Retro Computing
I’ve been fascinated by old computer systems for years. As a kid, I had an Amiga 500. Our dad had bought it secondhand. My brother and I spent hours going through all the floppy disks that came with it and testing the games stored on them. But something else fascinated me even more. How does this thing actually work? There were a few books included, too. Mainly the user manual. But even that didn’t explain how the computer actually worked.
Time passed. I grew older, and in school (HTL) I learned how computers, microcontrollers, and the Internet in general (which was still in its early stages back then) work.
But somehow, my enthusiasm for these old computers never faded. Apparently, many other people share my fascination, because in recent years the topic of retro computing has become quite a big deal.
I also greatly appreciate a coworker - who has since become a friend - for helping me get back into these things. He’s an avid gamer and retro fan himself, and we push each other in that direction.
Another event that brought me closer to my new hobby took place at the Linuxtage 2026 in Graz. An event I highly recommend to everyone. So my coworker, whom I mentioned earlier, and I took part in a workshop on Friday. Specifically, it was about Game Boy game development. The Game Boy is one of the best-selling game consoles in the world. An 8-bit computer, just like those common in the 80s. This system is also still on my wish list.
Why am I writing all this? Well, I recently bought two Commodore C64s, a VIC-20, and some accessories on Willhaben. I figured I had to start my new hobby somewhere. Most of the devices listed on Willhaben are old machines that have been gathering dust in basements. Which is totally fine. It’s better to sell them to people who appreciate, restore, and maintain these devices.
On the following pages, I’d like to tell you a little about my new hobby…