Retrocomputers

Retrocomputers refers to older personal computers and related devices produced from the 1970s through the early 1990s. The term also covers later machines kept for historical or collectible purposes. Retrocomputing studies the hardware, software, and culture of this era, including preservation and replication efforts.

Technically, retrocomputers often feature limited memory, simple CPUs (primarily 8-bit or early 16-bit), ROM firmware, and mass storage on tapes or floppy disks. Graphics and sound capabilities were modest by modern standards, typically offering CRT video output and basic display modes. Software was usually written in BASIC, assembly language, or machine code and distributed on cartridges, tapes, or disks.

Notable platforms include the Apple II, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, ZX80/81, BBC Micro, IBM PC and compatibles, the Atari 8-bit family, Atari ST, and Amiga. These systems helped shape the early home and hobbyist computer market, fostered software publishing, and launched early game development and education initiatives.

Preservation relies on emulation, ROM and disk imaging, hardware restoration, and museum collections. Emulators allow older software to run on modern hardware, facilitating education and research. Enthusiast groups organize repair clinics, document archives, and online repositories to share manuals, source code, and software libraries.

Overall, retrocomputing documents the history of personal and hobbyist computing and emphasizes hands-on learning about how early systems operated, the evolution of software, and the cultural impact of digital technology.