What happens when you hear the phrase 'Orphaned Technology'? Does it ring a bell in your head?
A predictable answer from most of us would be "No". The other half, embarrased enough to call it quits, would be working out some answers surely!
Well no need to churn your brain.
Orphaned Technology is used to describe programs, practises and computer related products - both hardware and software, that have been abandoned or simply phished out of use. The thing with technology is that it keeps on evolving but takes time to be tested, marketed and accepted in the consumer market. In a nutshell, "change" is the only constant.
Why do technologies get abandoned?
To give a bang on answer to this question is an impossible task. Consider this now.
What does a child do when he is asked to pick a single favorite toy? He's not hard pressed for choices certainly. The same goes for technologies as well. There's always so much of it floating around the market, that staying loyal to a single technology for long is a rare thing.
Suffice it to say that technology is like a self-eating monster that gulps down its own creation to give way to something new. In this regard, a little historical snippet is interesting to read. The term ?orphan technology? is a product of an era following the liberalization of the defense technologies. The American Congress, instead saw its use in the commercial sector instead; useful for creating a skill based, tech savvy population.
But the problem that crops up is how to create a "secondary market" for a technology that has lost its initial importance. Issues of licensing and patent are also of concern.
Another easier possibility in this regard is the consumer's changing tastes. So in this analogy, its not the technology that has gone bad, rather it has become value nuetral.
All in all, having understood the basics of Orphaned Technology now, do check out these computers of the by gone era that are sure to remind you of your own computing experience.
1. IBM PC 5150
Designed by Florida based company in the 1980s, the standout feature was its high quality design. Other companies reverse-engineered its hardware and BIOS to produce "clone computers" at cheaper rates that increased market competition substancially.2. Osborne 1
Despite being high priced ($1795), this computer had a small display, dual floppy drives, 4 MHz CPU , 64k RAM. What made it stay was its light weight that afforded portability . A not-so-good business model takes its name from this computer, called as the Osborne Effect. In a line, it means that when a much better product is promised, the consumers actually stop buying the existing technology.
3. Coleco Adam
Introduced in 1983, it was a successor to the gaming console ColecoVision. Despite a sound architecture, high pricing and technical problems in an era when contemporary manufacturers sold the same product at lesser price, was its main drawback.
4. Apple II
This was a real innovative system for its times. It offered both uppercase and lowercase letters, had an expandable 1MB RAM and seven expansion slots besides in-built connectors.It was popular well into the 1990's.
5. Commodore 64
Launched in 1982, it has been one of the longest serving computers in the market and best known for its gane consoles. Priced at $200 it was very popular due to its effective hardware , offering Basic built into the ROM.
As a closing statement, nothing beats the nostalgia when you ponder over some old memories. Despite the evolving technology, computers and laptops, whether its in top shape or lying unused, it has its own intrinsic value.
Do share your experiences with us in the comments section below. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, Facebook or Twitter pages for other interesting articles.
Source: http://www.e-junkie.info/2012/12/orphaned-technology-five-coolest-vintage-computers.html
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