Most liked posts in thread: The Retro Cards of Christmas

From your list of things about Switzerland, I am concluding that you don't like banks! ;-)
And I am with you in this.

 

Are there any actually OPEN down your High Street these days, guys?

Honestly, there are towns around Hull now with zero banks left and even a decent-sized city like ours must have seen something like 15-20 branches close in the last decade.

Together with Post Offices (and or course so many, many, many of the big store names), they're vanishing to the point where I no longer think they actually provide us with a reliable, regular handy service and I can't understand why people aren't more up in arms about it: our communities' services are being reduced to unacceptable levels - IMHO.

 

We have them but I'd describe them as loosely open with very short hours..

The big shock was the Sainsburys in South Harrow is shutting for good in the next week, its not massive but not a local either, leaves the people up there either Asda (a shocking dive of a shop, full of thieves and halfwits, not all Asda's, just this one) or Waitrose which is for the elite...

Thankfully further afield we have a big Tesco and a Big Morrisons, there's also a reasonable size Sainsburys in Ruislip but its a fair trek.

 

Sadly increasingly false, why meet when you can virtual meet, handy for distance or disability but now we skype eachother from the armchair (well I don't). Shops are dropping like flies, I had to have a cancer test via a telephone FFS and you know they will continue to adopt that idea. Can't have our surgery doctors working too much.

How do I buy a hifi or a TV without seeing the thing in the flesh. Even if I end up online for it I still nip to PC World etc on the hope that maybe the price will be ok or just to see it in action..

I'm not a person for restaurant trips these days but I used to like it, are they going to stop that and the dear old pub?

 

It is, I'm not a pub person but its always been a wonderful meeting place with something for most people (a pool table in my case). It's just such a British thing that other countries enjoy as well ie Germany etc Just a nice place on an evening like now to chat, eat and just have a bit of fun for a couple of hours (or more).

Absolutely horrific to see the good old pub get obliterated but I'm sure some of our society are enjoying seeing them go..

What next, the traditional British cafe for a nice fry up???

 

I would say Tandy was a competitor to us as they were opposite our shop but in truth they were RUBBISH

(Although I did buy a big set of speakers from them)

The joy of Tandys to us was that the staff were commission based box shifters who knew (in this branch) next to nothing about anything. A shame as the TRS80 wasn't a bad machine but when you have staff who can't even turn it on let alone understand anything about DOS there was always going to be a problem.

Going in to a Radio Shack in Florida just showed the difference in ways..

 

I remember the old days when we were so poor the only way we could get a heat was to visit all the computer shops in town and get a heat off the power supplies through the holes in our sock feet.

Listen to us. When did we all get so old

 

Power supplies? Power supplies? Hark at ye, Al, you guys had it easy.

We had to warm our poor tired frozen limbs on vacuum tubes, mate:


BAZ entering Rumbelows in 1984...

Plus there were 8 of us living under a Spectrum plus.

(!!)

 

Ciao Baz, I'm so glad that the card has reached you before XMas day!
I'd like to state that the picture and design of the card are entirely by Virginia, whereas the "lyrics" are mine...
So now you know who's to blame (me) and who's to praise (Virgi).
And no, we didn't try a pun on your presumed addiction to Oric-branded stuff!

 

Thanks, Paul. Virginia (my littlest daughter, although she's 19 already) was so excited to design the card for Andy. She always appreciated a lot the ones I received in the few past years from Baz. AlexDrito (i.e. "lil' Alexander" in Spanish) is one of her zillions invented characters. I use it here on AOC and of course, he shows himself on Baz card to bring the umpteenth Oric Atmos computer.

P.S. I'm so sorry for the typo in the text, Baz - "machines" - I should have double-checked the card before shipping.

 

A great artistic effort went into that card and I thank and applaud the work that went into it, so thank you Daz and young Virginia. It's a winning combination - retro dad and design-inspired daughter. I do like the Lil Alexander logo character that you use as your avatar and features on my retro Christmas card, David. Greatest of all is the cute little Atmos under the tree - I wonder how many good little boys and girls will get one under their tree this Christmas?! (0.25 - probably!)

 

Hey oops, I just detected some retro cards of Christmases past.... here we go with 2-3 designed by Robofruit Alan Robinson. See what you make of his artistic efforts, folks and if he's watching tonight - hope you're keeping well Al and do drop us all a line on here sometime with news of your latest mods, matey.

 

Well, this just reached me from the charming city of Hull. Who could send this?

https://nextcloud.nablasolutions.ch/index.php/s/LzSzYQiW6AtwcMe

Amazing concept and great humour as ever, Baz! You know, I really appreciate it! Virginia and Carla saw the XMas card and said "Congratulations to Andy & Bev!". Thank you, happy holidays!

p.s. How do you insert images here? Can't find a simple way. Image URL, copy & paste?

