[SIGCIS-Members] PC history

[Melanie Swalwell]

Hi Michael,

I would imagine there are a number of people here doing work on everyday users and some focus on games.  I say this based on the list thread back in June 2010 about computer hobbyists, started by Theodore Lekkas http://sigcis.org/pipermail/members/2010-June/thread.html
It contains lots of useful and interesting references.  I wondered back then if there might be enough contributors for a collection.

I would be interesting to know if there are new recruits to the list, such as yourself, who are doing similar or related work.

My own work is about the history of digital games and microcomputing and is very focused on users.  I focus on local Australasian history as mostly this is overlooked.  My most recent article was about perceptions of the usefulness of early microcomputers:
Swalwell, Melanie (2012) "Questions About the Usefulness of Microcomputers in 1980s Australia", Media International Australia, no. 143, special issue on Australian Internet Histories, Gerard Goggin and Jock Given, eds, pp. 63-77.  There's a copy on my academia.edu site at http://www.academia.edu/474760/Questions_of_Microcomputers_Usefulness_in_1980s_Australia

Currently, I lead a team which is working on a (microcomputer) game history and preservation project focused on Australian and New Zealand made games of the 1980s, called "Play It Again".  The project aims are on our blog at http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/play-it-again/page/2/  Much of our research is being conducted in conjunction with fans, collectors, and the general user community.  Happy to tell you more if it sounds like it's of interest.

Regards,

Melanie


--
Play It Again blog: http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/play-it-again/
Follow us on Twitter: @AgainPlay
Like Us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/playitagainproject



From: members-bounces at sigcis.org [mailto:members-bounces at sigcis.org] On Behalf Of Michael Newman
Sent: Friday, 3 May 2013 6:51 AM
To: members at sigcis.org
Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] PC history

Hello, I'm new to this list so apologies if I'm asking about something you have discussed in the past. I posed this question on twitter and someone recommended that I do the same here.

I'm looking for histories of the emergence of the personal computer that center on ordinary users and ideas about their experiences rather than on inventors, companies, and machines. Something like what Lynn Spigel does with television in her book Make Room for TV - I wonder if anyone has done anything like Make Room for PC?

(My interest is actually primarily in early video games but of course there is substantial overlap between video game history and PC history.)

Thanks!

michael z. newman zigzigger<http://zigzigger.blogspot.com/> | @mznewman<http://twitter.com/mznewman>
asst prof, journalism, advertising, & media studies, uw-milwaukee

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