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There's lots of useful free stuff for people who want to emulate ancient computers at pdp11.org.

Yeah, but that's not in the cloud, and if you're not doing it in the cloud you might accidentally get too much reliability.

There's lots of useful free stuff for people who want to emulate ancient computers at pdp11.org.

(Sorry, make that PDP11! It's been over a year since I replicated this ancient architecture.)

No OS seems to simply die off anymore, if you include emulators as well. Even stuff as ancient as operating systems for the DEC PDP-11 http://www.pdp11.org/, or IBM's System/370 http://www.hercules-390.org/ have emulators these days that not only still can run them, but apparently, people still use as well...

Because there IS no easier field than Computer Science (well, OK, excluding Journalism) particularly the way it is practiced today.

I'm curious how you experienced computer science that you think it's so easy? Where I attend, we are going through hell with late nights of writing elaborate programs which work correctly and efficiently, and read easily. And that was only first year, I've taken several algorithm design and analysis courses, theory courses, and practical courses. Also, even though I'm focusing my studies in software engineering, I've been taught how to create simple computer chips and how to program on the PDP-11 (which you may think is useless, but teaches us a wealth of stuff just by having to program in a low-level format). Furthermore, we get taught how to perform object oriented design and architecture on specifications.

With all that said (there is actually a ton more), I'm curious where you studied computer science that you think computer science is merely the act of clicking "Wizard" commands in Visual Studio.

I'm very insulted by your comment. You have made my four years of university sound like a joke and you've also insulted not only my education, but the education of every American and Canadian. I only wish you would have had to go through one PARTIAL course which I've taken...

...and replace your PC with a Timex Sinclair. In over twenty-two years of use, not a single one has ever been infected with a virus.

For the rest of us, my advice usually follows something like this:

• Paranoid but looking for a more useable solution which easily connects to the internet, buy a Macintosh.
  
• Willing and interested in learning how to administer a system, run Linux or BSD.
  
• Have a large company handling support for you, join the Windows hoards. Expect some downtime due to security issues, but you'll face fewer compatibility issues.
  
• Looking for games, buy a Playstation or an XBox. No viruses here (so far).
  

Ahh my first loves, that PDP 11 that was on the other end of the 9600 baud dedicated circuit when I was 10. Then came our first home computer, chicklet keyboards, basic and I got it at Radio Shack - wow - what a stunner, color graphics and everything. Yes my 6809E powered Color computer

It all went downhill from there - in the room with me now are 3 alpha powered multias. Including the First box I ever ran Linux on. Now I'm surrounded by obsolete sparq boxes, some old X86s and somewhere around here is a
dragon 32 I've been thinking of playing with for X10 stuff. Eventually I'll have to get a pdp 11, just so I can say I've come full circle.

AngryPeopleRule

Yeah, well I'd rather have one of these, which is what I think of when I hear "minicomputer". Nyah!