#Retro Computing Posts
Building a Retro Sprite Engine on the Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC was never designed to compete with dedicated arcade hardware, yet developers managed to create impressive games by pushing the machine’s limits. In this article, we explore how to build a simple sprite engine using BASIC and Z80 assembly concepts, recreating the techniques used by 1980s programmers to move characters, handle collisions, and bring classic games to life.
Floppy Disks, Fast RAM, and Other Beautiful Constraints
Modern computers give developers almost unlimited power, but some of the most creative coding came from an era of strict limits. From floppy disks and tiny memory footprints to clever optimisation tricks, constraints forced programmers to understand their machines deeply. This article explores why those limitations created some of the most elegant software and why the lessons still matter today.
Indexes Explained Like It’s 1988
Back in 1988, computers were slower, hard drives were noisy, and every second counted. Database indexes were the secret weapon that helped systems find information quickly without searching every single record one by one. Even though technology has changed dramatically since then, indexes still work on the same core idea today. This article explains database indexes using retro computing comparisons anyone can understand.
Recreating a Classic Amiga Demo Effect in Modern C#
The demoscene on the Commodore Amiga pushed hardware to its limits with clever tricks and tight optimisation. In this article, we revisit one of those iconic visual effects and recreate it using modern C#. By combining mathematical principles with today’s frameworks, we can bring retro visuals to life while appreciating the ingenuity of early developers.
Amiga 500 in 2026: Still Worth Booting?
Nearly 40 years after its release, the Amiga 500 still inspires a level of devotion that modern machines rarely achieve. In 2026, when we carry more computing power in our pockets than entire 1980s computer labs possessed, is it still worth switching on this beige icon of the late ’80s? Or has nostalgia finally overtaken practicality? Let’s take a look at whether the Amiga 500 still deserves desk space in a world of cloud-native apps, AI assistants, and 64-bit everything.
From Amstrad to Azure: My Coding Journey
My journey into software development didn’t start in the cloud. It started in a bedroom, staring at a blinking cursor on a machine with less memory than a modern toaster. From writing BASIC on an 8-bit home computer to deploying applications to the cloud, this is the story of how retro computing shaped the developer I am today.
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Indexes Explained Like It’s 1988
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