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Atari 1200XL Stacked Up Against a Dell Inspiron

Posted by timothy on from the ok-it's-actually-stacked-on-top dept.

Bill Kendrick writes "My first computer was the short-lived 1200XL model of the Atari 8-bit computer line. I finally got ahold of one again, after having to settle with a lesser Atari system. My immediate reaction was: 'Damn, it's as big as my Dell Inspiron laptop!', and I couldn't resist doing one of those side-by-side comparisons, complete with photos of one system sitting atop the other. (I also put the 1983 storage and speeds in 2009 terms, for the benefit of the youngin's out there.) While in many ways the Atari pales in comparison to the latest technology they cram into laptops, I do get to benefit from SD storage media. It also still boots way faster than Ubuntu on the Dell, has a far more ergonomic keyboard, and is much more toddler-proof."

17 of 253 comments (clear)

  1. Youngins by ubergamer1337 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I also put the 1983 storage and speeds in 2009 terms, for the benefit of the youngin's out there." We would thank you, but we're too busy getting off your lawn.

    1. Re:Youngins by Moblaster · · Score: 3, Funny

      >>"I also put the 1983 storage and speeds in 2009 terms, for the benefit of the youngin's out there." We would thank you, but we're too busy getting off your lawn.

      Considering the Atari 1200 was powered by the 6502 microprocessor, the assembly code of which drove the original Terminator, that would be an entirely wise idea.

    2. Re:Youngins by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      keep your dendrophilia to yourself

  2. What the hell? by XPeter · · Score: 4, Funny

    No SSD? No blu ray? No multiple core processors? No high clocked graphics cards? No ram with heat-spreaders attached? And worst of all no big case with lights inside?!

    What kind of world did you people live in?

    --
    "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits" - Albert Einstein
    1. Re:What the hell? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hey, being admitted to a teaching hospital is virtually the same as getting into med school, right?

    2. Re:What the hell? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Arguing with my friends between the Commodore 64 and Apple //e.

      But mutually laughing at the friend with the IBM PC.

    3. Re:What the hell? by camperdave · · Score: 3, Funny

      What kind of world did you people live in?

      We lived in the kind of world where one could fully reboot a computer faster than one could type the words "full reboot". We lived in a world where installing a program was faster than ejecting a DVD. We lived in a world where one could double your storage with a hole punch.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    4. Re:What the hell? by Zak3056 · · Score: 2, Funny

      No SSD? No blu ray? No multiple core processors? No high clocked graphics cards? No ram with heat-spreaders attached? And worst of all no big case with lights inside?!

      No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.

      --
      What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
  3. Not again! by girlintraining · · Score: 3, Funny

    Slashdot's continuing trend to post stories late continues, with one now finally exiting the queue that came from 1983. And even then; The 1200xl was so horrible that people bought up its predecessor to avoid having to succumb to the evil. Someone quick, draw an analogy to the current Vista v. XP debacle as a distraction while I run away now!

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
  4. Even better! by EdipisReks · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm going to compare my horse to my car! My dog to my Xbox! My socks to my power outlets!

    1. Re:Even better! by CannonballHead · · Score: 4, Funny

      Dude, Dells aren't all that bad. You don't have to call them horses, dogs, and socks. ;)

    2. Re:Even better! by aardwolf64 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well, we DO measure the power of an engine in "horsepower". Dogbox, not so much...

  5. Re:Longevity by MrEricSir · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm here from the future to tell you that in fact, the Dell lapto-

    BZZZTT *crackle*

    OH NO THE ROBOTS ARE OUT! *bzzzZZT* EVERBODY RUN, RUN! AAAAAAAAA ...*ZAP*

    --
    There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  6. Re:1KB != 1B by Bill+Kendrick · · Score: 3, Funny

    Heh, crap. It was late, and I've got a toddler, so I do appreciate corrections. ;)

  7. Re:Hm. by Bill+Kendrick · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Does it run Linux?"

    Sadly, no. But I love it anyway. :) Everything else in the house does, though. (The SmartStor NAS, the Roku Netflix Player, the TiVo DVR, my laptop, my wife's laptop, our toddler... oh wait, not yet.)

  8. Cost? by AdamTrace · · Score: 2, Funny

    Did I miss it somewhere? It would be interesting to know the retail cost at time of purchase for each computer.

    I knew/knew of the submitter (Hi Bill!) in college. He had a real hard-on for Atari's. Still does, apparently. :)

    Adman

  9. Re:Fail... by bxbaser · · Score: 2, Funny

    "(Remember who designed the Atari 400/800, and who designed the Amiga! :^P )"

    I would like to meet the guy that designed the 400 membrane keyboard...Yup just a 5 minute meeting is all it would take..