A currently ongoing project that uses old technology in a

new design is the Z80-based N8VEM;

The Arduino Retro Computer kit is an open source, open

Retrocomputing hardware kit you can build and has a BASIC

interpreter.[4] There is also a version of the Arduino
Retro Computer that can be hooked up to a TV;[5]
Retrocomputing is the current use of older There is at least one remake of the Commodore 64
computer hardware and software. using an FPGA configured to emulate the 6502;[6]
Retrocomputing is usually classed as a hobby A Mini C88 eight byte homebrew
MSX 2/2+ compatible do-it-yourself kit GR8BIT,
and recreation rather than a practical application designed for the hands-on education in electronics,
computer.
of technology; enthusiasts often collect rare and deliberately employing old and new concepts and
valuable hardware and software for sentimental devices (high-capacity SRAMs, micro-controllers and
reasons.[1] FPGA);

Occasionally, however, an obsolete computer The MEGA65 is a Commodore 65 compatible computer;[7]

system has to be "resurrected" to run software The Commander X16 is an ongoing project that hopes to build a new 8-bit platform inspired
specific to that system, to access data stored on by the Commodore 64, using off the shelf modern parts.[8][9][10][11]
obsolete media, or to use a peripheral that The C256 Foenix and its different versions is a new retro computer family based on the
requires that system. WDC65C816. FPGAs are used to simulate CBM custom chips and has the power of an
Amiga with its graphic and sound capabilities.
Hardware retrocomputing
Software retrocomputing
Historic systems As old computer hardware becomes harder to maintain, there has been increasing interest in
computer simulation. This is especially the case with old mainframe computers, which have
Retrocomputing is part of the history of largely been scrapped and have space, power, and environmental requirements which the
computer hardware. It can be seen as the average user can't afford. The memory size and speed of current systems enable simulation of
analogue of experimental archaeology in The 1977 Apple II many old systems to run faster that that system on original hardware.
computing.[2] Some notable examples include
the reconstruction of Babbage's Difference One popular simulator, the history simulator SIMH, offers simulations for over 50 historic
engine (more than a century after its design) and the systems, from the 1950s thru the present. The Hercules emulator simulates the IBM
implementation of Plankalkül in 2000 (more than half a System/360 family from System/360 to 64-bit System/z. A simulator is available for the
century since its inception). Honeywell Multics system.

Software for older systems was not copyrighted, and was open source, so there is a wide variety
"Homebrew" computers of available software to run on these simulators.

Some retrocomputing enthusiasts also consider the Some emulations are used by businesses, as running production software in a simulator is
"homebrewing" (designing and building of retro- and retro- Retrosystem 2010, a retrocomputing
usually faster, cheaper, and more reliable that running it on original hardware.
styled computers or kits), to be an important aspect of the event in Athens
hobby, giving new enthusiasts an opportunity to experience In popular culture
more fully what the early years of hobby computing were
like.[1] There are several different approaches to this end. Some are exact replicas of older In an interview with Conan O'Brien in May 2014, George R. R. Martin revealed that he writes
systems, and some are newer designs based on the principles of retrocomputing, while others his books using WordStar 4.0, an MS-DOS application dating back to 1987.[12]
combine the two, with old and new features in the same package. Examples include:
US-based streaming video provider Netflix released a multiple-choice movie branded to be part
Device offered by IMSAI, a modern, updated, yet backward-compatible version and replica of their Black Mirror series, called Bandersnatch. The protagonist is a teenage programmer
of the original IMSAI 8080, one of the most popular early personal systems; working on a contract to deliver a video-game adaptation of a fantasy novel for an 8-bit
Several Apple 1 replicas and kits have been sold in limited quantities in recent years, by
different builders, such as the "Replica 1", from Briel Computers;[3]

3. "Briel Computers" (http://www.brielcomputers.com/). www.brielcomputers.com.

