Introduction

From: Sam Ismail <dastar_at_crl.com>
Date: Sun Jun 8 17:52:19 1997

On Sun, 8 Jun 1997, Andy Brobston wrote:

> My first computer, on which I learned a *lot* about programming, was
> the Mattel Aquarius, which I still own. I've been looking off and on
> for information about it. The FAQ is nice, but I know of at least one
> possible inaccuracy: the "Chess" game was released, I'm reasonably
> sure, because I have it. The computer's not too bad of a player,
> either, if I remember (it's been *years* since I've used the machine -
> I'm living at college right now, and the Aquarius is at home).
>
> I know now that a lot of people didn't like the Aquarius. I thought it
> was a really neat machine. I probably learned more from it that from
> any other single learning tool I've ever had, with the *possible*
> exception of my IIGS.

My story mirrors yours. I, too, learned on the Aquarius, and I loved
it. I then moved on to the Apple ][+. I have few regrets in my life,
but of the more nerdy ones, I regret ever selling my Aquarius to finance
the purchase of my Apple ][+. I had all the peripherals for it
(including the thermal printer and datasette, and of course the expansion
module with controllers and a 4K RAM carthridge). It was a neat little
machine. I've been slowly putting together an Aquarius. I've had a
manual forever that I can't remember where it came from, thanks to Jeff
Hellige I recently picked up the computer itself, and the other day I
picked up the expansion module with two controllers and a carthridge
called "Biorhythms". Hopefully I'll find the datasette and thermal
printer some day, but I still will never have all the neat programs I
wrote for it. Although I do have a substantial number of them printed
out on thermal paper, so I guess that is good enough, although the print
is starting to fade.

Ahhhh, I miss those days.

Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
Received on Sun Jun 08 1997 - 17:52:19 BST