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Showing posts from December, 2022

I needed a laptop: the 1980s Grid Computer

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  Updated Image - Redid the Screen Bezels Tried to keep it as original as possible In the world of retro computing, especially portable retro computing, few computers are as iconic as the GRiD systems laptop.  GRiD pioneered the clamshell laptop design in the early 80s with the GRiD Compass, a staple in military and NASA missions, and both as seen in the director's cut of Aliens.  So when I realized I needed a laptop for business and personal use (can't always take a desktop everywhere), I settled on building one inside of a rusted out GRiD rather than buying off the shelf. There were two initial concerns right from the start.  First was concerning the keyboard.  Intended to use the original keyboard which consists of a rather strange layout.  Notice first the spacebar which is labeled "Bloomberg".  This laptop was custom built for the financial corporation, and included a financial keyboard with bucket loads of random custom keys I knew nothing about.  To fit these e