ScuzzBlog: Diaries June 2023
Entry 15th June 2023: Post 1: Home Computer History - Preserving gaming guides.
Home Computer History - Preserving gaming guides.
One common feature of collections that I have acquired over the
years has been the user's own guides and private notes. Sometimes
the descriptive guides to games and software have been carefully
filed in ring binders and the like. Many gamers extracted pages
from magazines and bound these also into folders. One user in
particular even took to placing the disk and magazine guide into
a special sleeve mounted in a folder.
I was flicking through one of the folders I have and discovered
what appears to be a set of guides for a whole variety of games
and yet no name of the authoring journal or the platform for the
games. Inside the journal are very meticulously written notes
on everything from maps, weapons and navigation systems to tips
on combat and challenges.
For my part I still have all my own guides, notes and magazine
extracts. I also purchased in the day the special guides that
were published for the games. Amazing that I destroyed so many
magazines to file walkthro's so I could have them on hand whilst
I played the games.
I do hope that which ever museums eventually become custodian
for the main archives of the history of home computing, do hang
on to the many volumes of user notes, guides and technical notes
that accompanied computer collections. It is very important when
trying to appreciate the world of home computer users and gamers
of the early period that all aspects of that world are appreciated.
A lot of what early home computer users had to endure was the
need to record all their efforts manually. There was generally
no internet and certainly no mobile phones. A lot of what was
known was discovered by word of mouth or more commonly through
the various publications. However, much of the history of the
specific user was discovered through trial and error, and with
their personal notes and descriptives would have been as important
as the published word.
I have spent a lot of time maintaining the complete content of
some home computer users worlds. This includes not just their
physical kit but also all of their disks, games, magazines and
personal notes. To understand the true world of any user it is
important to have as many fragments of that world, some of which
may seem very insignificant but in truth may just unlock the
key to so much more.
Anyhoo here are a few examples of one guys personal notes and
magazine extracts. If you lived through the period you will most
likely appreciate just how important all of this was.
Home Computer History - Preserving gaming guides.
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Last updated 15th June 2023
Chandraise Kingdom
Keep the Faith
scuzzscink 2023