Jun 2, 2006

the Soviet Home Computer

The U.S.S.R. is no more, imperialism is getting more ...er... imperialistic, but at least quite a few of the socialist home computers have survived. The what? (I hear your tiny voices ask). The socialist home computers (I answer in a booming voice). Never seen one, right? Then, let me introduce you to comrade BK-0010 (photo via this place):

The BK-0010 was first released in 1985 (and later updated to superior models like the BK-0011) and featured a 3MHz K1801VM1 processor, 32kb of RAM, another 32kb of ROM, 4 color 256*256 or b&w 512*512 graphics, QBUS, a parallel port and used a typical for the era tape recorder as a storage device.

The really important thing about the BK though, and something that would have made even Lenin proud, were the (widely pirated and hacked) games. Feast your eyes upon a nice selection of screenshots (via and via), and then try your luck with the emulators.

Blockout

11 comments:

  1. wow gnome, you've been busy! not visited for a few days, but as if by magic you provide us with more thought provoking posta to get us through the working day. Nice one.

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  2. Always here to help the working-man.

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  3. I actually think it looks quite slick for being from the 80's..
    The games also look fairly decent as well!

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  4. Brilliant! just the excuse i needed to open the russian vodka.

    Budem zdorovy!!!

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  5. I'm sure the games were good, the design better and the vodka the best.

    партия!!

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  6. I must admit, that's pretty cool.

    Yehuda

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  7. Quite :)

    Glad you liked it...

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  8. Nice links there my spamming anonymous friend...

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  9. It looks like they labeled Ms. Pacman as regular Pacman. Probably pirated and ported to this device sloppily?

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  10. It does indeed look a bit like a feminine PacMan, hence a Ms. PacMan, but it seems more like a total reworking than a simple pirated port... Can't be sure though...

    Oh, and a great blog you've got there Uncle Gropey!

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  11. In fact even android have supported this computer and made an app emulator to it and according to wiki this computer is considered the first fully 16kb computer designed for home use in the world many still uses this computer as a nostalgia and still program it making new games as well as other programs

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