 

Wonderful, David!
So glad you like it and it meets with hilarity and your family's approval as I know your girls are very artistic and talented so glad they like our "modest" missive!!
Excellent - as ever, thank you for letting me know it's with you and that you're all well. I just wish I could have sent you guys overseas a little gift but do you know the CHEAPEST mail quote I got for sending a small item to Switzerland (and the USA) was £20. I can't believe just how prohibitive postal charges are now (will it get worse after Brexit - most probably).
Never mind, have a cosy Christmas, folks - all the best - Baz & Bev.

 

Baz the Oric Elf has been very busy this year. One of his fantastic Atari Christmas cards has made it's way north of the border to me

Andy, thanks very much to both you and Bev. The card is great and has taken pride of place amongst the few other (all non retro) cards received so far.

Happy Christmas to everyone when it comes. Anyone have some retro computing leisure planned seeing as we are being advised to have a quiet one at home?

 

LOL!

Glad it made it through the barren borders, low-lying lochs, heather-filled highlands and all the way past your Trossachs, Al, to make it through to you, buddy!

As you say, this year, we will all mainly be... STAYING PUT so what better way of passing the time than chucking another ZX81 tape on the fire and booting up some great software on your 800XL, CPC464, Atmos, Dragon or even your... BREADBIN?

Yep, I reckon this wee beastie will be getting a fair share of ferric fun thrown its way, pal:



What's your Christmas (retro) schedule looking like, Al?

 

Sounds like a solid plan you have Andy

I'm going to show the old A8 some love of course but have a couple of other machines on the go. I swapped my Amiga for a Sega Saturn with SD card fitted so will be spending time getting that all configured and putting in a few laps of Power Drift and the other Sega arcade racers - something the Saturn excels at.

I've replaced the genuine Amiga with an emulator on the pc, but I might try and pick up a cheap A500 or A600 to play Sensi, Kick Off and Arcade Pool.

And of course hopefully get a special delivery of an Amstrad 6128 from Richie at some point

Have you picked up any of the Zzap64 annuals from the last couple of years Baz? Even for a non-C64 guy like myself they make a very entertaining read.

 

Andy, that youtube video. Hilarious and scary true at the same time!

 

He's a cutie for sure...

 

Happy Christmas fellow Atarians, to you and all your families. Stay safe and enjoy

 

Ho-ho-ho! I received my Christmas card from you, today, @Andy Barr , very funny and in time for the general holiday season is a plus this year too!

Thank you and Happy Holidays to you and all on the Owner's club.

Matt

P.S. I suppose I should post a photo of it...I better go dig it out of the bin!

 

Yay.

As well as Matt receiving his card we've received fab greets from France and Klyde / Manu.

This good sized packet just came hurtling through our chambers:

Many many thanks et merci bien, Manu et Isabelle.

Bev is delighted with her Atari sign and it will be her prized new kitchen possession when she is back on her feet (!!)





PS. Has your handheld game arrived as yet, Manu?

PPS. Matt, I would have lurved to have sent you a wee parcel but the shipping now has become ridiculous - they wanted £15-20 to send you a small package and I'm afraid I could not afford the postage which was more than the price of the retro book I was going to send you. It really is such a shame these days that shipping is spiralling out of control and our affordability. Apologies, buddy.

PPS. Nice stamp you sent too, Manu - PRESS START - a la retro arcade video prompts! I likes it!

;-)

 

Affirmative, Paul.

What this does is make it prohibitive to send gifts which just aint fair at all when we're all trying to spread a little joy at this time of year.

You would think they would do all they can to discount at Christmas as the volume of parcels flying around is sky high so they must be raking it in so it's so unfair on those destinations and recipients whom we can't now afford to send to...

;-(

 

Sheesh - sky high shipping there, Al but when it's your other half then needs must and that service was pretty quick so fair play.

As you say, you go to the Post Office these days to buy a book of stamps - and have to take out another mortgage to pay for the buggers.

Here we go - Manu's sign has improved Bev's kitchen. She doesn't know yet but I'm fairly sure she will be jumping for joy when she's better... I think....

 

No worries mate, it's not like I got you or anyone else anything, though I was hoping to surprise someone with a 1200XL for Christmas, the holidays just snuck up on me too fast. I was thinking about it after receiving your very funny card though, and I've decided I'm going to send all the regulars on the owner's club a Merry-April Fool's card. Though I had so many funny thoughts about it, I can't remember them all now...I'll have to think on it again, and write my ideas down this time.