Tommy Thomas shares his interviews with some of the people who keep the oldest Macs – those built around Motorola 680×0 CPUs – alive and useful.
Author Archives: Tommy Thomas
Last year, I was excited to review a manual typewriter from Royal. Yes, you heard right – a manual typewriter. In 2012, the manual typewriter was declared dead. The death of the manual typewriter had been greatly exaggerated, as was proven when I reviewed the Royal Scrittore from Hammacher-Schlemmer. Unfortunately, my excitement turned to disappointment as I […]
Long before newfandangled contraptions known as word processors and eventually the Macintosh, and even longer before the iPhone and iPad, the manual typewriter reigned supreme for getting your muse from thoughts to paper. Tactile key action was king here. You had to apply a greater deal of force to each letter you struck compared to […]
There was a time when computer keyboards were not considered a mere afterthought. Many keyboard manufacturers proudly promoted the comfort and durability of their keyboard. Computer manufacturers, including Apple, once included some of the best, if not the best keyboards possible.
In schools, libraries and homes across America, World Book Encyclopedia has always been considered the go-to reference for general knowledge in a clear, easy-to-understand format. World Book Encyclopedia has been in print since 1917, and within the last couple of decades it has expanded to digital formats such as CDs, DVDs, and the internet. The […]
In the Mac world, netbooks exist on the Windows side of the fence. Until the recent unveiling of the iPad, Apple hadn’t throw its hat into the subnotebook arena. Even at that, the iPad is a tablet. For those of us who have become enamored with netbooks due to their size, real keyboards, and minimalistic functionality, […]
Clinky-plink! That’s the sound of the precursor to the ever-popular, ever-clicky IBM Model M keyboard – the Model F. All that plinky-sounding goodness is being heard letter by letter as I write this article.
A long time ago, in a time that seems like forever ago, computers were over-engineered to a high standard – especially in regards to computer keyboards. With a tactile feedback and a loud clicking sound, these were the well-oiled peripherals of yesteryear.
In the previous Welcome to Macintosh article, I started a series called Classic Macintosh Veterans. It’s where we interview you, the Classic Macintosh user. Our first interview was with John Meshelany Jr. Today, I interview Scott Baret, who is also a member of the 68k Macintosh Liberation Army, where he’s also known as Scott Baret.
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh! All Hallows Eve has crept up on us yet again, and for me it means getting my Classic Macs ready for the occasion.
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh! In the first installment of In House with Low End Mac, I interviewed Dan Knight, who founded and runs Low End Mac. Next up to bat is a man whose writing speaks for itself. He has written for Low End Mac since 1999 and […]
In this modern age of computing, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. There are so many things you can do on a computer that you can easily become lost for focus. I spoke of this very thing in an early Welcome to Macintosh article, The Good Old Days of Computing.
Cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck . . . Welcome to Apple II!
Many of the greatest legends of our time have at one point or another brought their artistic abilities and creative genius back to the forefront of society.
Although After Dark got its start on the Macintosh, this wonderful screen saver also found its way to the Windows side through the help of two equally talented, artistic souls, Bill Stewart and Ian MacDonald. I recently interviewed Bill Stewart.
It’s nothing short of spectacular to interview the legends behind an artistic creation. Just to know through every freeze frame that came to their minds, every idea that became born of creativity beyond wildest imaginations, the magic, the bewilderment, the stories behind the culmination of it all – it gives you a feeling of awe […]
Ever bought a piece of software back in the day that made you go Wow!? Not being able to wait to open it? Just sensing true greatness lying within the box? Something on that disk you knew without a doubt you’d never forget?
Tommy Thomas managed to snag interviews with three of the men behind the After Dark screen saver.
There was a time when every part of a computer was manufactured to the highest possible quality standard. Some called it good quality control. Some called it over-engineering. I call it being good, old fashioned, and built to last.
Tommy Thomas shares his thoughts on Macintosh accessories and other tech.
Mistakes, mistakes . . . we all seem to make them, and I’m no exception to the rule. For those who haven’t been tuning into Welcome to Macintosh, the most recent article in the Keyboard Roundup was about the Apple Extended Keyboard II. I’ve received several emails informing me of things I failed to mention, […]
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh! Chi chi chi, ha ha ha, chi chi chi, ha ha ha…. What’s that sound off in the distance? Chi chi chi, ha ha ha, chi chi chi, ha ha ha . . . Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!
In my previous Welcome to Macintosh column, I looked at the legendary Apple Extended Keyboard as the beginning of my Keyboard Roundup series. Just as some movies follow up on the original with a sequel, Apple came out with a sequel to the Apple Extended Keyboard. It was named, appropriately, the Apple Extended Keyboard II.
Click . . . clock . . . click . . . clock . . . click-clock, click-clock, click-clock Oh, you’re probably wondering about that sound? If you listen closer, you may find it familiar.
Tommy Thomas looks at some of the finest keyboards built for personal computers – past and present.
Tommy Thomas interviews people who keep the Mac spirit alive and well.
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh! Since the previous article, I’ve received a lot of stories from readers of how they came to the Apple world. This week I thought I’d dig into the mailbag and pull out three stories to share with you.
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh! For this article, I decided to take a little detour and write about what’s become of computers and computing in the modern age. This was a little rant I wrote up earlier this year in the hopes that one day I’d be able to […]
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh!
Bong! . . . :-) . . . Welcome to Macintosh! Last week, in my first Welcome to Macintosh column I told how I joined the Apple world. At the end of the article I asked you to send me the stories of how you joined the Apple world, and I got a flood of wonderful stories!
