retrocomputing /ret'-roh-km-pyoo'ting/ n. refers to emulations of
   way-behind-the-state-of-the-art hardware or software, or implementations
   of never-was-state-of-the-art; esp. if such implementations are
   elaborate practical jokes and/or parodies, written mostly for hack
   value, of more `serious' designs. perhaps the most widely distributed
   retrocomputing utility was the `pnch6' or `bcd6' program on v7 and
   other early unix versions, which would accept up to 80 characters of
   text argument and display the corresponding pattern in punched card
   code. other well-known retrocomputing hacks have included the
   programming language intercal, a jcl-emulating shell for unix, the
   card-punch-emulating editor named 029, and various elaborate pdp-11
   hardware emulators and rt-11 os emulators written just to keep an old,
   sourceless zork binary running.

   a tasty selection of retrocomputing programs are made available at the
   retrocomputing museum, `http://www.tuxedo.org/retro'.


see also:
hack value punched card intercal jcl zork 

retrocomputing
     
        /ret'-roh-km-pyoo'ting/ refers to emulations of
        way-behind-the-state-of-the-art hardware or software, or
        implementations of never-was-state-of-the-art; especially if
        such implementations are elaborate practical jokes and/or
        parodies, written mostly for hack value, of more "serious"
        designs.  perhaps the most widely distributed retrocomputing
        utility was the "pnch6" or "bcd6" program on v7 and other
        early unix versions, which would accept up to 80 characters of
        text argument and display the corresponding pattern in
        punched card code.  other well-known retrocomputing hacks
        have included the programming language intercal, a
        jcl-emulating shell for unix, the card-punch-emulating
        editor named 029, and various elaborate pdp-11 hardware
        emulators and rt-11 os emulators written just to keep an old,
        sourceless zork binary running.
     
        jargon file
     
     
see also:
hack value punched card intercal jcl pdp-11 zork 
jargon file