tyranthraxus Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I love the computer designs of the early systems. Some look sleek, some hideous while others have a certain charm to the design that you don't get in the industry standard tower case of today. My favorite case design is the Commodore PET. I love how it looks like something from the movie 2001, and since they dubbed the PET the 2001 series I'm sure that was no coincidence. Runner up would be the Apple IIc. What are your favorites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akator Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 I've always had a fondness for that PET design as well. I love the way the keyboard looks, although it is almost impossible for touch typing. I'm probably in the minority on this, but another of my favorite designs was the TRS-80 Model III/IV with the B&W display. The all-in-one silver painted case with black keyboard, monitor frame, and disk drives just looked right to me. Probably for the same reasons, I also like the metal and black TI-99/4a and the XL series Ataris. Agreed about the Apple //c, especially with the matching green screen monitor on stand. It's an amazingly cool design that still looks great today. I would also add the original series of all-in-one Mac designs, the ones with the 9" B&W screens. There were a few 90s Apple PowerBooks with case designs that are still attractive, like the 540C and the second series of PowerBook G3s. The 2001 "snow" iBook and the later "lamp" LCD iMac G4s still look pretty cool, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApolloBoy Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted May 13, 2010 Share Posted May 13, 2010 Doesn't this thread start about once a year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted May 14, 2010 Author Share Posted May 14, 2010 Doesn't this thread start about once a year? Havn't all topics on decades old machines been covered before? Since this sub-forum is only a year old I didn't notice a similar topic when I scanned the back pages. But if you've got links to the old threads in a different sub-forum please post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icbrkr Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Atari ST line Commodore Plus/4. Didn't say it was really functional, but I've always liked how it looked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Doesn't this thread start about once a year? Havn't all topics on decades old machines been covered before? Since this sub-forum is only a year old I didn't notice a similar topic when I scanned the back pages. But if you've got links to the old threads in a different sub-forum please post I did all kinds of searches and the thread I was thinking of didn't turn up. It either got deleted or had a much different title to begin with. It had quite a few pics of old computers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goochman Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 The Mega ST line was ahead of the curve IMHO - think iMac almost The 800XL's were pretty slick as well. The old Pet line wasnt bad but now reminds me of Logans Run - a movie that hasnt aged well at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Atari ST line Commodore Plus/4. Didn't say it was really functional, but I've always liked how it looked. Since when isn't the Plus/4 "functional"? Not having a SID or Sprites doesn't make in non-functional, it makes it not a C64. And isn't one of the big arguments Atari people have against the C64 the number of colors? The Plus/4 case was cool... so cool a Brazilian Spectrum clone copied it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Hah! Found it! Some of the pics are gone now though. Best Looking Classic Computers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akator Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Hah! Found it! Some of the pics are gone now though. Best Looking Classic Computers Ah, but that was 3 years ago. We're all much wiser, now. At least I am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Hah! Found it! Some of the pics are gone now though. Best Looking Classic Computers Ah, but that was 3 years ago. We're all much wiser, now. At least I am Yes, and 20+ year old computers have changed so much in the last 3 years... oh wait... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icbrkr Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 Atari ST line Commodore Plus/4. Didn't say it was really functional, but I've always liked how it looked. Since when isn't the Plus/4 "functional"? Not having a SID or Sprites doesn't make in non-functional, it makes it not a C64. And isn't one of the big arguments Atari people have against the C64 the number of colors? The Plus/4 case was cool... so cool a Brazilian Spectrum clone copied it. If you live in the US, it's not really functional. There is about no NTSC software for it, and PAL software doesn't function. Not 'maybe the screen rolls', but the TED chip just doesn't display output. I never said anything about colors, sprites or whatnot. For the record, I have a PAL Plus/4 and C116. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 I AGREE... The Atari 1200XL is "Sexy" when it comes to computers, glossy, slim, sleek, gorgeous angles and a smooth as silk keyboard... I'm getting all steamed up! :-) Curt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Laird Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 My favourite looking computer has always been the ST. It's a wonderful design and looks really sexy indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 I think the Apple II and the Atari 800 were as good looking as the 1200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApolloBoy Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 I think the Apple II and the Atari 800 were as good looking as the 1200 I always thought the Apple II looked a little on the bland side, but the 800 is nice too. I just love the late 70s look that both the 400 and 800 have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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