Why People Bother fighting yesterdays wars

[dcdrac]

I was reading some retro forums today and it struck me that were people even now who cannot let go of the my machine is better than your machine argument, even after 30 years, it is truly sad.

[steve]

  You are skating on some very thin ice here. 

[ralferoo]

The really sad part is that in most cases, these arguments from the past were never about technical merit (at least for 8-bitters), it was usually about which computer your parents had decided to buy. At least for my age group by the time we moved to 16-bitters most of us bought them ourselves and these arguments calmed down to a degree.

[Bryce]

I was reading some retro forums today and it struck me that were people even now who cannot let go of the my machine is better than your machine argument, even after 30 years, it is truly sad.

Yeah, especially when any idiot knows that the my computer IS better than theirs!!

Bryce.

[ralferoo]

Yeah, especially when any idiot knows that the my computer IS better than theres!!

At least we don't have any grammar nazis here... *cough*

[steve]

Nor any spelling nazis

[arnoldemu]

Yeah, especially when any idiot knows that the my computer IS better than theres!!

Bryce.

Your computer is probably seriously pimped.

[The Last Bandit]

Totally pointless, especially since anyone with a serious interest in old/retro/vintage computing probably has ALL of the machines being argued about - or is blinkered.


Sh1te computers need some love too 

[Bryce]

Sh1te computers need some love too 

Me and my Oric 1 are all with you on that one!

Bryce.

[dcdrac]

What was the Jupiter Ace like? I saw them for sale but never bothered getting one

[steve]

Like a zx81 with Forth instead of Basic.

[beaker]

Sh1te computers need some love too 

What about Sh1te consoles? 

[The Last Bandit]

What about Sh1te consoles? 

Have you played Zelda on the CDi ? 

[beaker]

lol, and most games on the Sega SG-1000. The weird thing is I still wouldn't sell it 

[AMSDOS]

I think in the human psyche our minds have been setup to cherish what we tend to receive and trash anything else that comes along, either that or everything has been setup from the way the car industry markets their product and how shows like Top Gear take preference. 

Could it simply be people look at a computer the same way they look at their car, I know here the main cars produced here (for not much longer though) have cult following, so perhaps what you're dealing with are people of a cult movement pushing for "Their Computer".

Like some cars, perhaps if you have a computer of smaller fame, then people cannot rant and rave about it? So perhaps instead of having an Amstrad have a Microbee for example. 

[beaker]

I know here the main cars produced here (for not much longer though) have cult following,

[attach=2] 

Like some cars, perhaps if you have a computer of smaller fame, then people cannot rant and rave about it? So perhaps instead of having an Amstrad have a Microbee for example. 

I wouldn't be so sure about that, my Tatung gets some derogatory comments 

[Devilmarkus]

This discussion is stupid: My computer is better than yours...
but...
have you seen THIS joystick?

[mr_lou]

I was reading some retro forums today and it struck me that were people even now who cannot let go of the my machine is better than your machine argument, even after 30 years, it is truly sad.

Very sad indeed. But that's human nature for you.

But look at the bright side: We're not seeing any "My CPC is better than your CPC" discussions.
That's something I've noticed. Everyone in any community for a certain retro computer, seem to stick together. Anyone is welcome, no matter what version of the specific computer he has, and what accessories he has for it.
Even someone just having an interest, is welcomed in with open arms by everyone.

That's especially true for our little CPC community here.

BUT... we do have our fights about other things, like e.g. which game-ideas are good and which aren't....

[beaker]

But look at the bright side: We're not seeing any "My CPC is better than your CPC" discussions.

Oh, I thought the CPC 464 was a bit of a joke in some peoples eyes on the forum? 
And besides, you'd probably win the my CPC is better than pretty much everyelse's CPC battle  

[Bryce]

Oh, I thought the CPC 464 was a bit of a joke in some peoples eyes on the forum? 

That's just crazy talk from people who have no idea / are jealous or whatever.

And besides, you'd probably win the my CPC is better than pretty much everyelse's CPC battle

Bryced CPCs don't count.

Bryce.

[beaker]

That's just crazy talk from people who have no idea / are jealous or whatever.

I know, that's exactly what I was thinking! Just think how much time we used to have waiting for things to load! We could read War and Peace, go out for a long bike ride, and then we'd come back and find it had suffered a load error a or b! 

Bryced CPCs don't count.

Oh well in which case my 6128 Plus is much better than everyone else's 6128 Plus as it has had a tape mod not done by Bryce 

[ralferoo]

The 464 is clearly the best one. HTH. 

[beaker]

Seriously, all the 464 bashing - I seriously thinking about leaving and going over to the Retro Gamer forums where they love Amstrads 

[AMSDOS]

Oh, I thought the CPC 464 was a bit of a joke in some peoples eyes on the forum? 
And besides, you'd probably win the my CPC is better than pretty much everyelse's CPC battle  

Certainly when it comes to BASIC 1.0 and BASIC 1.1, though BASIC 1.0 seems to have a work around for many BASIC 1.1 additions, though from the other angle things seem to get tricky to work out. 

[Gryzor]

To get back to the original question: stupid, maybe; weird, no.


When we were young, fighting for our machines was part of a socialisation process through belonging to a particular group - being a group sharing the same soccer team, hair colour or computer. Nowadays, it's all about reassurance and reaffirmation. Which is utterly stupid if you ask me, because it means you has some serious issues of self-esteem...