Date : Thu, 24 May 2001 11:50:41 +0100
From : Paul Wheatley <p.r.wheatley@...>
Subject: Re: EUG Electron User Group
>
> Isobel (from BBC Lives) replied to one of my missives about EUG regarding
> the proliferation of Acorn on the WWW and the emulation availible for same
> - she confesses to possessing no original Acorn machine - fine, her and
> many others choice/preference, but whilst Acorn is not forgotten and is
> being 'enhanced' by inclusion on the WWW, what happens to the original
> media, the good old Beeb's and electrons. The BBC micro celebrated (will)
> it's 20th anniversary this year ! The fact that this is being remembered
> must mean something. The 80's retro micros set a standard that is still
> remembered today - ask programmers and operators in IT or DP departments
> today, and the majority will tell you they cut their teeth on and and still
> fondly remember their good old 'micro' from the 80's (whichever it may be).
While I'm completely in support of work on EUG (and can to some extent relate
to Dave's situation having fought a long time for the free software scene on
a declining RiscOS platform), I cannot agree with this insistence that it is
the original BBC hardware that is used to remember and preserve the BBC's
history. Ultimately it is the functionality, the software, that defines a
computer, not the underlying hardware. Emulation provides a way of preserving
this functionality in a way that can survive long into the future (if we
undertake the necessary work now). But hanging onto the old hardware and
media can at the end of the day, only work for the short term.
While this is a somewhat harsh view I do think it's a realistic one.
--snip---
> At least thanks
> to Michael Crichton we could see the snow leopard again - what happens when
> interest wanes enough that the last FDD is junked, and the only surviving
> Beeb is in a museum with no PSU ??? Gone !!!!!!!
The extinction of the Snow Leopard while unfortunate, *could* have been
averted. The original BBC hardware *will* become extinct and you're being
very naieve if you think otherwise. All computer hardware has a finite
lifetime. Fortunately a bytestream *can* live forwever, and emulation will
preserve the significant elements of the original BBC experience, hopefully
for the long term.
> - yes, probably an over
> dramatic comparison, but how about this - EUG now as the last original
> media group, what next.........Chris Richardson decides that 8BS has had
> it's day , WWW or not......then 'The BBC Lives' falls by the wayside
> through disinterest.........What next ? EUG cannot be allowed to just fade
> away like this. This is the last original media group for the Acorn 8-bit
> micro's - can we really let it cease ???
This continued (renewed?) interest in classic machines from the 80's has only
come about through the use of emulation, not because devoted fans have
original BBCs sat on their desk (although that has certainly aided emulator
development).
Paul
--
Camileon Project Officer
http://www.si.umich.edu/CAMILEON/
0113 233 5830