computer in 1984. The multiple storylines evolve around the emotions and mental health issues
resulting from a reality-perception mismatch between a new generation of computer-savvy
teenagers and twenty-somethings, and their care givers.
Education
Due to their low complexity together with other technical advantages, 8-bit computers are
frequently re-discovered for education, especially for introductory programming classes in
elementary schools. 8-bit computers turn on and directly present a programming environment;
there are no distractions, and no need for other features or additional connectivity. The BASIC
language is a simple-to-learn programming language that has access to the entire system
without having to load libraries for sound, graphics, math, etc. The focus of the programming
language is on efficiency; in particular, one command does one thing immediately (e.g. COLOR
0,6 turns the screen green).
It is possible to learn the basics of current IBM systems using simulation, without having access
to a large mainframe.
Reception
Retrocomputing (and retrogaming as aspect) has been described in one paper as preservation
activity and as aspect of the remix culture.[13]
Internet
Though many retro computers pre-date widespread use of the Internet many enthusiasts find
way to connect their machines using technologies such as Retronet that emulate the modems
and X.25 protocol the machines were designed at the time to use.[14]
See also
Computer Conservation Society
Computer History Museum
History of computing hardware
List of home computers by video hardware
Living Computers: Museum + Labs
Vintage computers
Vintage Computer Festival
References
1. "The Retrocomputing Museum" (http://www.catb.org/retro/). Catb.org. Retrieved 30 October
2013.
2. Cignoni, Giovanni A.; Gaducci, Fabio (2012). "Experimental Archaeology of Computer
Science". Atti della Società Toscana di Scienze Naturali Residente in Pisa Memorie Serie B
(119): 111–116. doi:10.2424/ASTSN.M.2012.17 (https://doi.org/10.2424%2FASTSN.M.2012.
17).
3. "Briel Computers" (http://www.brielcomputers.com/). www.brielcomputers.com.
4. "Arduino Retro Computer with SD card and LCD display and Keyboard input with BASIC
interpreter" (https://amigojapan.github.io/Arduino-Retro-Computer-with-SD-card-and-LCD-di
splay-and-Keyboard-input-with-BASIC-interpreter/). amigojapan.github.io. Retrieved
30 October 2013.
5. "Arduino Retro Computer TV" (https://amigojapan.github.io/Arduino-Retro-Computer-TV/).
amigojapan.github.io. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
6. "C-one Reconfigurable computer" (http://c64upgra.de/c-one/). Retrieved 6 September 2012.
7. "MEGA65 - (MOST PROBABLY) THE BEST COMPUTER" (https://mega65.org/).
mega65.org.
8. "Project Commander X16 | Retro Summit" (https://www.retrosummit.com/2019/09/24/project
-commander-x16/). Retrieved 2019-11-02.
9. Murray, David (February 19, 2019). "Building my dream computer - Part 1" (https://www.yout
ube.com/watch?v=ayh0qebfD2g). YouTube. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2022100
3145449/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayh0qebfD2g) from the original on October 3,
2022. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
10. Murray, David (September 12, 2019). "Building my Dream Computer - Part 2" (https://www.y
outube.com/watch?v=sg-6Cjzzg8s). YouTube. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20221
003145459/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg-6Cjzzg8s) from the original on October 3,
2022. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
11. Murray, David (October 12, 2022). "The Commander X16 has finally arrived!" (https://www.y
outube.com/watch?v=AcWqMGju7fk). YouTube. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2022
1028140720/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcWqMGju7fk) from the original on
October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
12. Lily Hay Newman (14 May 2014). "George R.R. Martin Writes on a DOS-Based Word
Processor From the 1980s" (http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/05/14/george_r_
r_martin_writes_on_dos_based_wordstar_4_0_software_from_the_1980s.html). Retrieved
20 September 2015.
13. Takhteyev, Yuri; DuPont, Quinn (2013). "Retrocomputing as Preservation and Remix".
iConference 2013 Proceedings. Fort Worth, Texas: iSchools. pp. 422–432.
doi:10.9776/13230 (https://doi.org/10.9776%2F13230) (inactive 31 December 2022).
hdl:2142/38392 (https://hdl.handle.net/2142%2F38392).
14. "CodePlex Archive" (https://archive.codeplex.com/). CodePlex Archive. Retrieved
2018-12-21.
"Preserving Computing's Past: Restoration and Simulation" (http://simh.trailing-edge.com/do
cs/dtjn02pf.pdf) Max Burnet and Bob Supnik, Digital Technical Journal, Volume 8, Number
3, 1996.
External links
Retro Computer Museum (http://www.retrocomputermuseum.co.uk/), a computer museum
in Leicestershire, UK with regular "come and play" open days
Retrocomputing Museum (http://www.catb.org/retro/) for re-implementations of old
programming languages
RETRO (http://www.retromagazine.eu) – German paper mag about digital culture
The Centre for Computing History (http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/) The Centre for
Computing History – UK Computer Museum
Living Computer Museum (http://www.livingcomputermuseum.org/Online-Systems/Request-
a-Login.aspx/) Request a Login from the LCM to interact with vintage computers over the
 internet.
bitsavers (http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/) Software and PDF Document archive
about older computers
Vintage Computing Resources (https://wiki.preterhuman.net/Vintage_Computing_Resource
s) Active resources for retrocomputing hobbyists
Learning to code in a “retro” programming environment (https://medium.com/young-coder/le
arning-to-code-in-a-retro-programming-environment-fb5c5982ca54)
Beginning Programming Using Retro Computing (https://www.apress.com/gp/book/9781484
241455)
LOAD ZX Spectrum (https://www.loadzx.com) Museum, a retro computing museum in
Portugal mostly focused on the Sinclair line of computers

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