The problem with trying to use a really old machine is finding software that works with it. You might be able to find word processors and spreadsheets because those were sold in large numbers and a lot survived but once you move into other areas, like if you needed a recipe filing program or something to print labels for your VHS tapes(!), then things are going to become more difficult. Most of the old public domain and shareware software or even many commercially released programs that never saw widespread circulation during the 80's and 90's is probably lost forever.

It's the journey, not the destination. I've got tons of stuff I've been collecting from ftp sites and god knows where else for the past 20 years or so, both retail and from other unmentionable sources. Little by little as I get the expendable cash I replace the downloaded stuff with the original software. Honestly, searching for the appropriate software is as much fun as looking for the hardware.

Lost forever? Not really ...

ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/

Back then the primary method of distribution was BBS systems. But SIMTEL.NET was around as an FTP archive, operated by the US government. If you had access to a Unix machine you could browse the FTP archive, transfer what you needed, and then download to your PC using Xmodem or Kermit.

With a network card you can FTP right from your DOS machine to that archive. And there are plenty of mirrors out there, including entire sites that mirror old shareware CD-ROMs.

Unfortunately, "shareware" CD-ROMs are exactly that: any fancy registered versions that were only available from the original developer in the form of packages made in his basement are probably long gone.

Jorpho wrote:

Unfortunately, "shareware" CD-ROMs are exactly that: any fancy registered versions that were only available from the original developer in the form of packages made in his basement are probably long gone.

This is what I meant. A lot of shareware was crippleware that could only be used fully if you registered and where do you find registered versions 80's-90's shareware programs if you can no longer get the unlocking codes from the author?

senrew wrote:

Ok, here's the next question. Since I want to keep the hardware I pick up for this to as genuine as possible of what the typical home user would have found, should I look for a big-box branded machine and build from there, or try to piece together my own generic boxes from parts?

While there were alot of "branded" PC's: Dell, Packard Bell, HP, Compaq, Digital, Toshiba, CTX, Treltron, AST, Leading Edge, Legend, and many others in that era.

However, there were alot of people that went the DYI route or had their PC's custom made (generic) by a professional, the best thing about custom PC's is just like today, the end user had the ability to add very top-of-the-line parts in their systems of that era, although at a VERY expensive price point.

Honestly, if I were you, i'd do the "generic" DIY route. That way you know what you're building, and you know it will have high quality parts. 😀

PhaytalError wrote:

While there were alot of "branded" PC's: Dell, Packard Bell, HP, Compaq, Digital, Toshiba, CTX, Treltron, AST, Leading Edge, Legend, and many others in that era.

And IBM, of course, though I can't imagine dealing with their proprietary parts would be preferable.

And to complete the feeling of authenticity one would have to find a greyscale, amber, or green monochrome monitor, particularly with someone else's application burned into the phosphor. 😜

Ok, here's another question I had:

What were the most common printer models in say, 1987? I completely missed these years and my first printer at home was a Lexmark ExecJet II that came bundled with my Packard Bell in 95.

Just take a look at the printers supported by a 1987 application. Every DOS application that needed to print more than just text needed to support every printer model on its own. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_matrix_printer suggests the Epson LQ series was becoming available at the time.

Jorpho wrote:

Just take a look at the printers supported by a 1987 application. Every DOS application that needed to print more than just text needed to support every printer model on its own. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_matrix_printer suggests the Epson LQ series was become available at the time.

If the application supports PostScript, you can set up your Windows (or Linux) PC as a PostScript printserver/interpreter to your inkjet or laserprinter, using GhostScript. Then on the DOS side set up MS Network Client and type NET USE LPT3: \\WINPC\PRINTER to map the emulated printer to LPT3. This is what I use to print AutoCAD drawings from my DOS machine 😀

True, that. But as far as physical models go, you'd have to be pretty rich to afford a PostScript-capable printer in 1987, if I'm not mistaken.

HunterZ wrote:

For the 286, I'd say: CPU: 8-12 MHz RAM: 1MB (640k available for DOS) GPU: Anywhere from EGA up to 16-bit ISA SVGA […]
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For the 286, I'd say:
CPU: 8-12 MHz
RAM: 1MB (640k available for DOS)
GPU: Anywhere from EGA up to 16-bit ISA SVGA

For the 386:
CPU: 386DX-33
RAM: 8MB
GPU: 16-bit ISA SVGA (ET4000 would probably be best?)
sound: Adlib or Sound Blaster, although it's optional for non-gaming software

Wouldn't the loadout depend on the context of the system? By "era" would it mean when said CPU was leading in the high-end/upper mid-range, or when they fell into the mainstream/mid-range/upper-entry-level end of things? And from the perspective of pre-built, home-built, or small shop/dealer-built machines?

For mainstream mid-range small shop/dealer built desktop systems, I'd think it would be more like 286-12/16 (around 1989/1990), then 386DX40 for the early 90s (and 486SX 25/33 around the same time, or Cyrix DLC if the dealer favored that), followed by 486DX2 66 and DX4 100. (the DX4-120/5x86/X5 parts didn't appear until the Pentium was starting to go mainstream, so probably not include those)

senrew wrote:

Ok, here's another question I had:

What were the most common printer models in say, 1987? I completely missed these years and my first printer at home was a Lexmark ExecJet II that came bundled with my Packard Bell in 95.

In 1987 you would have been looking at something from the Epson FX/LX/MX ranges as the standard printers most people would have had back then, or something that was compatible with them.