Tag Archives: 1984

Unevenly Distributed: What Gremlins Says About The 80s And Its Tech

Even before the viewer catches a glimpse his first Mogwai, Joe Dante's Gremlins establishes the link between the titular goblins and malfunctioning technology by way of Randy Peltzer and his many incompetent inventions. It's a film very much of its time, with many fascinating things to say about the way Reagan-era Americans looked at technology. It's also a movie that would be impossible to remake today, for one big reason: the smartphone is our Bathroom Buddy.

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Facebook Circa 1984

In 1984, computing as we know it was still in its infancy. Almost purely text-based, PCs and the internet were indistinguishable from what they have become in modern times. Yes, I remember it well. I had a perfect view from the glimmer in my daddy’s eye. But what would have happened had social networking evolved faster than computing progress could ...

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Classic IBM Packaging

Here’s a photo of a ledger from the 1984 collection from IBM. Those striking pastels and regal fonts really bring it all together. Look how proud IBM was: “For the introduction of the IBM PC, we designed the packages and software manual, creating, instead of the industry’s usual cheap plastic binders, hard-bound linen covers and slipcovers in pastel colors to ...

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