In a move surely aiming to ensure no-one has a reason to cling on to their ‘old’ version of Windows (XP users, thinking of you, but unfortunately you’re out of luck for this upgrade), Microsoft will give free upgrades to Windows 10 this summer, for all 7 and 8.x users.
UK Computer Games Industry – History Documentaries
Early 80s in the UK was prime time for the 8bit home computer games industry. I posted a few links of some interesting computer history documentaries on YouTube a while back, including the TV Drama ‘MicroMen’ which covered the rivalry between Clive Sinclair and Chris Curry at the time.
Here’s a couple more:
- Commercical Breaks: a documentary about software publishers Ocean and Imagine
- Making of Elite
The computer on the shelf in WarGames
I’ve just finished reading the first 3 chapters of Fire in the Valley, a history of the development of the PC. These first chapters were history prior to development of the Altair (which was before my time, but I’m familiar with the history), and centered on IMSAI and development of their 8080 computer.
Not having any personal experience with an IMSAI these first chapters were rather dry and slow going, but on the last page of chapter 3 it mentions IMSAI’s one and possibly only claim to fame was that an IMSAI 8080 was used as a prop in the background of WarGames when Matthew Broderick’s character was seen using his computer at home. Given that WarGames is one of my favorite films, this suddenly brought some conext and interest to this first part of the book. I always though that was an Altair on the shelf in the background, but apparently it’s an IMSAI 8080. More info on their site here.
Computer History Museum release source for early versions of CP/M
Press release here. CP/M was significant in the history of the development of the IBM PC as IBM famously approached Kildall to license CP/M for the OS for the first IBM PC, but failing to work a deal approached Bill Gates at Microsoft instead.