PRHunt
I void warranties
When I learned BASIC programming in high school, we used paper cards which had letters, numbers and symbols printed on them which we had to colour in with a pencil to create the program statements, one card per line. Bit like punch cards.
The card were taken off site to be run through the computer (? PDP11), and a week later, you got back a print-out. Then you would find out if you had made an error...
Paul
Steenamaroo
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witzendoz
Senior Member
Actually my first computer was a Commodore 16 plus 4, I found a picture on wiki of my exact first set up. I was always fixing the tape drive. We bought it because from memory (mine not the computers) the 16 plus 4 had a word processor on board at start up so we used it for documents.
Don't you just love the original list price.
Don't you just love the original list price.
M
moresound
Loud Sun Studios
That's about the price of a net book now!
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wiguan88
New member
I'm running my Macbook Pro 13" with only 4Gb RAM.
somegeezer
4 Gazillion Rhodium User
I'm very late to the game. My first PC was a Windows 95 thing. =P In fact, I still have it I think. Only I upgraded it to 98 at some point. Never mind 1GB RAM, it only had that in the hard drive! =P Haha. My dad did a lot of recording on machines like that though. Not sure how people managed back then! XD
Capt Hair
Jeff
same here! Def think I'm going to get a mac mini when ever I need a new computer. Those things are awesome, and all the internals are pretty much pull and replace, making upgrading ram easy. They also come with thunderbolt now.
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BigRed360
New member
Two things:
1) The "my first computer" was first-er than yours part. I can't relate to the PC schtuff, because I've always been mac. But my first mac had no hard drive (had to get a 20mb external so I could quit swapping floppies--remember that dance?). It had 1 meg of ram, and I believe ran at 8mhz--maybe 16? Of course I didn't record audio with it, but I did score a fair amount of midi.
2) The relevant comment on how much ram one needs. My last rig did great with 4 gigs. And by great I mean I only had to submix once I got to about 16 tracks and a couple/few VSTs. I didn't think that was a problem until I replaced it for other reasons.
My current rig has 32 gigs of RAM (and 4 terabytes of HD, with 8 processor cores). Overkill? Considering I needed it to edit HD video, it was actually reasonable. But even if I only did audio--I'd insist on this much now. I'm spoiled. I'd say the most complex "real" mix I've done with this rig was about 24 audio channels, with at least a dozen FX, and 6 or 8 virtual instruments--some being large symphonic samples. I also have a 32 channel in/16 channel out setup, and I've actually captured 30 in at a time before (just for kicks--the most I record at once is usually 12). Not even a hiccup.
If that's overkill, I'll take it! It's cool when the needed work tools make great personal toys! Sorry--brag over.
1) The "my first computer" was first-er than yours part. I can't relate to the PC schtuff, because I've always been mac. But my first mac had no hard drive (had to get a 20mb external so I could quit swapping floppies--remember that dance?). It had 1 meg of ram, and I believe ran at 8mhz--maybe 16? Of course I didn't record audio with it, but I did score a fair amount of midi.
2) The relevant comment on how much ram one needs. My last rig did great with 4 gigs. And by great I mean I only had to submix once I got to about 16 tracks and a couple/few VSTs. I didn't think that was a problem until I replaced it for other reasons.
My current rig has 32 gigs of RAM (and 4 terabytes of HD, with 8 processor cores). Overkill? Considering I needed it to edit HD video, it was actually reasonable. But even if I only did audio--I'd insist on this much now. I'm spoiled. I'd say the most complex "real" mix I've done with this rig was about 24 audio channels, with at least a dozen FX, and 6 or 8 virtual instruments--some being large symphonic samples. I also have a 32 channel in/16 channel out setup, and I've actually captured 30 in at a time before (just for kicks--the most I record at once is usually 12). Not even a hiccup.
If that's overkill, I'll take it! It's cool when the needed work tools make great personal toys! Sorry--brag over.
somegeezer
4 Gazillion Rhodium User
I'll tell you now that you really most likely don't have 32GB of RAM running at any point in a single computer. =P 8GB is more than enough for pretty much any desktop and 16GB is actually the limit on most for a reason. You really won't be using all that much in a single computer for a few years yet. Now if that is inside a whole server farm, well have fun with all that power. ;D But it hardly seems like an average "home recording" setup to have a whole server farm to work with! =P
Steenamaroo
...
I can see the point of going mental on ram etc for HD video editing and rendering. It's so much more intensive than what we do.
For audio though, I'm quite happy with my MBP with 2.3ghz i5 and 4gb 1333mhz ram.
So much so that i was thinking of selling off my q9550 setup with 8gb 1066mhz and just buying a dock for the MBP.
Did I already say that?
When I upgraded the desktop from 4gb to 8gb I was so disappointed to learn that the new 4 never ever get touched. I run reasonably intense sessions too!
Ah well, we live and learn.
For audio though, I'm quite happy with my MBP with 2.3ghz i5 and 4gb 1333mhz ram.
So much so that i was thinking of selling off my q9550 setup with 8gb 1066mhz and just buying a dock for the MBP.
Did I already say that?
When I upgraded the desktop from 4gb to 8gb I was so disappointed to learn that the new 4 never ever get touched. I run reasonably intense sessions too!
Ah well, we live and learn.
somegeezer
4 Gazillion Rhodium User
Some here. But eventually, programmes will begin to take more and more advantage of all that RAM you can stuff into a computer. I'm sure we'll see big surges as more and more people move to a 64 bit OS.
guitaristic
prophet of Dave
My first computer was a VIC-20. I kept it all these years thinking it would become a collector's item. A few years ago, prices on eBay were like $25!!Forget that!! In the trash it went.
You threw away $25?!!!
I think my laptop has 6 gigs of the beautiful RAM.
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RecordingMaster
A Sarcastic Statement
I have the 27" imac with 16 GB ram, but that's because I am running graphic design and video editing programs, streaming live content, playing music, and hey....maybe someday I'll do that at once! At which point the 16GB MAY come in handy! 
Br3n
New member
hey very late to the game here but shit happens. unless you do super heavy work as in 3d modelling or rendering then you do not need any more than 8gigs. i have 6gigs and have run up to 60 tracks plus with roughly 35plugs on the whole session and the comp didn't even break a sweat!!!! i also edit hd video and rarely do 3d modeling but only when rendering does it struggle.
Chili
Site Moderator
You thew away $25?!!!
The time it would take me to post and sell on eBay (or Craigslist) and then pack and ship is worth more than $25. Not to mention all the stupid eBay and Payapl fees. I actually came out ahead by throwing it away.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
Yes, but how much of WHAT TYPE of RAM?
My RAM was hand slotted by virgins on the eastern slopes of the Italian alps...
Oh, and 4GB, but then, I don't record on a 'puter, so what does it matter!
My RAM was hand slotted by virgins on the eastern slopes of the Italian alps...
Oh, and 4GB, but then, I don't record on a 'puter, so what does it matter!
Chili
Site Moderator
That must be the Micron fab in Avezzano... almost went there one time.
It's actually a few hundred miles south of the Alps, your virgins had a long walk.
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frankcvo
New member
I have only 2 giggity gigs, but only record and mix single or at most two tracks.