My 3 Desert Island Retro Computers

I'm stuck on a desert island... and can only bring three retro computers with me...

Hypothetical.

You are shipwrecked and stranded on a desert island. On the island is a small shelter with plenty of electricity (supplied by solar panels or coconuts or something… don’t think about that part too hard).

For your entertainment, you can have three retro computers with you.

Which three would you choose?

I’ve thought long and hard about this — because it’s such an obviously important question — and have come up with my own “3 Desert Island Retro Computers”.

The Rules:

1. The machines must be built prior to the year 2000.

2. We can assume an unlimited supply of software, floppy disks, batteries, and replacement parts are available (via some sort of “Magic Retro Computer Cave” you find on the island.

3. There’s no cell phone service (or any other form of Internet connectivity possible). So don’t even try it.

#1 - Powermac 6100/66 with DOS Compatibility

For my first computer… I’m cheating.

I’m choosing the Powermac 6100 with the DOS Compatibility card, which came out in 1995.

Pictured: The 6100/66. The DOS Compatible version looks exactly the same… with the addition of “DOS Compatible” written on the front.

This gives me a 66 MHz PPC Macintosh (capable of running MacOS 8.x), with a full DOS 486 CPU (at 66 MHz) and a Soundblaster compatible sound card. You can then toggle between DOS / Windows 3.1 and MacOS with a quick hot-key.

Which. I know. Cheating. I basically picked a machine that has two computers in it.

For the monitor, I’m going with the Apple AudioVision 14” CRT monitor. A good quality 640x480 display. Also it has built in speakers. And speakers are handy. You know. For hearing things.

And, for the keyboard, I’ll be using the Apple Extended II. One truly excellent ADB keyboard.

Picture courtesy: iFixIt.

One pick down and I can already run DOS, Windows 3.1, and MacOS classic. Feeling like I have a pretty rad setup already. I can do some seriously fun early to mid 1990s gaming here!

Let’s see… what next…

#2 - Palm m505

I’m going to want a handheld. Something I can take notes with. Or play games on while I lay in a hammock, sipping on a drink out of a coconut.

For that, I’ve decided to go with the Palm m505.

A color, backlit, 160x160 display. 8 MB of RAM. An SD card slot (so I can load it up with a lot of games, ebooks, and the like). Plus, the m505 was powered by PalmOS 4.0… which means I can sync it with that Powermac 6100 up there using an ADB Palm Sync cradle.

I’ll also be adding a Kodak PalmPix — a snap-on accessory for the Palm m505 which adds the ability to take 800x600 color pictures (which can then be stored on the m505’s SD card and synced to that Powermac 6100).

Because, heck. I’m on a cool desert island. I’m going to want to take some pictures to document everything!

Ok. So now I’ve got a sweet desktop and a nice little handheld (that doubles as a camera)… what next…

#3 - Amiga 1200

My first two choices have given me… a lot. DOS, Windows 3.1, MacOS, and PalmOS. The number of games and applications I can run border on the obscene.

Which means my third choice can be purely for fun.

So, obviously, I’ll be going with the Amiga 1200.

A fully decked out Amiga 1200 is capable of running pretty much every Amiga game out there (and there are a lot of great Amiga games).

And, all around, it’s just such a fun machine (with a solid keyboard). Can’t really go wrong!

What are your Desert Island Retro Computers?

I’d love to hear your picks!

Do you go even more retro and stick to computers from the 1970s or 80s?

Do you try to use machines that are as modern as possible — but still, technically, before the year 2000?

Post your list in the comments (or over on Locals or Patreon). I’m curious what all of you will come up with (and if you have any ideas I’d like to steal).

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