The Back When collection

Retro Tech

The buttons we pressed, the things we saved, and the machines we grew up with.

What Was Floppy About a Floppy Disk?

The flexible recording disk and its protective cover were different things—and the format began before the home PC.

1980s & 1990s 3 min read

A prototype’s overflowing coin collector shows how a game was also a machine for selling short sessions of play.

1970s & 1980s 3 min read

Taking a picture and making a visible photograph were separate steps. Negatives and prints did different jobs.

1980s & 1990s 3 min read

Typing moved the paper across the machine. Starting another line meant moving it back and advancing the sheet.

1960s–1980s 3 min read

Each eye received a different view. The viewer’s trick came from pairing pictures, not from making them move.

1950s–1980s 3 min read