:: ABOUT :: RULES :: THE CHALLENGES :: ENTER :: CONTESTANTS :: RESULTS ::

About The Old Computer Challenge

An informal challenge loosely based on the "RetroChallenge" concept, but without the tedious rules. Essentially, it's just a chance for retrocomputists to do something fun with their old machines and use the Challenge as an excuse to show off. There will be no winners or losers announced -- everyone who participates is a winner (or loser, depending on your perspective).

The Rules ?

Well, basically there aren't any... there are two distinct challenges posed, participants are welcomed to take part in either one or both. The idea is to use an "obsolete" computer(s) to meet the challenge, but since everyone has a different idea of what that means, I'll leave it up to the participants to decide for themselves...

The Old Computer Challenge will run from Jan. 1 - 31, 2007. Partcipants may submit their entries any time before Feb. 1, 2007.

There are officially no prizes, though I might arbitrarily award piddling trinkets if the calibre of entries warrants it.

The Challenges:

1. The Creative Challenge

This is about as wide-open as it gets... do something creative with your old computer(s) and submit the results by the end of the Challenge. It can be anything; graphics, music, video, programming, hardware hacks... just submit a short write-up of whatever you do, along with web-friendly documentation. Simple!

2. The Endurance Challenge

This one's a little more hardcore... the idea is to do all of your *personal* computing with obsolete gear. Set your own goal; if you think you can pull off a whole month go for it... if a week or two seems more feasible, shoot for that.

Entering The Old Computer Challenge

Participants are asked to announce their intention to take the Challenge as early as possible to heighten the drama and make it exciting for the spectators. Entries may be submitted via email to email@ld8.org

Completed entries may be submitted at any time prior to Feb. 1, 2007... although I won't yell at anyone for being a day or two late. The email address for *files* is files@ld8.org

The Challengers

RESULTS

Feb 3, 2007
The Old Computer Challenge is now well and truly finished... the number of completed entries was slightly above my expectation, so I'm hereby declaring the challenge an unqualified success. Here's a brief rundown of who did what:

Bill Garber of Garberstreet Electronics distinguished himself by being the first entrant to complete his challenge. Bill's contribution to the retrocomputing world comes in the form of a slotless ROM switcher for the Apple ][ and ][+. The ROM switcher can now be ordered from Bill's site.
http://www.garberstreet.com

Dale Goodfellow (aka wgoodf) took a shot at creating a short "film" with his Apple //c... Using images created in Dazzle Draw and music played on the //c, Dale's production is definitely unique.
http://80.192.34.202/Sample Files & Templates/rc07warmup.mov

Mark Stock (aka mmphosis) endeavoured to create a "one well written Apple II program" and learned a bit about hacking along the way. Mark's hacker emblem program rocks, but his new-found hacker pride is the real accomplishment.
http://geocities.com/mmphosis/apple2/contest/2007/old-computer-challenge.html

Lorance Stinson stepped up to the plate with his Hermes BBS running on a Mac IIci. Although not a very busy board, it provided a hangout for the more iron-willed of the challengers (mostly Dale and myself).
telnet://lorance.no-ip.org

Simon Williams (aka Luddite) managed to cobble-together a bit of music on the Apple ][+. It may well be the first time the Apple II has been used in Dub.
http://www.archive.org/details/Framebreaker-Serial_Dub
As an additional project he also put together what is surely the "definitive" guide to authoring web content for the Contiki browser (on an Apple II, of course).
http://contiki.ld8.org/GUIDE/INDEX.HTML

BigD went back in time for a few weeks of hardcore 68K Mac action, and left a well written and informative blog in his wake. BigD's conclusion that the challenge wasn't so tough after all should serve as encouragement to those who are too timid to undertake such a test.
http://www.dustinr.com/retrochallenge/

In closing, I'd just like to thank all the contestants for their contributions and I hope to see everyone back in the saddle for this Summer's RetroChallenge! I mentioned at the start that there were no prizes involved in the Old Computer Challenge, but I've decided that at the very least everyone who completed their challenge will get an official Old Computer Challenge T-shirt featuring Mark Stock's lo-res hacker emblem design... now don't you wish you would have entered?