Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
1–10 of 39 posts
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#2> as the inefficiency of the centralisation efforts meant that it was met with delays and a lack of coordination.
Starting in 1981, I lived through the evolution of "personal computers" and have worked in the startup side of high tech most of my career. Even in the U.S. it was hard to create a successful, sustainable business in computing. I can't even imagine trying to do the same in the Eastern block with central planning, lack of ecosystem and myriad other challenges. Here in the U.S. there was a rueful saying in tech that "sometimes the better product doesn't win" but it was a saying because it was usually an exception. At least there was a general expectation that better products would win. It's kind of tragic how much engineering talent went to waste or was never utilized behind the iron curtain.
A little over 20 years ago I visited Warsaw for a few days and, of course, sought out the technology museum. I think I may have been the only visitor while I was there. Every large hall had a dedicated guard sitting in a chair, who mostly looked like retired pensioners. I felt bad because I woke up a lot of nice people just walking quietly through. The museum was mostly focused on industrial, manufacturing and agricultural technology but there was quite an extensive computer hall and it was chock full of fascinating mainframe and mini-looking systems I'd never seen, even in pictures. I was surprised that, other than terminals, there was little in the way of desktop or home computers. Thinking about it I realized that circa 2000, Poland's early desktop and home computers were probably still in use and a few years away from museum fodder. The only bad part was there was virtually no info in English (at least back then) and no mobile phone translate apps.
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#3It's fascinating to have a glimpse into a parallel history of computing that happened in a small country without the resources to make it big, but with tireless efforts of brilliant mathematicians and engineers who made the advancements against the odds.
If the history ran along a parallel path, I wonder what could have been different and what would have ended up exactly the same.
For the PL nerds who are curious about Loglan, check out: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrzej-Salwicki/public...
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#4I found this YouTube channel about the MERA-400, complete with interviews with its designer [0]. Unfortunately, it is all in Polish.
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#5I found this YouTube channel about the MERA-400, complete with interviews with its designer [0]. Unfortunately, it is all in Polish. [0] https://youtube.com/@mera400
Fortunately, automatically generated subtitles are often good enough.
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#6also pre cyberpunk movie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Silver_Globe_(film)
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#7> as the inefficiency of the centralisation efforts meant that it was met with delays and a lack of coordination. Starting in 1981, I lived through the evolution of "personal computers" and have worked in the startup side of high tech most of my career. Even in the U.S. it was hard to create a successful, sustainable business in computing. I can't even imagine trying to do the same in the Eastern block with central p…
> Thinking about it I realized that circa 2000, Poland's early desktop and home computers were probably still in use
Around 2000 we were already using normal x86 machines in the offices and homes. There was a company named Optimus which had multiple branches that back then provided: computers (assembling and selling these), software - they've become an official distributor for e.g. Activision, Ubisoft, Id Software, Disney etc., translations for foreign software, and they also become one of two offical Nintendo distributors in Poland. Optimus had chances to become a really good player here but due to financial management "problems" they have failed - to put this short. In 2009 Optimus merged with what nowadays is known as CD Projekt. Optimus' other child - a web portal known originally Optimus Net has become onet.pl and it survived till today but become a part of Ringier Axel Springer Poland.
There were specific places which used our "native" machines for years. For example last Odra computer was shut down on April 30th in 2010 after 34 years of continuos work at Polish Railways computer centre.
Beside the technology museum you mentioned there is (or was - not sure what happen) an Apple museum in Warszawa - folks hoarded over 1700 items under their care.
https://applemuzeumpolska.webflow.io/en/home
Country itself changed in last 20 years and if you haven't seen it again in that time, you should return
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#8It’s not mentioned but the ODRA 1300s were ICT/ICL 1900 compatibles, pretty far from the Western state of the art (circa early 1960s).
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#9> as the inefficiency of the centralisation efforts meant that it was met with delays and a lack of coordination. Starting in 1981, I lived through the evolution of "personal computers" and have worked in the startup side of high tech most of my career. Even in the U.S. it was hard to create a successful, sustainable business in computing. I can't even imagine trying to do the same in the Eastern block with central p…
> Thinking about it I realized that circa 2000, Poland's early desktop and home computers were probably still in use Around 2000 we were already using normal x86 machines in the offices and homes. There was a company named Optimus which had multiple branches that back then provided: computers (assembling and selling these), software - they've become an official distributor for e.g. Activision, Ubisoft, Id Software, D…
> Around 2000 we were already using normal x86 machines in the offices and homes.
Yes, I assumed so but figured if Poland had homegrown 8-bit micros in the mid-80s similar to the Galaksija in Yugoslavia or the rare Pecom 64 (of which I have one in my collection!), that they might still be in original owners hands in 2000 instead of museums.
> Country itself changed in last 20 years and if you haven't seen it again in that time, you should return
It was lovely when I visited but there were still some signs of the old soviet era lingering. I'm sure with the economic growth since then it's remarkably different today. I hope to see it someday!
Re: Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Thinking about it I realized that circa 2000, Poland's early desktop and home computers were probably still in use Around 2000 we were already using normal x86 machines in the offices and homes. There was a company named Optimus which had multiple branches that back then provided: computers (assembling and selling these), software - they've become an official distributor for e.g. Activision, Ubisoft, Id Software, D…
> Around 2000 we were already using normal x86 machines in the offices and homes. Yes, I assumed so but figured if Poland had homegrown 8-bit micros in the mid-80s similar to the Galaksija in Yugoslavia or the rare Pecom 64 (of which I have one in my collection!), that they might still be in original owners hands in 2000 instead of museums. > Country itself changed in last 20 years and if you haven't seen it again in…
> still be in original owners hands in 2000 instead of museums.
Kinda, yes. Almost entirely for sentimental reasons though. The longest held ones would still likely be Amigas. Virtually only PCs were used in offices in 2000. Industrial cases would still hold on to some old machines simply because nobody upgrades those. (But that's kind of like subways today still working from floppies)
And then there's the in between of dos terminals for accounting, inventory, etc. Those were everywhere and survived for so much longer than in other countries as far as I can tell.