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Thread ID: 65348 2006-01-15 06:48:00 Old machine curiosity Greg (193) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
421183 2006-01-15 06:48:00 The image linked below is my missus's dad in front of some old machine. The photo was taken in 1973. Can anybody tell what it is? My guess is some sort of old word processor, but it could be anything, like maybe a diagnostic machine, as he was in the pharmaceuticals industry at the time.

The thing is it looks so much like an early PC, but they only became mainstream early 80's. Could it even be a Mac? :eek:

Image here (www.hostnz.co.nz).
Greg (193)
421184 2006-01-15 06:56:00 Thats an early model Infinite Improbability Drive. Metla (12)
421185 2006-01-15 07:10:00 Thats an early model Infinite Improbability Drive.Lol, no its not ya egg :p

We need to head Back to the Future...
The guy is keying in instructions for the 1.21Gigawatt flux capacitor inside the machine (yes, its the ealiest pics of Doc Brown's Time Machine :))
Myth (110)
421186 2006-01-15 07:19:00 could this be it??

www.old-computers.com
robsonde (120)
421187 2006-01-15 07:25:00 could this be it??

www.old-computers.com
No, the photo was taken in 1973, but the machine wasn't released till 1977, unless it is Doc Brown :cool:
plod (107)
421188 2006-01-15 07:47:00 Looks like an early Visual Display Unit (Terminal) of a mainframe computer of that era. godfather (25)
421189 2006-01-15 08:53:00 Looks awfully like

www.old-computers.com

www.old-computers.com
pctek (84)
421190 2006-01-15 09:16:00 Looks awfully like

www.old-computers.com

www.old-computers.com

Could be... the CBM logo could be the clue. So although GF's idea makes good sense, I'm now guessing it's a Commodore.
Greg (193)
421191 2006-01-15 09:20:00 Both of those are 1981 though... george12 (7)
421192 2006-01-16 00:59:00 It's certainly a terminal, rather than a "computer" . There's no storage device, not even an 8" floppy . In 1973 hard disks were 14" diameter, or bigger .

Are the dark patches on the side facing us readable in the photograph? Is that really "C B M"? Probably still not be Commodore; they don't own the letter "C" . The word "computer" comes to mind .

It looks quite a lot like a one-off; most "manufactured" terminals had some curved bits . though the screen section does look a bit more factory made . It doesn't look "so much like an early PC", All IBM PCs (in 1982) were in rectangular boxes . Microcomputers in 1973 were similar . . . and most used terminals (mostly Teletypes) . Video terminals were still very rare, and I doubt if any were "built in" . Most were that ugly .
Graham L (2)
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