Amiga.org
The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: redrumloa on March 03, 2005, 04:39:24 PM
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Date: Friday March 18, 2005
Time: 11am
Location: CSE 3033
Host: Stachniak
Computer Hobbyists of the 1970s and 80s
Jim Butterfield
The advent of microcomputers produced an explosion of hobbyist "hackers"
who delighted in building or programming their own machines. A little
of the history of this era is given from a personal standpoint. A major
player was Commodore Business Machines, which had close ties to the
Toronto area. Emphasis is placed on the socialization among users;
before the popularization of the internet, this took place via
publications and user groups. Particular reference is given to TPUG, the
"Toronto PET Users Group", a central distribution point for information
and programs around the world.
Jim Butterfield is a journalist and a Toronto resident who was a prolific
author during this time. He produced a couple of technical books and a
large volume of magazine articles on the subject in question, and was
involved in a set of TVO television productions: Bits and Bytes, and
The Academy on Microcomputers.
Anyone who used Commodore computers in the 70's - 80's MUST know the name Jim Butterfield. It's amazing that Mr Butterfield is still active in the C= community. I wish this was closer, I'd go.
(http://www.cs.yorku.ca/museum/events/butt_york.jpg)
LINK (http://www.cs.yorku.ca/museum/events/events.htm)
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yes.. how can one forget Supermon 64 :) and the dude that wrote it :)
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He looks like he came from the year 1900 (e.g. the sideburns and mustache). :-)
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Yes, I remember Jim, it was during my Commodore 64 years. :-)
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Good to see Jim still active in the Commodore community. Besides being an excellent programmer and speaker, Jim is a really nice guy. I had the pleasure of setting up a teleconference with Jim for GENIE...it was at a CBM show in SanFrancisco around '84-'85. I lugged my trusty SX-64 to the hotel and patched thru the phone to GENIE. I can still remember the roomful of folks we had watching the conference live in the hotel. Luckily I didn't get stuck with the beer bill!!
Good times! :lol:
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Hmm someone might want to add "CA" to the title of this thread.. I had built my hopes up in was York in the UK :-P
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x56h34 wrote:
He looks like he came from the year 1900 (e.g. the sideburns and mustache). :-)
Hehe, I'd say a little earlier than that. Maybe 1880's? I think by 1900 it was more a look of the handlebar mustache :lol:
Anyhow, he seems like a great guy. You can go into comp.sys.cbm at any time and chat with him. He's still that involved in the community.