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Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?

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Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?

#1

Post by boringg »

I fondly remember setting up and playing video games and learning all the DOS commands. Navigating the dos prompts, directories etc. I ask only that it felt navigable and you needed to be able to do that to get to playing games. It felt like an unintended introduction to the architecture of the games. This included edit files etc (sometimes to my detriment).

Was thinking about getting a system to play games in the house but my feeling is that theres no technical lift for installing playing games. That playing the game was enough of an incentive to figure out the shell.

Curious if anyone has ideas. Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?

#3

Post by ilaksh »

Modern: Building games in Roblox?

You could get a Raspberry PI (or any computer with an emulator) or a real 80s computer. Set the PI up with whatever emulator. And maybe a book like this one

https://colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Manuals/Hard...

Getting Started With Extended Color Basic.

Or set up a normal Linux without installing a GUI.

Or set up an emulator with DOS Box.

Or install nothing but Unity/Unreal Engine/Godot on a computer and disconnect it from the internet.

Re: Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?

#5

Post by boringg »

chewz wrote: post #2

I remember learning 6502 assembler from popular computer magazine to add myself more armored divisions and nukes in some war strategy game on C-64. Hard to imagine these days with modern games.

Right? I remember messing around with config files as a starting point. I know it still exists but that it doesn't have the same accessibility it used to. I found this stuff on my own - now id probably have to lead my children to it after ressearch. Different dynamic thats all.

Re: Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?

#6

Post by boringg »

ilaksh wrote: post #3

Modern: Building games in Roblox? You could get a Raspberry PI (or any computer with an emulator) or a real 80s computer. Set the PI up with whatever emulator. And maybe a book like this one https://colorcomputerarchive.com/repo/Documents/Manuals/Hard... Getting Started With Extended Color Basic. Or set up a normal Linux without installing a GUI. Or set up an emulator with DOS Box. Or install nothing but Unity/Unreal…

Hmm good ideas in here. I have a pi at home - never considered it for that kind of option.

Re: Ask HN: Whats the modern day equivalent of 80s computer for kids to explore?

#7

Post by boringg »

andyjohnson0 wrote: post #4

Raspberry Pi 400 perhaps? https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/raspberry-pi-400/ Kind of reminds me of my old Acorn Electron.

Thats really interesting and it takes some of the config overhead out of the equation for younger kids but still keeps some of the technical.
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