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Looking Back - Reflections on computers


straycat19

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While reading about the new 60 TB SSD and reading some of the comments on users first drives brought back memories of 1991 in San Francisco.  You could go to a computer store, and there were a lot of them especially in China Town, and build you own computer.  Inside there was a horseshoe shaped table that went around the entire room.  You started at one end by selecting a case, then slid it down to bins holding motherboards (with cpu soldered on) and selected the motherboard/cpu you wanted and screwed it in, then slid your case to the next bin to select a power supply, and so on.  A clerk kept track of what parts you selected and assisted you as needed with installing them.  When you reached the last bin you had a complete computer with keyboard and mouse and the option of selecting a monitor, if you needed one.  You then plugged your computer in and tested it before leaving the store.  You still needed to buy an OS at the Egghead store on Lombard.  I never built an entire computer but I did buy components from these stores if I was in a hurry, though they were not cheap.  As more stores and mail ordering became the norm these little mom and pop shops disappeared. They were the first white box stores at a time when Packard-Bell was earning a bad reputation as cheaply made cheap computers.

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