Mastodawn

Dan Sandler Oct 23, 2025

It used to be common for people in their late thirties to forties to acquire “project car”, which was often a high school dream car purchased at the end of its life with the goal of restoring.

In the 2010s the retro computing scene emerged in the same age group.

In this essay I will

Olivier Mengué Oct 19, 2025

@sitharus #AFOL (adult fan of LEGO) is another variation of expanding childhood's dreams...

Resuna Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus For me it was discovering I could get a NeXT slab for cheap.

@sitharus when it's our time, it will be software

... wait that's already what we're doing isn't it

Wolfgang Müller (DE:er/EN:he)Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus Electronics builder here. Build some little things for cheap that would have been crazy expensive 40 years ago. The time when it was written on radios how many transistors were inside. (Make that 45, I think in 1980 I had a CB radio that had 9? transistors, my sister got a radio in 1976 or 1976 that had "solid state" written on it, emphasising that there were no tubes!)

John Francis 🇨🇦🦫🍁Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus Cray made a supercomputer that doubled as a circular bench, had great lighting, and was cooled by a synthetic blood plasma replacement. How cool would that look in the driveway?

Ruby Tails > FWA Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus I've made this connection before, of how much the retro computing and classic car scene share a lot in common.

Retro computing is somewhat cheaper as a hobby, though.

Thea Oct 23, 2025

@foxyloon it also takes less space, and doesn’t annoy the neighbours! (Unless you have a really loud PC speaker)

UpLateGeek Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus the 4 microbees I have acquired in the last year are a testament to this. https://bitbang.social/@UpLateGeek/114136802416502351

UpLateGeek (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image Check out this stunning (and filthy) piece of 1980s tech. It’s a #Microbee #VintageComputer!

Mastodon

Ryan Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus I'm getting really into modding childhood sleds, I'm calling the latest one Rosebud

Gordon Fawks Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus no no, you've hit onto something here.

Alice Averlong🏳️‍⚧️Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus I build retro computers, my dad builds electric guitars, his dad built classic cars, and his dad built model trains.

the autism is strong in my bloodline

Thea Oct 23, 2025

@foone I may also be calling myself out a bit here

Alice Averlong🏳️‍⚧️Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus nice!

Jamie Booth Oct 23, 2025

I would read this essay. I have thoughts...

Keith Williams Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus In my youth, building/modding your own computers were our "hotrods"--sometimes quite literally from insane overclocking.

Colin Oct 23, 2025

@sitharus I’ve got both old car projects and old tech projects going on and making slow / little progress on all of them 🥲

thermonuclear small claims Nov 7

@sitharus I don't have space for a car that doesn't work