. Can't recall. It was the year the Pentium chip was recalled for some mathematical problem. I deliberately avoided the pentiums for that reason and because a 486dx was suddenly more affordable. Still had no internet access.

My Bro got a Pentium the year after that and got himself hooked up with internet access. It was very expensive at the time, because you had to pay the phone bill, the internet provider monthly fee, plus the per minute charges. Might have been through Compuserve. J used to go and use his internet access and pay the per minute charges when he did.

I think my first internet provider was Claranet.

Within a year of getting hooked up J and I discovered MMOs. I can recall ridiculous telephone bills from that time. One of at least £1400.

I remember being very excited about getting ISDN because finally I could keep up with others in the games I played.

Apart from a period of around 3 years (aged 15-18) computers have always played a part in my life, from at least the age of 8 (when Martin got the Atari) I'm not a computer geek inasmuch as i don't really know what I am doing on them and never got into the whole hacking and programming scene. But I love them and always have.


[eta] Here's a youtube clip of Jet Pac! I was addicted to this game.

Whilst looking at these clips I was reminded of two other games I adored: Hoppitt and Blitz; both of which came as a bundle with the Vic20