retrocomputing
2 definitions found
retrocomputing - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :
retrocomputing
/ret'-roh-k*m-pyoo'ting/ Refers to emulations of
way-behind-the-state-of-the-art hardware or software, or
implementations of never-was-state-of-the-art; especially if
such implementations are elaborate practical jokes and/or
parodies, written mostly for hack value, of more "serious"
designs. Perhaps the most widely distributed retrocomputing
utility was the "pnch(6)" or "bcd(6)" program on V7 and other
early Unix versions, which would accept up to 80 characters of
text argument and display the corresponding pattern in
punched card code. Other well-known retrocomputing hacks
have included the programming language INTERCAL, a
JCL-emulating shell for Unix, the card-punch-emulating
editor named 029, and various elaborate PDP-11 hardware
emulators and RT-11 OS emulators written just to keep an old,
sourceless Zork binary running.
[Jargon File]
retrocomputing - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :
retrocomputing
/ret'.roh.k@m.pyoo'ting/, n.
Refers to emulations of way-behind-the-state-of-the-art hardware or
software, or implementations of never-was-state-of-the-art; esp. if
such implementations are elaborate practical jokes and/or parodies,
written mostly for hack value, of more `serious' designs. Perhaps
the most widely distributed retrocomputing utility was the pnch(6) or
bcd(6) program on V7 and other early Unix versions, which would
accept
up to 80 characters of text argument and display the corresponding
pattern in punched card code. Other well-known retrocomputing hacks
have included the programming language INTERCAL, a JCL-emulating
shell for Unix, the card-punch-emulating editor named 029, and
various
elaborate PDP-11 hardware emulators and RT-11 OS emulators written
just to keep an old, sourceless Zork binary running.
A tasty selection of retrocomputing programs are made available at
the
Retrocomputing Museum, http://www.catb.org/retro/.
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