[W/K] :: retrocomputing

  retrocomputing /ret'-roh-k*m-pyoo'ting/ n. Refers to emulations of
     way-behind-the-state-of-the-art hardware or software, or implementations
     of never-was-state-of-the-art; esp. if such implementations are
     elaborate practical jokes and/or parodies, written mostly for hack
     value, of more `serious' designs. Perhaps the most widely distributed
     retrocomputing utility was the `pnch(6)' or `bcd(6)' program on V7 and
     other early Unix versions, which would accept up to 80 characters of
     text argument and display the corresponding pattern in {punched card
     code. Other well-known retrocomputing hacks have included the
     programming language INTERCAL, a JCL-emulating shell for Unix, the
     card-punch-emulating editor named 029, and various elaborate PDP-11
     hardware emulators and RT-11 OS emulators written just to keep an old,
     sourceless Zork binary running.
  
     A tasty selection of retrocomputing programs are made available at the
     Retrocomputing Museum, `http://www.tuxedo.org/retro'.
  
  

  retrocomputing
       
          /ret'-roh-k*m-pyoo'ting/ Refers to emulations of
          way-behind-the-state-of-the-art hardware or software, or
          implementations of never-was-state-of-the-art; especially if
          such implementations are elaborate practical jokes and/or
          parodies, written mostly for hack value, of more "serious"
          designs.  Perhaps the most widely distributed retrocomputing
          utility was the "pnch(6)" or "bcd(6)" program on V7 and other
          early Unix versions, which would accept up to 80 characters of
          text argument and display the corresponding pattern in
          punched card code.  Other well-known retrocomputing hacks
          have included the programming language INTERCAL, a
          JCL-emulating shell for Unix, the card-punch-emulating
          editor named 029, and various elaborate PDP-11 hardware
          emulators and RT-11 OS emulators written just to keep an old,
          sourceless Zork binary running.
       
          [{Jargon File]