The Future Was Here
by Jimmy Maher · first published 2012
83% recommend17% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Deep dive into the Commodore Amiga's hardware, software and business history, going beyond nostalgia to explain how the machine worked and why it mattered; suits readers curious about computing history and programming.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Exploring the often-overlooked history and technological innovations of the world's first true multimedia computer. Long ago, in 1985, personal computers came in two general categories: the friendly, childish game machine used for fun (exemplified by Atari and Commodore products); and the boring, beige adult box used for business (exemplified by products from IBM). The game machines became fascinating technical and artistic platforms that were of limited real-world utility. The IBM products were all utility, with little emphasis on aesthetics and no emphasis on fun. Into this bifurcated com
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I suggest the Penny Arcade guys (who, umm, write a webcomic, what do they know about anything technical?) have a read of The Future Was Here, the story of the Commodore Amiga, for a glimpse at how good engineers with a belief in their mission can go from breadboard to world-beating product almost before you can blink...
on “The reality of the Ouya console doesn’t match the hype” ↗The MIT "platform series" is fascinating - specifically: _Racing The Beam_ (study of the atari 2600 platform) _The Future was Here_ (study of the amiga platform) Best books I've read in the last five years: _Debt: The First 5000 Years_ _Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means_ (william…
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012” ↗If you’re really interested in what made the Amiga so great back in its day, checkout this book: The Future Was Here: The Commodore Amiga https://www.amazon.de/dp/0262535696/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i... Unlike other books about retro it does not only try to trigger your nostalgia but is an actual deep dive into the…
on “What made the Amiga so great” ↗The Cuckoo's Egg More Jimmy Maher, beyond The Future Was Here: <www.filfre.net>. He and Chet at CRPG Addict are doing the two most important computer-game projects, each for more than a decade. The Friendly Orange Glow, about PLATO. Not because PLATO was super-influential…
on “The Joy of Computer History Books” ↗…significant revenue from business use. EDIT: I'd also add that there isn't like there haven't been extensive analysis on this, such as Brian Bagnall's book series on Commodore, or Jimmy Maher's "The Future Was Here". We know a lot about Commodore's internal issues and their finances that was not public knowledge at the time. Commodore was horribly mismanaged more than anything else, and there are many competing…
on “Doom Didn't Kill the Amiga (2024)” ↗…interested you are) but they are much more for those already interested in Commodore, though "Commodore: The Amiga Years" on its own is worthwhile for people interested specifically in the Amiga. Maher's The Future Was Here is much more accessible to people who has want a lighter read and/or don't have a personal relationship to the Amiga and Commodore, though.
on “40 Years of the Amiga” ↗…we care about the Amiga without the couple of thousands of pages of Brian Bagnalls works on Commodore - which I hear ily recommend, but they're for people with a special interest - Jimmy Maher's "The Future Was Here"[1] is excellent) [1] https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262535694/the-future-was-here/
on “July 23 1985, Commodore introduced its Amiga 1000: 10 years ahead of its time” ↗One can read "The Future Was Here", to learn more about the platform and its contributors. https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/future-was-here - there's also an accompanying website: http://amiga.filfre.net Note that the Platform Studies…
on “Today, 30 years ago, Commodore introduced the Amiga” ↗Anybody interested in a well written history of the scene that really helps explain it as a cultural phenomenon should probably read the demoscene chapter in "The Future Was Here", a book about the Amiga. It's probably one of the best written synopsis of the scene I've ever read and really places it well as both a technical and artistic movement and helps provide context for this…
on “Winning 1kb intro released at Assembly 2015” ↗Yeah, it's actually a hack that is well explained in the book "The Future was Here". It's not real desktops since it only works on the vertical axis. But even though, it was massively impressive compared to what other computers could do at the time.
on “Buying an Amiga 30 years later” ↗He's definitely a good historian. But, as shown in his book about the Amiga, The Future Was Here, he's also pretty knowledgeable about programming.
on “The Shareware Scene, Part 4: Doom” ↗An excellent book that studies that is The Future Was Here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-Was-Here-Commodore-Platform-e...
on “Half an operating system: The triumph and tragedy of OS/2” ↗Also check out this excellent book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-Was-Here-Commodore-Platform-e...
on “Google employee ports Amiga emulator to Chrome” ↗…reasons why are complex and very informative, especially the Tramiel years. Some samples: There's not many books looking back, but there are a few and they're quite good: http://www.amazon.com/The-Future-Was-Here-Commodore/dp/02620... http://www.amazon.com/Atari-Inc-Business-Complete-History-eb... http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Spectacular-Rise-Fall-Commodore/d... http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/14516485...…
on “Ask HN: How to learn about the history of computing?” ↗I'm reading "The Future Was Here" and it gives an excellent dive into the guts and history of the machine. I've really come to a new appreciation for how this crazy machine worked. Highly recommend this book for anybody with more than…
on “Today, 30 years ago, Commodore introduced the Amiga” ↗