David Fox 🌻🥸Mar 19, 2023
In 1977, my wife Annie and I opened the first public access microcomputer center. The Marin Computer Center was a nonprofit org in a library of a repurposed elementary school. We started with 9 Processor Technology Sol-20s and one Equinox. Eventually we had 40 micros (Atari, Apple II, TRS-80, Pet) people could rent for $1.50/hr. So many Marin kids got turned onto computers and went on to do great things. Jump to page 7 of this 1978 People’s Computers article by Annie
http://www.loopcntr.net/repository/1018.pdf
Show threadDavid Fox 🌻🥸Mar 19, 2023

We couldn’t have created MCC without following in the footsteps of those who did essentially the same thing with the previous generation of computers. We spent time at the Lawrence Hall of Science (they had a room filled with teletype machines tied to a minicomputer) and Liza Loop and the LO*OP Center, a minicomputer and CRT terminals https://loopcenter.org/

Our timing was perfect to take advantage of the brand new standalone microcomputers.

Big question for us, Sol-20s or the new Apple II?

Lo*op Center Inc - Home

Lo*op Center organization. Introduction to the organization.

Show threadAxel HartmannMar 25, 2023
@DavidBFox - I had my first computer class at the Laurence Hall of Science in August of 1981 - with the Eliza terminal in the hallway getting us as excited back then as people about ChatGPT now...
Show threadDavid Fox 🌻🥸Mar 25, 2023
@axel_hartmann I wonder if you could ask ChatGPT to mimic Eliza.
Show threadAxel HartmannMar 25, 2023
@DavidBFox - Can you elaborate on that?
Show threadDavid Fox 🌻🥸
@axel_hartmann I think you can ask for answers to be given in a specific style. How about asking for the responses to be in the style of Eliza?
Mar 25, 2023 at 10:34pmWeb
Show threadAxel HartmannMar 25, 2023
@DavidBFox - Tell me more about the questions you have!
Show threadAxel HartmannMar 25, 2023
@DavidBFox - sorry, I was playing with you - I just remembered how few actually different phrases "she" would bounce back at you ;-)
Show threadDavid Fox 🌻🥸Mar 25, 2023
@axel_hartmann ah, got it. I didn’t see the tongue in cheek emoji 😉
Show threadAxel HartmannMar 26, 2023
@DavidBFox - Eliza was definitely before emoji, before emoticons, and before common use of ASCII smileys. The proper smileys are the ones that use only the 7-bit characters common to most terminals of the time. ;-)