What Do You Think Would Surprise A Person From The 1950s Most About Modern Computers?

What do you think would surprise a person from the 1950s most about modern computers?

How disposable they've become. We toss away computers like old socks.

How we got away from the model of timesharing for so long, only to go right back to cloud computing. People were so eager to personalize the experience, it's why things like the PDP-1 came into existance in the late 50s.

How much software went from this thing that was freely, openly shared as just a point of fact to a world where people pay for software regularly.

How much people trust a computer to think for them. A computer cannot think, it can only do math really fast, *you* have to think about how to make use of that platform to make your workload easier. People using computers in the 50s understood this implicitly, and now some people want shitty autocomplete to do the hard part for them. The human tasks that are worth doing, but that's a whole rant in itself.

How much computers just get powered off, or just run without doing anything, because of how plentiful and commonplace they are. In the 50s, no computer time was wasted, it was too expensive. If the machine was operational back then, it was busy.

More Posts from Unusalcase and Others

1 month ago

We’ll never know why (or how) there’s a TV hooked up to a mid 60s Univac 1108. I’m so sad.

Univac used the Uniscope 300 as their foray into video terminals. What we see here kind of reminds me of the IBM 2260 series. Like the 2260, there has to be a cabinet somewhere generating the video for that setup. A 300 is considerably more sophisticated than a 2260.

unusalcase - It isn't Easy
1 month ago

Apparently in Japan they had access to this link cable that allowed the PSone to use a cell phone as a modem, turning the console into an E-Machine, doing basic E-Mail, web browsing, etc. A few games supported it as well. A lot of online sites call it the i-Mode adapter or say that i-mode is a PlayStation service, but i-Mode is just an ISP from Japan. Some sources mention that it was only compatible with the PSone and not the PlayStation, but I can’t find why that would be.

Edge Magazine UK August 2000 Issue Featuring Sony PSone W/ LCD Screen Peripheral 2000

Edge Magazine UK August 2000 issue featuring Sony PSone w/ LCD screen peripheral 2000


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1 month ago

My experience with my autoimmune disease. Quite literally what my first doctor’s medical opinion was.

“Hmm your body is still eating itself, that’s not great. Anyway come back in 6 months 👍”

Doctors are like: ughhhhh. You're confusing. Come back if you die


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2 months ago

Look at the palette, the anachronistic subjects, the modest resolution. Oh my god. It even has contrasting orange text.

Look At The Palette, The Anachronistic Subjects, The Modest Resolution. Oh My God. It Even Has Contrasting
Windows 95 Installation Process
Windows 95 Installation Process

Windows 95 installation process


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3 weeks ago

I have an Omnibot 2000, but his arms are broken. I’ll fix it eventually. What’s really interesting is the black Omnibot with the stereo speakers on his shoulders, I never saw that model before.

unusalcase - It isn't Easy

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2 months ago

Just thought it was an interesting song


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2 weeks ago

Dude looks like a Sly Cooper villain

"do You Want Him To Wear The Little Hat?"
"do You Want Him To Wear The Little Hat?"

"do you want him to wear the little hat?"

"yes please"


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3 weeks ago

These are great. I really like House’s pose and cigar.

unusalcase - It isn't Easy
unusalcase - It isn't Easy

House and Wilson keychain designs for my sister !! They’re graduating this year so I wanted to make them something special :D


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unusalcase - It isn't Easy
It isn't Easy

My blog, or attempt at one. On the internet I’m a 22 year old guy, but in real life I’m, well… the same. (My pfp is what I look like)

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