Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Pravetz Computers

en.wikipedia.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 52 posts

Re: Pravetz Computers

#11

Post by karavelov »

Yes, this is how I learned programming Basic, assembly, Turbo Pascal (CP/M) and C on Pravetz 82M and 16. It was fun time. Some models of Pravetz 16 had a NEC CPU clone that was running substantially faster, if my memory serves me well 12 MHz vs 4 MHz for the Intel.

They were widely available in the education system and there were optional classes to learn programming.

Edit: I forgot the Pravetz 8D a friend had - they were available for purchase fro individuals. It had 4 channel audio synth and I programmed on it a drum-box for my teen rock band.

Re: Pravetz Computers

#12

Post by pvg »

ColinWright wrote: post #7
konjin wrote: post #5

Odd that the wiki page doesn't mention that the 8 bit series of computers were clones of the then current generation of apple computers gotten through industrial espionage. We had a friend in the security bureau who had some funny stories. Like the part that was most difficult to manufacture were the rainbow ribbon cables because the petroleum industry only produced primary color wires.

First line of the "history" section: "... developed by Ivan Vassilev Marangozov ... rightfully accused of cloning the Apple II"

Wags used to say the name of the prototype IMKO stood for 'Иван Марангозов Копира Оригинала' - 'Ivan Marangozov Copies the Original'

Re: Pravetz Computers

#13

Post by pdimitar »

I had Pravetz 82 (1MHz CPU and 64KB RAM, some of which used by the system) with 1-2x 5.25" floppy drives. It was between 1992 and 1996, and I was 12 to 16 year old during the period.

Having small competitions with several boys in my small hometown that were about who is going to write the fastest program to calculate all 16-bit prime numbers (in machine code, obviously) will forever remain one of my sweetest and fondest memories.

I am not a highly impressive programmer these days; in fact I am fairly mediocre and the only thing that might put me above the crowd -- occasionally, not all the time! -- is that I am an efficiency maniac with an excellent eye for simple and readable code. But in general and in terms of commercial programming, I am nothing special -- and I am OK with that.

But, having a Pravetz 82 at such a young age definitely shaped my thinking in ways that help me in my life to this day.

Re: Pravetz Computers

#14

Post by malkia »

Holy - wasn't expecting this here.

My father bought me in the 90s Правец 8Ц (Pravetz 8C), which was Apple ][ E clone (or something like this). Had 80 columns (PR#3), 128kb banked memory - awesome machine... and was more expensive than a russian car (according to my father).

Growing up in Bulgaria, not really knowing what sold software means - we end up having most of our games cracked, and you'll be like - "Hey another cool game by the Merchant!" (no it wasn't the "Merchant" that made the game, it was "EA", or some other real company.. ."Merchant" were one of the hacking groups, replacing the original game logos with their own...)

A bit later, round when communism fell or maybe later - even Bulgaria started producing it's own games... not really - same thing - "KARATEKA" - in cyrillic, or "MOON PATROL" as "Лунен Патрул" - and I think it was claiming it was done in my country (could be wrong though, they might've got the license after all!)

It was so much fun to use it!

Re: Pravetz Computers

#15

Post by duskwuff »

konjin wrote: post #5

Odd that the wiki page doesn't mention that the 8 bit series of computers were clones of the then current generation of apple computers gotten through industrial espionage. We had a friend in the security bureau who had some funny stories. Like the part that was most difficult to manufacture were the rainbow ribbon cables because the petroleum industry only produced primary color wires.

> gotten through industrial espionage

Espionage? Hardly. The manuals for most Apple II computers included full schematics.

Re: Pravetz Computers

#16

Post by malkia »

malkia wrote: post #14

Holy - wasn't expecting this here. My father bought me in the 90s Правец 8Ц (Pravetz 8C), which was Apple ][ E clone (or something like this). Had 80 columns (PR#3), 128kb banked memory - awesome machine... and was more expensive than a russian car (according to my father). Growing up in Bulgaria, not really knowing what sold software means - we end up having most of our games cracked, and you'll be like - "Hey anoth…

Holy again - was curious whether someone has preserved cracking screens, and yes - http://artscene.textfiles.com/intros/APPLEII/kq2.gif - aha!

whole list of them - http://artscene.textfiles.com/intros/APPLEII/

Re: Pravetz Computers

#18

Post by pdimitar »

malkia wrote: post #14

Holy - wasn't expecting this here. My father bought me in the 90s Правец 8Ц (Pravetz 8C), which was Apple ][ E clone (or something like this). Had 80 columns (PR#3), 128kb banked memory - awesome machine... and was more expensive than a russian car (according to my father). Growing up in Bulgaria, not really knowing what sold software means - we end up having most of our games cracked, and you'll be like - "Hey anoth…

So many sweet memories with Karateka and Moon Patrol -- and "The Fortress" I think, which is akin to Angry Birds / Crash the Castle. Wouldn't replace that part of my young adulthood for anything else!

Also I was in a fairly small town and the community around computers was very supportive and hardcore.

Re: Pravetz Computers

#19

Post by konjin »

smeldel wrote: post #6
konjin wrote: post #5

Odd that the wiki page doesn't mention that the 8 bit series of computers were clones of the then current generation of apple computers gotten through industrial espionage. We had a friend in the security bureau who had some funny stories. Like the part that was most difficult to manufacture were the rainbow ribbon cables because the petroleum industry only produced primary color wires.

Read the history section, it's mentioned couple of times that the computers were clones of Apple II and IBM PC

Clones and industrial espionage are slightly different things.

Re: Pravetz Computers

#20

Post by trianglem »

nexthash wrote: post #10

This line of computers is really a testament to the ingenuity of people from the Soviet Bloc at a time when resources were few. There's so many stories of them harnessing the limited computing/calculator power they had to play games, run simulations, and more. This era minted a generation of techies that formed the foundation of the tech industry there today. Here's some examples of the clever tricks these hackers di…

They literally cloned the Apple II, I think you’re giving them a little too much credit.
Post reply on HN