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The 1991 "X-Box"

Posted by michael on from the old-skool dept.

Jim Hall writes "Back in college (1991), I wondered why no one had bothered to make a DOS-based game console. One day, in the back of a notebook, I made some notes about how you might go about creating a DOS-based game console. (I even called it an "X-Box", but really the "X" was there because I didn't know what else to call it. Microsoft's current "XBox" console is completely different, and I don't claim any rights to the "X-Box" name.) I've posted some scans of my notes, and a discussion about how you would create a DOS-based game console."

13 of 372 comments (clear)

  1. Wow by Sanguis+Mortuum · · Score: 2, Funny

    1.Write down XBox years before M$ release a console of the same name. 2.??? 3.Profit!

  2. SHENANIGANS! by motardo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I call shenanigans on this one. YARR

    1. Re:SHENANIGANS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I always write down just the year on my big idea notes. Not the day or month

      How can we know it wasn't April 1st if you don't write the day and month?

    2. Re:SHENANIGANS! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      dude, I already built this 10 years from now. No contest

  3. Re:Geez by aztektum · · Score: 4, Funny

    OMG! Someone is actually RTFA!

    --
    :: aztek ::
    No sig for you!!
  4. profit by Billly+Gates · · Score: 1, Funny

    1.)make notes on how to build xbox in 1990
    2.)??
    3.) profit

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    http://saveie6.com/
  5. Missing feature! by termos · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does it have the ability to play Nethack in fullscreen colors?

    --
    Note to self: get smarter troll to guard door.
  6. Re:Prices are out of whack for 1991 by Didion+Sprague · · Score: 5, Funny

    And who adds "(c. 1991)" to their notes?

    Yeah, whenever I jot something down, I'm always sure to add "c. 2003" -- just in case.

    I'm surprised Slashdot got suckered in by this guy.

    Well, no, I'm not surprised.

    Hey, I had this idea for an on-line auction house after I read Thomas Pynchons 'Crying of Lot 49'. First I figured 'eLot' but then I though, nah, 'eBay' would be much more appropriate.

  7. It's been thought I'm sure. by fordboy0 · · Score: 2, Funny
    Even somewhat hinted at in some of the other posts, BUT...

    Didn't anyone notice the striking similarity to an SNES controller? Most of the games I remember playing back in pre-VGA standard days didn't require 2 buttons, none-the-less six. Methinks this is a poor hoax.

    Correct me if I'm wrong (like there is any doubt about that HERE), but wasn't EGA the cream of the crop (except for a few high-end boards like TARGA and whatnot) in 1991? With most of us still suffering through on Hercules mono, or god-forbid the brave souls who had CGA. (I swear it has more than just brown, blue and white colors. It has 16 man, you're just blind).

    And... Were ball-point pens invented yet in 1991? I remember having to write everything down with pencils, only after chewing the end to a point... Case closed :)

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    Ligaguinggligagiggagoogoogwillgo
  8. Guys... Guys... Take it easy... by fordboy0 · · Score: 5, Funny
    The '1991' on the front page is his BirthDate. The idea was conceived yesterday...

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    Ligaguinggligagiggagoogoogwillgo
  9. Re:The X in XBox by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Brilliant. An X server renders fonts poorly (heaven forbid!) and you quote a Microsoft conspiracy theory.

    Hey, my TV card stopped working in Linux yesterday. Did Microsoft do that?

  10. Re:Attention seeking hoax by cscx · · Score: 2, Funny

    --

    This sig is currently under construction. Copyright © 2003, Enzo, all rights reserved.

    What you don't know, however, is that I wrote that sig ten years ago -- I have the dated notes to prove it!

  11. The internet almost crumbles ... by telstar · · Score: 2, Funny

    The internet almost crumbles ... and this is the only news we can come up with today? Some kid's 10-minute idea that happens to have the same name as another product?

    Slashdot ...
    News for Nerds ... Stuff that matters ...

    I guess 1 out of 2 isn't bad...