ScuzzBlog: Diaries November 2019
Entry 8th Novemmber 2019: Post 01: Computer Nerds - Gone but not forgotten.
Computer Nerds - Gone but not forgotten.
For regular readers a lot of what I say here I have said before.
However it is relevant to the subject so sorry for the repeats.
It was a sad reality of my travels collecting over the years that
much of what I acquired was once the proud possession of dedicated
and enthusiastic computer nerds. I can only draw from my own past
as to what that really means. For I recall with great joy the first
day I saw a ZX81 in a glass case and the day I stood with half a
dozen other folk at the opening of the first computer shop in my
local town. On the day I set on a journey that took me from the
southern reaches of the UK to Scotland just to experience my very
first Sinclair computer festival. When I reflect on the journey
from those humble beginnings to today I am reminded of each and
every day by the things I have in my collection.
Sadly there are many that are no longer enthusiasts or even of
this world. So much was treasured and so much lost to circumstance.
My joy is to hold what was once in computer users collections
and try to keep the sum of their efforts together for as long as
I possibly can. With each item it is possible to trace the love
they had for computers. It is the invisible truth that is the heart
of any collection, and only perceived when you view all of their
worth as a collective entity.
That, sadly will not be understood by anyone that was not infected
by the computer bug when it first entered the hearts of unsuspecting
nerds of the early era of this world. I do not know if there is
anything as magical today that could possess an individual to go
to the extremes of early computer enthusiasts. The dedication that
these pioneers of bedroom computer nerds was what stood them out
against the rest. They drove the age of computers to the giant it
is today. Not simply happy with their lot but to demand more and
more and to break the barriers into the next best thing whenever
possible.
I was most fortunate to trip across the world of a certain Mr Lomas.
He would have never known that his world would have been saved
and looked after and cared for. I was most lucky to happen across
his computer world insitu complete and untouched. Sadly, I fear
Mr Lomas is no more of this world and his collected computer
worth was about to be dumped. So I was given the chance to take
it all. Man was that a day I shall never forget.
I have featured so often the collected Amiga world that he was
so embedded in. He was the man with the expanded Checkmate and
all the software, disks, books and expansions that supported the
platform. However, like many nerds that grew up with the age the
interest didn't stop, like ever, and Mr Lomas was no exception.
He ventured into the world of the PC and also embraced the early
Windows systems. His Amiga and PC were linked together, all the
time stretching the boundaries of the home computer world.
I kept all that I retrieved that day and amongst the many Amiga
and Commodore items there were also all the Windows based PC disks,
software and books. I do have his old Windows 3.1 PC and even his
scanner. The only item I couldn't salvage was an actual desk sized
photocopy machine.
From what I have here I can see that Mr Lomas ran a kennel club
and there are many many disks filled with dog breeds. He also
travelled a lot and has many many auto route disks and electronic
maps. He was wired to the TV and used the Teletext pages on the
computer with the Amiga. In a high loft filled with computer gadgets
I guess he was a very happy man. I know the feeling... it truly
is a magical experience.
I think I have said enough. I hope that somewhere in the mists
of computer heaven there is a reflective and happy soul, content
in the knowledge that his world wasn't cast to the wind. So many
similar worlds have been lost for good. His, however is still
here and being cared for. For now anyway. I live in dread of
what will happen to his and all the others' once I am no more.
My wish , as ever is that one day someone will find this Forrester.
And now for the pics. I did a random set of photographs of his PC
based disks, of which I have hundreds. All of his books are held
in plastic bags and stored on high shelves. The plastic is to
protect from roaming spiders that will destroy paper when they
crap on it. So Always protect paper and cardboard.
Still crazy after all these years.
Computer Nerds - Gone but not forgotten.
I literally have hundreds of these PC disks.
Way too many to photograph them all. So here
is just a taste of Mr Lomas treasures.
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